Lights in Alingsås is unique in several ways from other lighting design events around the world. To begin with, the city does not order ready-made concepts or installations of the designers. Only the theme and the lighting trail is determined in advance. What is to be done and how it should look is instead presented during the workshop, where different designers and students work together. The workshop lasts for a week and no one knows what the result will be until the grand opening.
Lights in Alingsås has become a world-class lighting design event that many people want to participate in. Internationally active designers apply to become workshop heads and to lead a group of students, that also apply to be part of the workshop. They get valuable “hands-on” experiences of lighting design and the creation of the installations, which can otherwise be difficult to obtain. The workshop week itself is intensive and starts with lectures and presentations. Then sketches and prototypes are made. They are tested, discussions are held and reports are made. Finally, the finished installations are displayed. The workshop offers a wide range of theory and practice and is very educational.
Lights in Alingsås has become a matter of course for many who study lighting design and architecture to participate in the workshop and see it as a part of their education. In the lighting design industry, it is even common to ask each other “Have you done Lights?”. And the one who once visited the event and participated in the workshop is happy to do so again.
During five weeks, the installations are up and running. Every day from September 27th – November 3rd the installations are lit from dusk to dawn and follow the usual street light´s rhythm. The sound & music runs on all installations from 5 pm-10 pm.
During this time, visitors can also attend lectures and various events.
Lights in Alingsås has spread knowledge about light and lighting to many, the city has taken this into consideration and in many ways developed the event to its own. During the event, Alingsås is alive with activity, and in recent years Lights in Alingsås has resulted in over 70,000 visits to the town in October. It’s the best month of the year for hotels, restaurants and cafes, and schools, associations, companies are creating their own events during the five weeks of Lights in Alingsås. The event is growing more every year.
Lights in Alingsås celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2019 with the theme “Be the Light”.
This year´s installations are:
1. The Energy Hill – Vladan Paunović & Juha Hälikkä, Denmark & Finland
2. The Eye – Claire Tomara & Natalie Redford, Scotland
3. The Grove – Jackson Stigwood, Australia
4. The Pond Köllera – Erin Slaviero, United Arab Emirates
5. The Diurnal Rhythm/The Castle Avenue – Kapil Surlakar, India
6. The Source – Johanna Enger & Cecilia Cronelid, Sweden
7. The Mother Tree – Jim Farula, Sweden Sound and music on each installation – Sebastian Studnitzky, Germany
