Twenty years of light art

The city where light originates transforms from November 8 to 15, 2025, during GLOW’s anniversary edition The Light. For twenty years, GLOW has turned the city of Eindhoven and its region into one grand light art spectacle. This year, under the anniversary theme The Light, GLOW celebrates light as the ultimate force of connection, bringing people together and creating shared moments. For eight days, Eindhoven becomes the ‘City of Light,’ a place where light art sparks countless encounters.

“Light is life, light is joy, light is festivity.”

Gerard Philips put it beautifully. Light allows us to grow, explore, see, and understand. It activates our senses, sharpens perceptions, and reveals nuances that would otherwise remain hidden. But light also holds emotional power—it brings us together. Light a beacon in the dark, and people will gather around it. It creates shared moments and a sense of connection that transcends cultures and religions. Light gives us warmth, hope, and love.

Where art and culture converge, there is GLOW. The light festival creates an intimate setting, welcoming people of all ages and turning the city into a storyteller. These stories of light are written on building facades, squares, rooftops, and streets, manifested as recognizable and impressive mappings and interactive light art installations.

During The Light, memories come to life, and highlights from previous editions return in a fusion of image and sound. This anniversary edition pays homage to twenty years of innovation and development, showcasing iconic works alongside new creations. Students, (inter)national and local light artists, residents from the city center and the surrounding region, primary school children—GLOW 2025 offers a platform to everyone who wants to be part of the story being written.

The anniversary edition The Light also symbolizes the conclusion of a thematic trilogy. After the rhythmic beginning of The Beat in 2023, where the city and region pulsed together for the first time, and the fluid movements of The Stream in 2024, this edition merges all themes into one radiant whole. We cherish what was once visible and celebrate these memories in the present, offering a glimpse into the future where light art will connect even more people.

We look forward to welcoming you to GLOW’s anniversary edition The Light, from November 8 to 15, 2025.