Workshop Heads – Class of 2024

Last Friday, Alingsås Energi welcomed the seven selected lighting designers who will leave their mark on the 25th edition of Lights in Alingsås this autumn. As in previous years, there is a wide range of ages, nationalities, and experiences. There are both new and familiar faces who gathered for the three-day concept meeting. During the three days, they became familiar with the organization behind Lights in Alingsås, were introduced to this year’s theme, found out about the route for this year, which they experienced in both daylight and later in the dark. They discussed which location they want to illuminate this autumn and presented their ideas to the event’s board.

Among this year’s Workshop Heads is a longstanding partner. Emma Cogswell has worked for many years in the community organization IALD and has had close collaboration with Lights in Alingsås. She is now working as a lighting designer again and after many visits to Alingsås on behalf of IALD, she finally gets to be a Workshop Head.

“After many years of attending the concept meeting in person and online, I’m now feeling very honored to have been selected as a Workshop Head and feel the weight of responsibility to deliver an outstanding scheme in keeping with the fabulous lit environments created in the past”, says Emma.

Emma has visited Alingsås many times before and believes it is important for the final design to have a connection to the place and the theme. She wants to engage visitors and pique their curiosity. What Emma and her team will create; we will have to wait until October to see.

The other returning participant is Johan Röklander, who participated as a Workshop Head in 2018 with his installation in Norra Ringgatan’s avenue. In recent years, Johan has been involved in events such as “Rys och Mys” in Varberg. His previous involvement in Lights in Alingsås means he is familiar with the organization, the city, and the rhythm a bit more. This can help him work more clearly and put more of his energy where it is most useful.

“But in many ways, it’s a blank slate again. Personally, I can find it an obstacle to bring too many expectations from the past because this is something new, with new people. It’s important to have an open mind that isn’t locked into what has been before,” Johan says.

“There’s a big difference between Lights in Alingsås and ‘Rys och Mys’ in Varberg. They’re two completely different ways of both building, designing, and executing festivals. They also have significant differences in their purposes. My involvement in Alingsås is indeed to contribute to creating a tourist attraction. But my main role is to lead the participants and ensure they get as much knowledge and space for their creativity as possible. It’s not me who should come up with the design but to draw the design out from them. I have more of a role as a teacher or mentor than a designer. There’s a big difference in teaching and leading compared to designing and executing,” Johan concludes.

Please find out more about the seven workshop heads in detail here.

• Emma Cogswell, based in UK
• Johan Röklander, based in Sweden
• Chayot Kiranantawat, based in Singapore
• Valerie Insardi, based in USA
• Jasmina Memić & Srdja Hrisafovic, based i Bosnia and Herzegovina
• George Fatseas, based in Greece

Lights in Alingsås is being held for the 25th time this autumn and runs from October 4th to November 3rd. This year’s route and theme will be revealed later this spring.