ALD Lumière 20:20 scheme exceeds expectations
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The original format planned to match 20 emerging lighting designers with experienced mentors but due to the generosity of ALD members who waived their micro-bursary, 38 applicants will now benefit from the one-on-one scheme.
The standard of applications was so high, says the ALD, that another programme -Team Lumière - has been initiated. It will welcome a further 22 applicants, who will work as a collective through an expanded version of the Lumière course programme.
The scheme expansion means the ALD will help 68 emerging lighting designers in total. Participants from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, England, Italy, Poland, Malaysia, Australia and the US have been chosen. Many of them identify as being under-represented in lighting design.
Katharine Williams, project manager for ALD Lumière, comments: “It started with one person waiving their micro-bursary and then the whole thing snowballed as many others decided to pay theirs forward too.”
Rory Beaton, leader of Team Lumière, adds: “I’m extremely excited to be leading Team Lumière! Alongside copious interviews and discussions with lighting designers, we hope to create a real sense of community amongst the group. Imagine a world where 22 of your peers came to support you at your next press night! We’d all love that support and that’s part of what we hope to create.”
Charlotte Burton, chair of the Lumiere Scheme working group, adds, “We have been taken aback by the wonderful response to Lumiere 20:20. The quality of the applicants has made the matching process joyous and we are thrilled to be able offer additional places and the community of Team Lumiere.
“Lumiere 20:20 has become everything we wanted it to be and more. I believe this shows the talent that is out there and that our freelance designers want to support and encourage them especially at this unique time for the industry.”
Lighting designers taking part as mentors in Lumiere 20:20 are:
Adam Silverman, Aideen Malone, Ben Cracknell, Bruno Poet, Charles Balfour, Charlie Morgan Jones, Daniella Beattie, David Howe, Declan Randall, Eleanor Higgins, Howard Hudson, Jason Addison, Jessica Hung Han Yun, Jon Clark, Kathy Perkins (USA), Ken Billington (USA), Lee Curran, Lizzie Powell, Lucy Carter, Malcolm Rippeth, Mark Jonathan, Matt Haskins, Mike Le Fevre, Mike Robertson, Natasha Chivers, Nic Farman, Nick Schliper (Australia), Paul Lim (Australia), Ric Mountjoy, Rick Fisher, Rob Sinclair, Sherry Coenen, Simon Wilkinson and Zoe Spurr. Rory Beaton will lead Team Lumiere.
(Jim Evans)
