On Monday, February 26th, the first GLOW Academy of 2024 kicked off, and what a kickoff it was! An attendance of around 60 participants from various schools brought together a mix of talent and enthusiasm. Fontys University of Applied Sciences Eindhoven and Venlo, SintLucas, Eindhoven University of Technology, Utrecht University of the Arts, students, and teachers all gathered for an evening filled with inspiration, knowledge exchange, and passion.

The GLOW Academy is known for its mission to share knowledge and strengthen the bond between the new generation thriving in the digital age and seasoned professionals. These gatherings provide a valuable opportunity to embrace the latest trends and developments while learning from each other’s experiences and skills. This is invaluable for GLOW. The success of the light festival relies on a strong collaboration with established artists and enthusiastic students.

The GLOW Academy, held three times a year, offers a fertile environment where student teams can work on their ideas and projects for three hours under the guidance of a panel of experts from various disciplines. In addition to hands-on workshops and creative sessions, students are enriched with masterclasses from experienced light artists and experts. Philip Ross and Studio Toer were present at the first session. This unique combination of knowledge and creativity enables student teams to lay a solid foundation for diversity and innovation within light art. In 2023, visitors saw about seven works from student teams, all participating in the Talent Award. During the Talent Award, student teams have the chance to win the professional jury prize or the audience award, which ensures further development of the project.

The GLOW Academy promises to be a vibrant breeding ground for groundbreaking ideas and collaborations again this year. We look forward to the next meeting and the results that will emerge from it.