IALD Enlighten Conferences
The 2026 Call for Presentations
The IALD Enlighten Conferences are a series of boutique educational and networking events created exclusively by and for lighting design professionals in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Intimate by design, registration is capped to fewer than 500 attendees, allowing for meaningful close connections and thought-provoking discussions with the profession’s foremost experts who inspire and motivate, moving architectural lighting design into the future.
These are where the lighting community comes together to learn, share ideas, and explore solutions with like-minded people passionate about light.
The Call for Presentations is now open for IALD Enlighten Europe 2026 from 17 -19 June in Paris, France, and IALD Enlighten Americas 2026 from 15 - 17 October in Austin, Texas, USA.
We seek energetic and engaging speakers to lead impactful learning experiences. Lighting designers learn best from each other, which is the tenet upon which the Enlighten conferences are built. If you have a story to share, we want to hear it!
Proposal Deadline: 11:59 P.M. (Central U.S.) 8 January 2026 | Proposals will be accepted online only.
Creativity, Commerciality, and Collaboration
Creativity, Commerciality, and Collaboration form a dynamic triumvirate that fuels innovation and success in many industries.
At its core, creativity is the spark that ignites fresh ideas, pushing the boundaries of conventional thinking. It is the wellspring of original concepts, breathing life into artistic endeavors, technological advancements, and entrepreneurial ventures.
However, for creativity to flourish, it must be harnessed by commerciality, the ability to translate imaginative concepts into viable products or services with tangible value. Commerciality brings a pragmatic dimension, aligning creativity with market demand and financial sustainability.
The true magic happens when these two forces converge in collaboration. Through collaboration, diverse perspectives merge, harmonizing individual strengths and compensating for weaknesses. It fosters an ecosystem where ideas are refined, and collective energies drive projects toward fruition.
Creativity, commerciality, and collaboration form an inseparable trinity, laying the foundation for groundbreaking ventures that resonate with audiences and leave a lasting societal impact.
Agenda and Topics
Both Enlighten conferences cover multiple topics of community interest and feature courses in Creativity, Commerciality, and Collaboration. The IALD is looking for sessions of varying lengths, including hands-on workshops.
Based on feedback from recent conference attendees, areas of particular interest include (but are not limited to):
· Lighting Controls and Systems Integration
· Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies
· Business, Practice, and Professional Development
· Lighting Research (academic and industry)
· Creative Inspiration and Cross-Disciplinary Learning
· Science, Health, and Wellbeing
· Sustainability and Environmental Responsibility
· Collaboration, Inclusion, and Communication
· Practical Skills and Real-World Case Studies
Speakers cannot promote one product or line over another, nor demonstrate equipment from a single manufacturer.
Speaker Compensation
Each presenting speaker receives the following:
- One (1) multi-day IALD Enlighten conference registration per speaker, valued at £1,100 (Europe) / $1,500 USD (Americas)
- A compensatory stipend:
- For Single-Speaker Seminar: £800 (Europe) / $1,000 USD (Americas)
- For Multi-Speaker Seminars: £400 (Europe) / $500 (Americas) per speaker
Questions?
Please contact Kelly Ashmore, IALD Director of Engagement + Component Relations.