Shine Emerging Artist Programme

Light Up the North (LUTN) is a network of light festivals across the North of England. Nine of these festivals are working together through SHINE to commission up to two artists or collectives in 2025.

The SHINE programme aims to nurture and develop new talent and is open to anyone (aged 18 or over) with an idea for a shining light artwork, and the skills to realise that idea. The chosen artworks will be exhibited at four/five of the following LUTN festivals:

• Lightpool
• Light Night Leeds
• BD is Lit
• Barnsley Bright Nights
• Light Up Wakefield
• Nightfall Middlesbrough
• Lightwaves Salford
• Illuminate Oldham
• Colliderfest 25

Artwork Requirement

The artwork(s) will need to be:

• SUITABLE for exhibition at outdoor winter light festivals in the UK
• ARTISTICALLY challenging, interesting and of high quality
• STRUCTURALLY resilient enough to withstand the winter weather at multiple festivals between October 2025 and March 2026, and to withstand transportation across the festival network

For SHINE 2025, the successful commissions will also need to:

• FOCUS on environmental sustainability in their design and use sustainability best practice in their delivery.
• DESIGN artworks for reuse – consider the materials and equipment as well as what happens at the end of the exhibition.
• CREATE artwork of mid/large scale – we are encouraging ambitious proposals
• DELIVER an experience for audiences to enjoy, be inspired by and engage with

Application Requirements

To apply for SHINE 2025 send the following to: hello@quaysculture.com

• Detailed proposal document including all considerations from the above: project aims, Artistic ideas, images/links out to previous works,  consideration of audiences, interaction, participation
• Detailed demonstration of Budget and financial breakdown of the proposal: possible costs, artist fee, production support, materials, transport, technical needs etc. Please see the budget template provided, for reference and to use if preferred.
• Overview of project management
• Provide a Relevant CV
• Please provide links to your website, relevant social media or other online portfolios if they are available
• Please provide your access rider upon application to support you through the SHINE process

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply to the SHINE programme you must be UK-based and perceived as an emerging talent (aged 18 or over) with the ability to realise ideas to a high quality.

LUTN perceive emerging talent as: emerging light artist is an artist in the early stages of their career who specialises in using light as a primary medium. They may work across disciplines such as installation, sculpture, projection mapping or interactive technology using light to shape space, create atmosphere, and engage audiences. This could include artists integrating light into their practice for the first time or those already working with light but still developing their craft, gaining visibility, and building their career within the field of light art. Artist with a wide breadth of previous creative practices will be considered.

Additional Support

As well as financial support, each commissioned artist will also receive a full induction to the programme, training and mentoring from across the LUTN network. LUTN will work directly with commissioned artists to support their development, with guidance in areas such as marketing, finance, production, risk assessments method statements (RAMS) and budgeting.