After two years of award ceremonies via Zoom (brilliantly orchestrated by Deputy Master, Peter Harris) Lightmongers were delighted to dine together in fine fellowship at Tallow Chandlers Hall on 11th May to present their education awards to talented lighting designers.  It was a special evening as it was the 50th year since the introduction of the Lightmongers Education Awards.

Lightmongers’ ALPD Award 2022

The first award of the evening, the Lightmongers/ALPD award, sponsored by Junior Warden, Peter McVeigh, was presented to Johanna Town, who is Chair of the Association for Lighting Production & Design (formerly known as ALD).  The Association wanted to recognise the outstanding work she has done for the entire industry during the very difficult Covid years.

Johanna tirelessly guided the Association through the pandemic with real insight, energy, and skill. She chaired countless meetings and was instrumental in setting up the many initiatives that have kept the ALPD going throughout this time.

She has been a leader in coordinating with other creative representative organisations to give freelance colleagues a stronger and unified voice in lobbying for the importance of the Creative Industries.

As some have been able to start working again, Jo has been busier than ever in her personal design career but never stinting on her time commitment to the ALPD. She has truly been selfless.  Congratulations Johanna!

Lightmongers LIA Award 2022

Against some tough competition on the LIA’s Advanced Lighting Certificate Course, Jasmine Benson emerged the winner of the 2022 award, sponsored by Liveryman Ray Reid.

For five years, Jasmine has been working as a lighting engineer at the Lighting Design Department of North-East based electrical wholesaler, Park Electrical Distributors. Over this time, she has worked on a variety of lighting projects, from multi-million pound commercial projects to more modest domestic ones.  She has been immersed in all different aspects of design & controls.  Her colleagues describe her as passionate about lighting design.  She comments: ‘The beauty of working within an independent design office is we work on all types of projects, using different methods & practices to achieve the best project possible. Not being limited by one manufacturer’s range also means I can use the best luminaires or solutions for the project, also ensuring we are at the forefront of the industry.’

The LIA courses have enabled Jasmine to develop as an engineer within her workplace gaining invaluable knowledge & helping her understand the fundamentals of lighting.

Lightmongers’ UCL Award 2022, sponsored by Canary Wharf Group.

Following interviews of shortlisted candidates from the UCL’s MSc in Light and Lighting by Education Committee Chair, Stuart Mucklejohn and a panel of Lightmongers, Letizia Maurizi was chosen as this year’s winner.

Now based in UK, Letizia discovered her passion for lighting while studying Interior Design at the Polytechnic University of Milan. She took UCL’s Masters course to gain confidence both in the technical and creative aspects of lighting design. Here she received what she describes as ‘a uniquely comprehensive package of knowledge and skills’.

In her current position as a Lighting Designer at ISOMETRIX Lighting Design Letizia works on projects both locally and internationally. With experience in high-end residential and hospitality projects, her goal is to work on bigger scale projects.

Letizia believes a key part of the lighting sector is innovation obtained through research and new approaches. She is therefore interested in continued professional development to broaden her knowledge and progress further in her chosen career.  Letizia, keep on learning!

The winners of the 2021 ALD Award, sponsored by Junior Warden Peter McVeigh

Lightmongers were delighted to be joined by Rory Beaton, a Lighting Designer with an exceptional CV who represented the five joint winners of last years’ ALD award who missed out on their face-to-face award presentations because of the pandemic.

These were the five key people who gave of their time and skills to create two opportunities to keep lighting alive when theatres and events had been suspended.  Each of them brought ideas and energy to make these opportunities happen.

  • The Lumiere Scheme funded by the ALD providing individual and group mentoring. Originally conceived to benefit just one person with placements this year was reimagined to provide virtual mentoring to well over 40!
  • The Bootcamp, the brainchild of two leading association designers and supported by ALD, it offered priceless skill sharing and networking opportunities for emerging practitioners all over the world with particular emphasis on how to be an associate or assistant lighting designer.

Alongside Rory, the other four 2021 winners were:

  • Charlotte Burton, a lighting designer who works all over the UK and abroad. She works as an associate and assistant to lighting designers including Ben Cracknell, Lee Curran and Peter Mumford. She trained at LIPA, graduating in 2014 and was the inaugural participant of the ALD Lumiere Scheme.
  • Rob Casey, Co-Director of Ammonite Studios Limited that manages the technical delivery of a range of live events across theatre, large events and the exhibition sectors. The studied at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and has worked on several West End Productions such as Billy Elliot, Phantom of the Opera and Chicago.
  • Tim Deiling, a Lighting Designer who has many West End credits to his name and has lit many UK tours. He has worked for many years as an association to Ken Billington, Howell Binkley and the National Theatre in London.
  • Katharine Williams a lighting designer, writer and leader of projects. She has worked at on many projects in theatres all over the country.  She co-founded ‘People Powered’ that ran in the UK to support the NHS and Frontline Services at the start of the pandemic.

Clockwise from Top Left: Rob Casey, Katherine Williams, Rory Beaton, Charlotte Burton, Tim Deiling.