October 13, 2025
Enlighten Americas 2025: Bright Minds, Dark Skies
Lighting designers gathered in Tucson to celebrate, question and reimagine light
There’s a certain irony to a profession built on light convening to talk seriously about darkness. But that’s exactly what happened last week, when the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) held its annual Enlighten Americas conference in Tucson, Arizona — a city that, for decades, has been synonymous with efforts to keep the night sky unspoiled. From the opening keynote to the closing one, darkness emerged as a recurring theme.
The final keynote came from Ruskin Hartley, CEO of DarkSky International, who reminded attendees that darkness isn’t just a limitation to work around — it’s a natural condition worth protecting. “Why care?” he asked, not rhetorically. “Why do I care about it? Why do other people in this room probably care about this wonderful presence of natural darkness?”
Above: Ruskin Hartley, CEO DarkSky International, delivers closing keynote on Saturday
That question lingered — through technical sessions, spirited hallway discussions, and long, meandering conversations over fish tacos. Enlighten has always been that kind of gathering: serious in purpose, casual in form, and capable of confronting the tensions at the heart of lighting design. This year was no different.
Four Westerns in a Row
Enlighten Americas 2025 was held October 8–11 at the scenic Westin La Paloma Resort in Tucson. It marked the fourth year in a row that the annual gathering of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) took place in a Western North America locale. A minor pattern, maybe, but one that a few attendees quietly grumbled about over continental breakfast buffet.
Still, if you’re going to repeat a region, there are worse choices. Perched just north of Tucson proper, with golf-course adjacency and mountain views, the Westin was far from your typical “hotel near the convention center.” And, unintentionally, the resort found itself co-hosting attendees of a very different kind of event: Parents Weekend at the University of Arizona, just a few miles down the road which culminated with a double-overtime football loss to BYU, 33–27.
Big Questions, Small Footcandles
It was Carrie Hawley, CEO of HLB Lighting Design, who helped spark one of the week’s most engaging discussions. During the Q+A following scientist Amy Oliver’s opening keynote, Hawley called out what she saw as the absurdity of certain safety codes that demand 10 footcandles of illumination in spaces like outdoor stairwells and pool decks. “Ridiculous,” she said. Three times. Hawley noted that these requirements often force designers to over-light spaces, compromising both dark-sky goals and human-centric design.
Nancy Clanton, the legendary founder of Clanton & Associates, chimed in. “I want to address the 10 footcandles,” she said with her signature enthusiasm. “There’s a couple of us in the room — lighting designers — Glenn Heinmiller [of Lam Partners] and I, who have worked on the International Building Code, and we got that changed. One footcandle, average, by the railing — to address glare. That’s what IALD can do!”
There are few places on Earth where a crowd will erupt in spontaneous applause over the mention of a reduced stairwell lighting standard, but Enlighten is one of them. A booming male voice even let out a loud celebratory “Yeah!”
Donkeys, Churros, and A.I.
Of course, it wasn’t all codes and cosmic metaphors. Enlighten is also known for being one of the most collegial and convivial events in the lighting calendar — a conference where people actually want to talk to one another. And this year was no exception.
Cooper Lighting Solutions once again sponsored the opening reception, where adult beverages flowed and badge-checking was blissfully minimal. On Friday night, Acuity Brands Lighting hosted their signature party — complete with food trucks serving pizza, fish tacos, and churros. A live band played under string lights, and, as has become oddly routine, wildlife made an appearance. This year’s honorary guest was Coco the donkey, who greeted guests off the shuttle bus and posed for selfies. Also spotted: exotic birds, including a hawk who appeared to object to a nearby discussion on human-centric lighting.
Above: Jeannine Wang of Acuity Brands Lighting, networking across species
Despite a possible slight dip in overall attendance — last year in San Diego neared 500 — spirits were high. The smaller size may have even helped: manufacturers not only exhibited during structured breaks, but also sat side-by-side with designers at breakfast, in sessions, and in brainstorm groups.
And the sessions themselves delivered. Anne Kustner, founder of AKLD Lighting Design in Chicago and a past Enlighten presenter, said she attends each year because, despite decades in the field, “there’s still a lot to learn.” She pointed specifically to the session on artificial intelligence — a topic that felt less like a gimmick and more like a pressing, open question.
Passing the Torch (and the Mic)
This year also marked the final conference under IALD President Andrea Hartranft, who handed off the reins to Carla Wilkins of Lichtvision Design who joined via recorded message from Germany. Hartranft used her final remarks to thank sponsors, highlight two years of “resilience and transformation,” and call out the IALD staff — a small but mighty team led by CEO Christopher Knowlton, who were immersed, involved, and approachable throughout the week. The staff received abundant applause in the final session.
Above: IALD President Andrea Hartranft addresses attendees at Enlighten Americas 2025
And there were moments of formal celebration, too. Five new IALD Fellows were inducted — four from the U.S. and one from Brazil — and longtime designer Randy Burkett received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Looking Ahead to Austin
As the lights dimmed on Tucson, attention shifts to Austin, Texas — host of Enlighten Americas 2026. Known for its vibrant 6th Street, the city may soon see a spike in tattoo appointments, as lighting people who’ve long joked about having lighting-themed ink will have their chance to make it literal.
And yes, there will be barbecue. Long lines at Franklin, of course. But also that distinct Austin blend of culture, rebellion, and design — the kind of place where a lighting roundtable could seamlessly lead to a folk music jam and a brisket sandwich.
Tucson, for its part, delivered what the community needed most: connection, clarity, and a renewed sense of purpose — along with just enough darkness to bring home.
