Deadline for Showlight 2025 Sponsored Student Scheme Applications closing soon

When: 19th – 22nd May 2025

Where: Le Parc des Expositions et Congrès de Dijon, France

The Showlight Student Sponsorship deadline is near! Get your application in today – applications close on Friday 31st January 2025.

Showlight’s sponsorship scheme is open to students and recent graduates of lighting for the performing arts, events, broadcast, film and architecture.

Successful applicants enjoy free-of-charge entry to Showlight 2025, with access to the full Programme of Papers, admission to the exhibition of major lighting equipment manufacturers, networking opportunities during the daily breaks and lunch, as well as a place at one of the Company Dinners on the Tuesday evening and the Conference Dinner on Wednesday evening.

Around 30 places are available but spaces are filling up fast.

Here’s what former Showlight student participant and presenter of Sweeney Todd – A Site Specific Experience, Amy Mae Smith, had to say about Showlight 2017: “Showlight is an inspiring few days where you can meet and learn from lighting designers, programmers and video designers that you would never normally be able to meet, from all over the world. People from Theatre, TV, live events and more. It is a great chance to meet a mix of people with different views, approaches and styles to design. A brilliant event with the right mix of talks, exhibitors and tours.”

You can see a snippet of her presentation here – just after Durham Marenghi’s paper about lighting the Olympics:

Amy Mae Smith at Showlight 2017

Each successful applicant is sponsored by one of the Showlight exhibitors and will receive a £500 stipend to put towards their travel and accommodation. In return, each student will be expected to help their sponsor with the exhibition stand fit up on Monday 19th May and the de-rig on Thursday 22nd May and will benefit from being part of the team during the exhibition opening times. Stands are small so this is an easy set up and a chance to build a relationship with your sponsor, get to know key people from their team and what it is to take part in a bespoke exhibition.

Showlight is an invaluable environment for those just starting their careers in lighting to network with and learn from established professionals and potential future employees within the industry. It also enables you to make new friends from other educational establishments who will be going into the same industry as you.

If you are attending – or have recently graduated from – a lighting course and want to be involved, submit your application via the link on the Showlight website at https://www.showlight.org/students no later than 31st January 2025. Please answer all questions and provide a link to your portfolio and/or LinkedIn profile, or other professional social media site, as part of the selection process.

Showlight only comes round every four years, so don’t delay in getting your application in today:www.showlight.org