Radiance lighting festival good to glow in Glasgow

The first festival in the UK dedicated specifically to lighting design will take place in Glasgow this November.

Called Radiance, the three-day festival will run from 25-27 November and is funded by Glasgow City Council. The festival’s identity and promotional materials were created by local consultancy D8. Bulletproof created the website, www.radianceglasgow.com.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman says the festival aims to put ‘light at the centre of urban culture’ and will feature installations and interactive displays staged in Glasgow’s Merchant City area.

The council is in the process of finalising commissions, with an announcement expected on 23 September. It hopes to include work that ‘highlights light as an art form’, plus others that ‘illuminate the significant and often hidden architecture of the area’, says the spokeswoman.

Bars, restaurants, shops and galleries in the area are also expected to take part, hosting a range of supporting events.

Radiance has been commissioned as part of the council’s £5.2m investment in lighting. The spokeswoman says the organisers hope the festival will become an annual event to rival French shows such as Fête de Lumières in Lyon and Nuit Blanche in Paris.