Light Up Lancaster Festival: Artist Open Call
Light Up Lancaster (LUL) is partnering with the Confucius Institute at Lancaster University to support the creation of a new, light art installation for the 2022 festival, November 4 & 5.
We are seeking project proposals from creatives inspired by working in a light-based medium and have a particular association with Chinese heritage and culture. The piece of work should celebrate Chinese heritage, be light-based, and consider the themes of this year’s event (see below).
About Light Up Lancaster
Light Up Lancaster Festival is in its 8th year. The event dates are Friday 4th and Saturday 5th November 2022, culminating in the annual fireworks’ spectacular finale on the Saturday night.
Light Up Lancaster is delivered by The Dukes in partnership with Lancaster Business Improvement district (BID) and Lancaster City Council supported by funding from Arts Council England among other funding partners. The Festival is planned and managed by a Steering Group.
Light Up Lancaster aims to be a unique and authentic light art festival for Lancaster which is owned by the local community. The Festival includes light art installations, performances, workshops and interactive sessions for families. The Festival is made by local artists and arts
organisations and also national and international artists, bringing their projects to Light Up
Lancaster. In 2021, more than 50,000 people came to Light Up Lancaster events.
Theme
The theme for the Festival in 2022 is Turning Points.
It’s a flexible theme which aims to encourage presenters, audiences, and participants to reflect on those times in life – personal, social, scientific & environmental – when things could go one way or another… when changes happen. Turning Points, then, will shed a brilliant light on moments of ponder, of positive decision-making, of collective endeavour and change for the good.
Example ideas which could be explored include:
- Crossroads – decisive decisions individuals and society take; make or break times
- Pivotal – the build-up and defining moments of change, the point of no return
- Breakthrough – the eureka flashpoint when, in an instant, a new perspective emerges
- Coming of age – those hugely significant and meaningful moments in our lives
- Milestones and landmark events – celebratory red-letter days which resonate beyond the events themselves
- Moment of truth – where impact and outcome collide with decisions, watershed moments
- Epoch-making – change on a grand and memorable stage
- Literal – junctions, signposts, things that turn
Call for Project Proposals
The Confucius Institute at Lancaster University, as in previous years, is working with the LUL creative team and we are looking for projects which will fit well with the theme, are engagement friendly or could feasibly be installed imaginatively in a variety of spaces/places
across the festival.
All projects should use light as a creative medium.
The commission available for the work is £5K. This is the total commission available and should include fees, materials, transport.
Our Process
As follows:
- Send your short proposal of no more than two sides of A4, along with samples of work and outline budget, to LUL Producer, George Harris: georgeproduces@gmail.com
- Closing date for proposals: Monday, July 11
- Shortlisting: w/c Monday, July 18
- Notification of commission: w/c July 25
- Festival Dates: Friday 4th and Saturday 5th November
Further Information:
More information about Light Up Lancaster can be found here: www.lightuplancaster.co.uk
