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TECHNOLOGY
ENLIGHTEN THE WORLD The International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) hosted Enlighten Americas and Enlighten Europe in consecutive months recently. Both were a resounding success with high quality content and an intimate atmosphere.
ENLIGHTEN AMERICAS The IALD hosted its 16th Enlighten Americas conference on 13-15 October 2016 at the Sheraton Buganvilias Resort + Convention Center in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, México. Danielle Feinberg, Director of Photography at Pixar Animation Studios, delivered the Opening Keynote, taking attendees behind the scenes of Finding Nemo, Toy Story, Brave, and WALL-E to discover how she and Pixar interweave art and science to create fantastic worlds with light. During this time IALD President Victor Palacio, IALD, also held a short program to formally induct two members of the IALD to the IALD College of Fellows. Both Nancy Clanton, founder and president of Clanton and Associates and Ken Douglas, principal and founder of Illumination Arts were recognised for their valuable contribution to the art and science of lighting design and for their continued service to the IALD. At the annual Lighting Industry Resource Council (LIRC) Business Meeting IALD Education Trust President Andrea Hartranft, IALD, took the stage to thank longtime LIRC member Lucifer Lighting Group for their generous matching grant challenge, which pledges to match all donations to the IALD Education Trust, dollar-for-dollar, up to $75,000 USD for the rest of the year. At her urging to rise up to the challenge, an incredible outpouring of support from manufacturers and attendees resulted in over $19,000 USD in donations/pledges towards the matching grant and will be designated to the Lucifer Lighting Company Endowment in Honor of Chip Israel, FIALD. Major contributions came from: Lighting Services Inc; Associated Lighting Representatives (ALR) Oakland; KSA Lighting and Controls Chicago; Architectural Lighting Alliance (ALA) Dallas; and Vode Lighting. For the sixth year, the LIRC hosted the Emerging Lighting Designers Reception in honor of 32 emerging professionals, who the Emerging Lighting Design Professionals Initiative financially supported to attend the conference. Launched in 2011, the program assists design firms in providing professional development for junior staff by financially supporting designers within their first five
years of on-the-job practice to attend IALD Enlighten conferences around the world. To date, the program has made it possible for more than 242 emerging professionals to attend the IALD conferences. At the end of each day’s sessions and events, three generous sponsors hosted evening networking events for conference attendees. The official kick-off event for the conference began with the President’s Opening Reception sponsored by Eaton at the Sheraton Buganvilias’ open-air restaurant and garden. Guests enjoyed show stopping entertainment Puerto Vallarta style with an abundance of food, handcrafted cocktails, live mariachi bands, and folkloric dancing to end the night. Friday’s evening event was hosted by Acuity Brands at the Vista Grill Restaurant & Bar, a hidden gem in the hills of Puerto Vallarta. Guests savored Mexican delicacies and cocktails with unparalleled views of Puerto Vallarta and Banderas Bay, making it the perfect setting to unwind from a busy day. The Philips sponsored Saturday Closing Reception was all about letting loose and enjoying an evening under the stars. The event was held at El Dorando Restaurant, Bar and Beach Club located in the worldfamous Los Muertos Beach, where a spectacular sunset made the perfect backdrop to an evening of networking and dancing in the sand. A delightful wrap-up to an exciting conference. ENLIGHTEN EUROPE The IALD hosted its largest Enlighten Europe conference to date on 13-15 November 2016 at the Prague Marriott Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic. A record 326 lighting professionals from 41 countries, attended the conference. Sakchin Bessette, co-founder and executive director of Moment Factory, delivered the Opening Keynote with an immersive visual presentation of the firm’s more than 350 multimedia installations, environments and events around the world. Since co-founding the studio in 2001, Sakchin has turned his passions for visual art, storytelling, technology, and interactive entertainment into a perpetual quest to amaze, inspire
emotion, and bring people together to share meaningful experiences in the public realm. Some of his most famous work includes the multimedia spectacle of the façade of Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the interactive new media installation at LAX Airport and Jean Paul Gaultier’s touring exhibition. The LIRC also hosted a Meet and Greet for 10 Emerging Lighting Designers, who the Emerging Lighting Design Professionals Initiative financially supported to attend the conference. Launched in 2011, the program assists design firms in providing professional development for junior staff by financially supporting designers within their first five years of on-the-job practice to attend IALD Enlighten conferences around the world. To date, the program has made it possible for more than 253 emerging professionals to attend the IALD conferences. Closing Keynote Patrick Woodroffe of Woodroffe Bassett Design, closed the conference’s formal programming sharing snapshots and experiences of his extraordinary work, which includes a string of superstar clients and some of the highest profile events and installations. For the past forty years, he has lit and directed live shows for ABBA, Adele, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, and the Rolling Stones; as well as created lighting schemes for the Millennium Dome (O2) in London; the Highgrove House for The Prince of Wales; and the historic Prague Castle for President Vaclav Havel – an ancient symbol of the Czech lands and one of his showpieces that conference attendees had the pleasure to visit. A spectacular closing party in medieval surroundings at Saint Agnes Convent, organised by the IALD and Carla Kissler, sealed an incredible conference. www.iald.org • IALD Enlighten Asia 2017 will be held on 7-9 March in Tokyo, Japan (coinciding with Lighting Fair Japan). • IALD Enlighten Americas 2017 will be held on October 12-14 in Denver, USA.