The Institution of Lighting Professionals invites you to this free, fun, friendly talk.

Noon in New York, 5pm in the UK and 7pm in Athens

The event will help you think about being brilliant across the world. Your career may span different countries and your colleagues certainly will. What works in one place may need adapting in another so we have two wonderful speakers who will share their knowledge and experience to benefit and inspire you.

In the pursuit of Brilliance: Opening Light Avenues

They say if you want to go far – go together.

There is magic in human relationships and especially when you are taking your first steps and drawing your professional map. In this session, Katia will take us through a journey of actionable steps and best practices within the lighting industry, talking about the power of communication, networking, personal branding, and mentorship.

Where are you now and where are you going?

Are you an artist? Designer? Engineer?

Leni Schwendinger will share her trajectory between the boundaries of artist+designer+community activist–and the commitment required to embody a hybrid life. You are welcome to participate in this interactive presentation. Shadow Leni’s example–invent a new direction, double down on your current professional interests, embark on an investigation to broaden your horizons or just plain listen in!

Please be prepared to interact if you are comfortable to. Our session will include:

• Welcome and introductions
• Talks from Leni Schwendinger in New York and Katia Kolovea in Athens
• Question time
• Breakout small group chats – your chance to meet others on a relaxed informal basis

Leni Schwendinger is a published, award-winning authority on issues of city lighting, with worldwide experience creating illuminated environments. This work is shared through Leni’s public speaking and envisioning engagements, including the “NightSeeing™, Navigate Your Luminous City” program. Her projects can be experienced at sites such as parks, subways, and bridges. She directs International Nighttime Design Initiative to establish an interdisciplinary profession to transform neighborhoods after dark. Projects for the Initiative include Smart Lighting Guidance for New York State and advising think-tank New Urban Mobility. Leni is a Visiting Research Fellow at the London School of Economics and holds fellowships at NYC Design Trust for Public Space and Urban Design Forum.

Katia is an award-winning lighting designer, communication strategist, and advocate of the Lighting Design Profession. Her international work combines architectural lighting with Immersive lighting experiences and engaging marketing communications, collaborating with the best designers and brands to share their stories in an innovative and impactful way. She is involved in various community-based and educational projects in the lighting industry like the Women in Lighting, the Silhouette Awards, the VLD.Community and the Lighting Police Project. Katia loves sharing ideas and has been invited by various worldwide organizations and universities to talk about light, communication, light art, mentorship, and inspiration amongst others.

Hope you can make it – ALL welcome!

How To Be Brilliant is brought to you by the Institution of Lighting Professionals in collaboration with BEGA. Their generous support means we never charge an attendance fee.