Festival of Light – Llum BCN 2020

Barcelona’s Festival of Light is called Llum BCN, and this year’s event will once again be a festival full of light and creativity. This laboratory of ideas is organised by many different artists, architects and designers from all over the world.

The main ingredient for the work they have created is always light, and it results in an inspiring urban environment where projection, interactive elements and lights – in many different shapes and forms – is at the centre of each location.

Today’s article by ShBarcelona will tell you more on Llum BCN 2020.

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What, where and when is Llum BCN?

The 9th edition of the event Llum BCN will take place during the weekend of February 14 to 16, 2020. It will coincide with the second, most important traditional festival in Barcelona that is celebrated in honour of one of its patron saints, Santa Eulalia.

The first ever festival of light in Barcelona took place in 2012. The main idea behind the event was to highlight its buildings and spaces to enhance its beauty. And although it’s not easy to organise a successful event in winter, because it can get cold and even snow in Barcelona during the winter time, they have done just that with Llum BCN.

Light and new technologies will play a key role in the city during those days in February, and it is truly a magnificent show. The festival, as in previous years, hopes to mesmerize its curious visitors by surprising them with different creations of light, and every show is the product of a renowned artist’s or young talent’s creativity and inventiveness.

The event completely transforms the neighbourhood of Poblenou, and it shines a different light – literally – on its buildings and public spaces.

The festival of lights is organised by the Instituto de Cultura de Barcelona or ICUB, and could not be a success without the participation of teachers and students from several art, design and architecture schools. They are the real designers of every single light project, and it will all start on February 14.

Related article: Winter Festivals in Barcelona

They are hoping to fulfil several important objectives with the event. First of all, it’s a special invite for Barcelona’s residents to come and rediscover their streets and spaces.

It also hopes to be a reflection and orientation on the future of public spaces by meeting its residents, and at the same time, students from different schools will have the opportunity to work together on an incredible project and have the chance to interact with the public.

You will find famous international artists among the creators of these spectacular light shows, and some of them have pioneered with the use of digital tools, while other professionals have succeeded in the world of new creative industry.

Llum BCN is much different from other light events because of its level of experimentation and the involvement of students from Barcelona’s higher education facilities, as they have also contributed considerably to the many installations of light and special effects.

This is the second year that Llum BCN is organised in Poblenou, and Poblenou is a great district with modern buildings, design exhibitions and factories that have been converted into offices.

So for three consecutive nights, Barcelona’s urban landscape will undergo significant transformations, and huge buildings with industrial warehouses, old chimneys and empty lots can be experienced in a new and exciting way.

All the light projects and locations somehow fit together perfectly, and it is a spectacular event for young and old. The outlet of creativity absolutely makes Llum BCN a one-of-a-kind festival, so why don’t you let (something as simple as) light surprise you once again this year?

Do you know other interesting facts about Llum BCN?