LightPool

In the past 10 years the Illuminations has developed the Lightpool Festival, a contemporary light art public showcase for exciting new artistic and technological collaborations. Underpinning the Illuminations’ display and festival is a growing programme of artists’ talent development and creative community engagement.

Going forward, bringing an ambitious artistic vision and commissioning high quality art within the Illuminations is central to our mission.

The NPO investment enables us to make a fundamental difference in how creative ambition and experimentation is at the centre of transformational change in the Illuminations with:

• New light art being commissioned for both the Illuminations display and Lightpool Festival (working at scale with lead in time to work with inter/national artists from concept to public presentation)
• Artists R&D projects including artists’ residencies at Lightworks
• Talent development programme delivered through LightLab, DigiLab and SHINE
• In-depth creative engagement programme for local people delivered through co-design and co-commissioned projects; and skills development projects for local artists.

Purpose:

• Develop Blackpool Illuminations and Lightworks as a creative centre where artists, light technology companies, university innovation teams and inter/national partners come together to experiment, share expertise, & create new experiences for audiences and touring.
• Deliver meaningful opportunities for our communities to creatively engage with the Illuminations & festival, employing local creatives; and collaborating with the community on co-curating and co-producing work with local and visiting artists.
• Deliver world class light art installations reaching local people and millions of visitors (presently 3M with the majority being low and non-art engagers).
• Develop strategic cultural tourism working with Blackpool’s cultural venues, independents and communities.
• Reframe negative perceptions of Blackpool through positive national media coverage of our unique offer and through the export of our expertise and works inter/nationally.
• Play a key role as a lead partner in the Light Up the North Network.
• Raise the level of investment in Blackpool Illuminations for future sustainability.
• Share our industry expertise in production to improve sustainable environmental practice in creation and events.