The ALPD are delighted to announce the successful candidates for their Design Lumière and their Production Lumière for 2024.  This is the first year in which the ALPD has been able to offer a Production Lumière placement to complement its successful Design Lumière programme.

A pathway scheme for emerging lighting designers, the Design Lumière Scheme gives the successful candidate valuable experience of working professionally as an assistant lighting designer for six months and the Production Lumière four months.

For both Lumières the Scheme begins with time spent at Glyndebourne.

The Production Lumière this year, Ellen Butterworth-Evans, is already at Glyndebourne and will continue there until mid-April, when she then spends four weeks at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and two weeks at Lamp & Pencil.

The Design Lumière for 2024 is Imogen Clarke.  Imogen will spend three months at Glyndebourne followed by a further three months when she will work with several different lighting designers on a variety of productions.

Imogen Clarke started out as an apprentice at Fairfield Halls, moving to Richmond Theatre and then The Peacock Theatre to work full time. As a freelancer she works across Dance, Theatre, Musical Theatre and Ballet as well as Site Specific Projects wearing lots of different hats. Imogen currently moves between touring and working on productions as relighter, programmer, associate, lighting designer and Production Manager/Relighter.   Recent credits include Production Manager/Relighter The Rite of Spring/ Common Grounds Global tour (Pina Bausch Foundation/Ecoles des Sables/Sadler’s Wells, Zeynep Kepekli LD Common Grounds); Programmer Trip The Light Fantastic– a collaboration with Paraorchestra with Surgeons Girl, Charles Hazlewood and Limbic Cinema, (Opening Bristol Beacon, Jenny Roxburgh LD, November 23); Associate, California Connections, Yorke Dance Project (Zeynep Kepekli LD, November 23 Leeds, March 24 Linbury).

Imogen said:

“I’m over the moon to become this year’s Design Lumière and gain the opportunity to develop my craft and learn from working alongside the brilliant designers across this year’s scheme. I’m greatly looking forward to beginning the course by working at such an extraordinary institution as Glyndebourne and for the opportunities to follow. I’m excited about the journey that this scheme will take me on and to grow my skills and knowledge in this unique environment.”

Ellen Butterworth-Evans graduated from LIPA in 2020 she was one of many caught up in the chaos Covid and its impact on the industry.  Happily she was able to take part in the ALPD’s Team Lumière 20:20 and to network with others in the industry.  As the world opened up, she was able to get some casual work in the West Midlands, working at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Newcastle-Under-Lyme’s New VicTheatre, and is now a full-time freelance technician.  She applied for the Production Lumiere scheme as someone who wanting to improve the gaps in her knowledge that the pandemic had created.

Ellen said:

“I felt incredibly honoured to be the first participant of the Production Lumière Scheme, and have already learnt so much from my first 6 weeks at Glyndebourne. Having been at this prestigious venue since the end of January it has been nothing short of a whirlwind, making up practicals for each of the operas, rigging the overhead rig and booms, and learning more about EOS and programming. Learning from the inhouse team has been a joy – working with such a kind, friendly team has made this experience even more enjoyable, and meant that no question has felt too stupid!  I’m excited as we go into the technical weeks for each of the shows, seeing the practicals come to fruition in each piece of set, as well as see how the lighting designers work in the space.”

The ALPD would like to thank Glyndebourne, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Lamp & Pencil, Christie Lites, Vectorworks and all who donate to the scheme.  If anyone reading this would be interested in offering sponsorship to the Lumière Schemes Lumière Scheme in future years, contact office@thealpd.org.uk