New concept for LUMINALE
from FFM Aktuell

The festival will be restructured Since 2002, the light and culture festival Luminale has been inspiring Frankfurt residents as well as visitors to the city every two years parallel to the Light + Building trade fair. With beautiful and fascinating light installations in public spaces, Luminale gives Frankfurt a new, fascinating face. Last year alone, the Luminale attracted almost 200,000 enthusiastic visitors with around 200 installations in Frankfurt and Offenbach. But this event is much more than that and holds a lot of potential - potential that is now to be exploited even better, more diversely and more intensively by revising the concept. And that's why LUMINALE is also breaking new ground with the next edition in 2018: Now it will no longer be just about light, but also about urban policy and social issues. In doing so, the LUMINALE wants innovative solutions for life in urban space. Frankfurt's Luminale is no longer just to present, but the city itself is to become the subject of the festival - something that has so far only been seen in some of the installations. Lord Mayor Peter Feldmann is certain: "With the new conception of the Luminale, we will create a festival of light and urban design that does not yet exist in this form. Not only will the event gain a sustainable and independent profile, but by opening it up to other thematic areas it will put our city even more in the right light as a model of state-of-the-art urban development. In 2018, we're laying the foundation for a new Luminale and together we'll continue to develop it and help it grow." And this is how the new Luminale concept looks The festival will be divided into five categories in the future: The newly created SOLUTIONS section invites architects, urban planners, politicians, scientists, artists, cultural practitioners, environmental experts and engineers to present smart solutions, visionary concepts, proven processes and new, innovative applications that make life in the city cleaner, greener, safer and more comfortable. ART refers to projects that artistically explore the themes of light and the city. A new jury to be formed with expertise in architecture, lighting design, video, art, scenography, motion design and tourism will make a selection from the submitted works according to previously formulated criteria. The aim is to have unique, technically innovative, aesthetically and artistically high quality projects.
The STUDY category provides a stage for young talents from schools, universities, colleges and start-ups. COMMUNITY includes projects from Frankfurt's citizenry, neighborhood initiatives and spontaneous neighborhood actions. In the BETTER CITY category, at least one project should be presented that will remain with the city's citizens after the event and create a lasting landmark. As many venues as possible should be more spatially concentrated and thus more accessible in the future. The concept envisages, in cooperation with municipal authorities, owners and users of the buildings, as well as with the support of project partners, opening up the monuments, sights and landmarks, but also the unknown, hidden, romantic places of the Main metropolis as a stage for light art. The Studio Rekkab from Frankfurt will realise the Luminale as project office from 2018. Owner Isa Rekkab explains: "Frankfurt should light up: Historical buildings, important squares, well-known landmarks and hidden places. However, the urban space should not only be the stage, but also the subject of the festival. The Luminale shines a light on innovative concepts for the sustainable design of the city. We invite artists, cultural practitioners and creatives, architects and engineers, scientists, environmental experts, students and schoolchildren to make Luminale a fascinating festival of light and ideas and ask for the support of all those who care about the city and the region." The entire concept of the new Luminale also involves the already established venues in Frankfurt's districts and a Luminale program of the city of Offenbach. For more info on the Luminale, visit: www.luminale.de