We are approaching light festival time. The Manar Light Festival in Abu Dhabi, Fetes des Lumieres in Lyon (one of the early adopters of the light festival concept) and the Amsterdam Light Festival are all about to get on the way. Earlier in the year we had Vivid Sydney, I-Light Marina Bay in Singapore, Lights in Alingsas in Sweden and many more. 

All have sustainability in their messaging, as we all want to be socially and environmentally responsible, don’t we? And sure, the political justification is that it brings in millions of dollars in the local economy. The lighting designer of the Collider art piece, suggests that his installation that will run for 6 weeks is energy efficient and will consume only 150 KW of electricity, comparable of that of a cricket match. The hundreds of pencil beam lights are apparently equipped with UV filters in consideration of migratory birds. 

There is also the undeniable a feel-good factor to these lighting installations. Light brings people together, it can mesmerize people and in these war-thorn and political unrest times, brings some relief I suppose.  

Hot on the heels of my blog about light poverty, questions could surely be asked about light festivals as well. It is a big worldwide trend, no doubt, even here in Perth, Western Australia, we now have drone shows and light art events every other month or so! Many at a cost to the ordinary taxpayer. Let’s make no mistake, this is all economically driven, it’s not a charity proposal from your local government, it stimulates the economy, brings money in the coffers. It’s a simple calculation…

But there is also an unmeasurable effect which lies in the joy and motivation it brings to the general public. It makes you forget your problems and worries for a little while. Making people feel good and happy is so important, certainly in a world as we know it today with wars, social unrest, inflation, high interest rates, the aftermath of Covid and so on.

But still in the back of my mind I have these little doubts…at what real costs come these light festivals? Do the benefits outweigh the investments? Please share your thoughts!