The ILP will continue to support the professional development of young lighting talent, by offering practices who participate in the talks opportunities to pair their junior team members with senior designers as presenters.
We aim with the content of the talks to try to demonstrate things that aren’t always taught on traditional courses, our hope is that it inspires and encourages the next generation of designers entering the industry.
How To Be Brilliant, sponsored by Lutron, is a set of free to attend, fun and friendly sessions.
The talks are open to guests across all levels of experience within the lighting industry in a confidence-building atmosphere of encouragement and inclusion. All the sessions include Continuous Professional Development time.
Chief Executive Officer of the ILP, Justin Blades, says, “2024 saw a number of young designers gaining their first ever experience as presenters at the HTBB talks. I believe learning new skills gives a feeling of accomplishment, which ultimately leads to a boost in confidence and self belief in your own capabilities.”
2026 Speakers
April
Lisa Hammond and Melissa di Paola, Gravity Design
March
Rebecca Weir, light. iQ and Michael Grubb, Michael Grubb Studio
2025 Speakers
November
LiGHT25
Alexandra Kogia, Lighting Designer and Murat Demirer, Associate from Fosters + Partners
October
Halloween Special
Martha Godfrey and Jono Kenyon from Beam Lighting Design
September
Marci Song, Director from SEAM Design
June
Nich Smith from Nich Smith Lighting Design
May
"Lighting Design In Stations: A New Design Manual" by Keith Miller and Panos Stamidis from Equation.
April
Iain Ruxton from Speirs Major.
2024 Speakers
October
"Halloween special: Fear of the Dark!" Colin Ball and Lora Kaleva from BDP.
September
"How to Be Brilliant at Visual Communication" by Juan Ferrari, Chris Fox, Zoe Barkes, Joshua Welch and Megan McCormick from Hoare Lea.
May
"Curating the Concept" Melissa Byers, Studio Head, Anna Freiesleben, Project Lighting Designer and Abbie Hill, Lighting Design at Michael Grubb Studios.
April
"How to Be Brilliant" by Jade King, Lighting Designer and Graham Rollings, Creative Director from Lighting Design International.
2023 Speakers
October
How To Be Brilliant at Light23
May
"The Animal Kingdom" by Carolina Florian, Head of Lighting UK, and Farhad Rahim, Associate Director at Technical Lead at Buro Happold.
April
"RED SHIFT - The Growth Of Red Saturated Light Since 2000" by Lora Kaleva and Colin Ball at BDP
2022 Speakers
November
"BEING ON IT" by Brad Joseph, Principal Lighting Designer and Juan Ferrari, Project Director at Horare Lea
July
"In the pursuit of Brilliance: Opening Light Avenues" by Leni Schwendinger and Katia Kolovea
May
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Iain Ruxton, Associate Partner at Speirs Major
April
How To Be Brilliant at Co-Design
2019 Speakers
November
"Saturated Colour – Why the Blues?" by Colin Ball, Lighting Director & Lora Kaleva, Senior Lighting Designer at BDP
Ocotber
"Circadian Lighting" by Neil Knowles, Director at Elektra Lighting Design
May
"Life is what happens..." by John Bullock, Lighting Designer at The Light Review
April
"How do we tell the Story of Light through different design phases?" by Linda Salamoun, Senior Lighting Designer at Steensen Varming
March
"The role of lighting design in 'Placemaking'" by Laura Phillips, Associate Director at Arup
"How to be Brilliant" by Luke Edwards from Cue Design