The Associations Lounge on the Gallery level, acts as a shared space for lighting industry associations – LIA, ILP, SLL and IALD to share their ongoing work and information about membership. The VLDC, DALI Alliance, and Silhouette Awards will also have a presence in the Lounge during the show, as will women’s groups: WiL, WLP, WIA, WOD, and WIFN.
Visitors will be able to enjoy a comfortable lounge style environment while taking advantage of complimentary refreshments, networking events and a dedicated talks programme, which will feature presentations and panels run by industry associations LIA, IALD, ILP, and SLL. There will also be panel discussions in collaboration with Women in Lighting and DALI Alliance, along with much more.
Curated by the [d]arc media editorial team and with expert guest moderators, this year’s LiGHT talks programme is set to be the best yet.
All talks are completely free to attend for registered visitors but space is limited. Check out the full Associations Lounge talks programme detailed below.
Wednesday, 20 November
11:45 – 12:15 | Photometry: The Invisible Force Shaping Our World
Speaker: Dan Griffiths, Technical Operations Manager, The LIA
In this talk, Dan Griffiths will share insights on the key principles of photometry as well as the potential pitfalls of relying on assumptions or estimations.
12:45 – 13:15 | Design is to design a design to produce a design
Jeff Shaw will be talking about the practice of architectural lighting design, with a focus on how to approach the creative design process and what you need to know and when you need to know it, as well as when to follow the rules and when to consider breaking them.
This talk is an introduction to the upcoming SLL Lighting Guide 23 (LG23) which will cover the lighting design process in detail. This guide will be aimed not just professional lighting designers, but at anyone who bears responsibility for the design of the lighting on a project, including architects, interior designers, landscape architects, electrical engineers, lighting manufacturers and contractors.
13:45 – 14:15 | How to Use Dynamic Lighting Products in Everyday Architectural Lighting
Speaker: Solveig Busler, Schnick-Schnack-Systems
The training bridges the gap between the dynamic lighting products of the entertainment industry and everday architectural lighting projects. It tackles the challenges lighting designers face in controlling RGB lighting fixtures and pixels in architectural contexts, and also addresses concerns about light pollution in their designs. Participants will gain valuable insights on effectively using RGB and RGBW pixels and designing control flows for these installations, ultimately lowering the barriers to successful implementation.
14:45 – 15:15 | Lighting the Way: Growing the IALD UK Community
Speakers: Christopher Knowlton, IALD CEO; Beatrice Bortolini, IALD UK Coordinator; Kevin Rosenstand,IALD UK Coordinator; Niki Smith, IALD LIRC Ambassador
Discover the latest exciting developments from the IALD, including a new online learning platform and expanded volunteer opportunities. As well as how changes to membership accessibility are creating a more inclusive and connected global community. UK Coordinators Beatrice Bortolini and Kevin Rosenst will share highlights of the UK’s activities and their efforts to build a vibrant local network. Plus, get the latest on the new LIRC ambassador programme from Niki Smith, showcasing the opportunities for cross-industry collaboration. Don’t miss this chance to be part of the future of lighting design.
16:00 – 16:15 | Introducing the Virtual Lighting Design Community
Speaker: Katia Kolovea, co-founder of VLDC
Learn more about the Virtual Lighting Design Community – a dynamic and inspiring platform connecting lighting professionals worldwide. From expert presentations, awards recognition programme and global event participation to online and in-person panel discussions, it is a hub of knowledge, ideas, and collaboration. Lighting professionals from all sectors all across the globe are welcome to join and contribute to the growth of our industry. Plus, all attendees will have an exclusive opportunity to be part of something exciting that will shape the future of our community – come ready to make your mark!
17:30 Onwards | Shining a Light on Mentorship: The Silhouette Awards Experience
Join the Silhouette Awards team for an engaging and inspiring session that empowers the next generation of lighting talent, whilst guiding industry experts in fostering growth and mentorship within their teams. This interactive event will celebrate the power of mentorship and the impact of the growing Silhouette Awards community.
They’ll kick off with an introduction to the key elements of the Silhouette Awards, followed by a mentor-mentee conversation highlighting the real-world benefits of this transformative global program. An exciting live pitch from rising stars in the programme will add a fun, competitive edge, highlighting their growth and development over the six-month mentorship journey. This is a unique chance to witness how these future leaders have evolved through the guidance of their mentors.
The event continues with an insightful panel discussion featuring mentors from the program who will share wisdom on leadership, how best to cultivate creativity, and provide meaningful career growth opportunities.
Finally, a curated networking session will give all attendees – mentors, mentees, sponsors, and supporters – the chance to connect, collaborate, and celebrate.
Everyone is welcome! The Silhouette Awards is a fully inclusive community.
A Passion for light, growth, and positivity is required.
Thursday, 21 November
10:45 – 11:15 | ILP How to Be Brilliant
Speaker: Peter Fordham, DHA Designs
From Tiffany to Alexander McQueen, from dinosaurs to Fantastic Beasts, David Hockney to Lord Nelson, DHA Designs has, over many years, illuminated them all. Join Peter Fordham as he pays tribute to late colleague Jonathan Howard and explains how essential light is to the enjoyment of collection items, in a joyful, celebratory presentation of award-winning projects from the DHA Designs portfolio.
12:00 – 13:45 | Why Women’s Groups are Important for Women and Men
Speakers: Carmela Dagnello, Women in Lighting; Rachael Davidson, Women in Architecture; Lauren Thompson, Women in Office Design; and Zoe Bonser, Women in Furniture Network
This panel discussion will dive deeper into why it is important for both women and men to get behind Women’s Groups in the industry and how male colleagues and peers can help change the narrative.
This will be followed by a complimentary LiGHT Lunch and networking opportunities with representatives from Women in Lighting, Women Lighting Professionals, Women in Office Design, Women in Architecture and the Women in Furniture Network.
14:00 – 14:30 | The Return of Guerrilla Lighting – the metaverse version
Speakers: James Simpson, Founder, Copper Candle; Sharon Stammers and Martin Lupton, Founders, Light Collective
Guerrilla Lighting, first launched in 2007, was designed to show the power of light in an urban environment and grew in popularity over many years. It happened hundreds of times at industry events and light festivals in over 50 different cities all around the world. This event used battery powered torches and the involvement of up to 40 people to transform spaces in the style of a flash mob intervention.
In 2024, Light Collective and Copper Candle are bringing back Guerrilla Lighting as an interactive metaverse based e-sport. Come and find out how you can join in, take part, earn your place on our leaderboard or even get your light fittings featured in the game. We will be using Fortnite as the basis for this epic and easily accessible event which can happen online and at industry events – we believe this will be a fantastic tool to spread the word about professional lighting design and be an epic fun challenge.
15:00 – 16:00 | Demystify specifying DALI
Moderator: Emma Cogswell, Founder TandEm
Speakers: Tad Trylski, Founder TandEm; Stewart Langdown FSLL, Director of Business Development, Zen Control Group
Our esteemed panel are primed to answer any of your questions and share with you real life examples where the DALI protocol has been adopted in architectural projects including exterior and interior applications. No holds barred!