SHINE 2026 Emerging Light Artist Programme - Open Call

SHINE 2026 Emerging Light Artist Programme - Open Call

Light Up The North Closing date: Mon, 11 May 2026

Artform: Visual arts
Role: Creative
Contract: Contract
North East
North West
Yorkshire

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 "> published -

Job Summary

SHINE is led by Light Up The North (LUTN) a network of light festivals across the North of England. For 2026, a group of LUTN festivals will work together to commission two new light-based artworks.

Job Description

We are looking for ambitious, high-quality ideas for two new light-based commissions to tour the North's most iconic light festivals!
This is more than just a commission; it's a career-changing opportunity to develop your practice, create work at scale, gain experience of working in outdoor festival contexts and build your profile within the light art sector!

What's included:
Commission Fee: Up to £15,000 (Fees & Fabrication)
Touring Costs: Up to £2,500 (Travel & Attendance)
Support: Mentoring, production guidance, and technical delivery.

The Tour: Your work could light up Blackpool, Leeds, Lancaster, Barnsley, Wigan, Salford, or Oldham! From urban centres to waterfronts, we need adaptable, engaging ideas.

SHINE is aimed at artists in the early stages of developing their practice and profile.

We define an emerging artist as someone who may:
- Be in the early years of presenting work publicly
- Have not yet received a commission of this scale
- Be developing their practice and ready to take on a more ambitious project
- Be transitioning into working with light as a primary medium
Be experimenting with light within a broader practice
- You do not need extensive experience in light art specifically. We are interested in strong ideas, creative potential, and your readiness to develop work with support.

We particularly welcome applications from artists currently underrepresented in the light art sector, including people of colour and artists who identify as d/Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent.

Job Requirements

Your artwork will need to be:
-Outdoor-ready: suitable for winter conditions in the UK
-Robust: able to withstand weather, transport and multiple installations
-Tourable: adaptable across different festival locations
-Ambitious: mid to large-scale, with strong visual impact

Your proposal should:
-Use light as a central element of the work
-Be suitable for outdoor presentation in winter
-Be durable and tourable across multiple locations
-Consider how audiences will experience the work
-Demonstrate awareness of environmental sustainability

Job Responsibilities

You should also consider:
-Installation and de-rig requirements
-Power and technical needs
-Environmental impact and sustainability

We are especially interested in work that:
-Creates a strong visual presence in public space
-Encourages interaction or participation
-Engages a wide audience, including families
-Has potential for reuse or future life beyond SHINE

Useful Links

Job Overview

  • Job Title: SHINE 2026 Emerging Light Artist Programme - Open Call
  • Salary: £15k-£20k
  • Hours: Full time
  • Artform: Visual arts
  • Role: Creative
  • Contract: Contract
  • Closing date: Mon, 11 May 2026
  • Location:
    North East
    North West
    Yorkshire

How to Apply

Please complete the online application form in the link below.

The application form includes applicant info, contact details and a short summary of your idea (500 words max). You will also need to attach the following documents:

A proposal document outlining:
-Your artistic idea
-Visuals to support the idea
-How audiences will experience the work
Initial thoughts on materials, scale and location
-Completed project budget template. You will need to include all potential costs and there is a section at the end to add your estimated touring costs.

Completed project budget template. You will need to include all potential costs and there is a section at the end to add your estimated touring costs.