Radiance

Glasgow Festival of Light 05

25th -27th Nov 2005

Radiance was Glasgow and Scotland’s first major ‘Festival of Light’ produced by NVA on behalf of Glasgow City Council. For three evenings, almost 70,000 visitors lost themselves in the sheer enjoyment of an inspiring range of light works by some of the world’s leading designers and visual artists, creating a stunning transformation of the city centre.

The festival allowed people to rediscover Glasgow’s remarkable range of buildings and locations resplendent through original lighting schemes, projections, installations, artworks and events, linked by a flowing trail along its tight network of roads and lanes. Approached on foot from any direction, children could collecting stickers from the main locations, and visitor could take in as much or as little as they liked, stopping for a drink or food on their way around.

NVA worked hard to ensure that Radiance was designed to appeal to everyone, not just those interested in lighting or art. The festival offered an inspiring way to explore the city as a work of art, finding hidden gems, surprises, subtle as well as monumental works.

The Visual Art programme was developed by Katrina Brown, internationally renowned curator and deputy director at Dundee Contemporary Arts. The festival also joined forces with organisations based in Merchant City on a series of collaborative commissions. Among the many artists and arts organisations involved were Ross Sinlair, Fiona Banner, David Batchelor, Sorcha Dallas Gallery, Mischa Kubal, Frank Scurti, Transmission Gallery and Adrian Paci to name but a few.

The Lighting Commissions ran across a wide spectrum of Glasgow’s city centre buildings from the Central Mosque, the Cathedral to the Ramshorn Theatre. Highlights included Trapped which used the whole of the King Street South Block building on Osbourne Street and turned it into a spectacular large scale animation.

There was also a great Music programme by DF concerts which ran alongside the light works which took in a wide array of talent from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to emerging local bands.