New York City — The New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNYC) announces the Call for Entries for the 2026 IESNYC Student Lighting Competition, now celebrating its 25th edition. The annual competition invites students from New York City art, design, architecture, and engineering programs to participate in a city-wide design challenge that highlights the transformative power of light in the built environment.
Shaun Fillion, LC, Educator IALD CLCP, and Co-Chair of the Student Lighting Competition:
“We’re so excited to mark the 25th edition of the Student Lighting Competition! I am most proud of the outreach that the competition has achieved, introducing over 2,000 students to the architectural lighting industry. The competition is stronger than ever this year, with a growing committee of volunteers, faculty outreach that is bringing new schools to the competition, and our second year in the ballroom at LEDucation — a perfect location for the students to see what our industry is all about.”
2026 Challenge: Everything Old is New Again
Adaptive reuse continues to shape contemporary design, offering meaningful opportunities to reinterpret and re-energize spaces, objects, and technologies of the past. This year’s theme challenges students to breathe new life into what already exists — revealing the potential of lighting to honor history while imagining the future.
Participants may focus on architectural spaces, objects, concepts, or a combination of all three. The goal is to create a three-dimensional study that demonstrates how lighting can transform the old through visual delight, enhanced functionality, or innovative reinterpretation.
Craig Young, Lighting Designer at Ventresca Lighting Design and Co-Chair of the Student Lighting Competition:
“This year’s theme celebrates the past not as something to leave behind, but as a foundation for innovation. Everything Old is New Again invites students to honor what already exists and reimagine how it can inform the future and become part of it. It’s a powerful reminder that creativity often begins with looking at familiar things in unfamiliar ways.”
Eligibility
Students enrolled in design, engineering, or architecture programs at colleges or universities located in:
- The five boroughs of New York City, or
- The New York counties of the former Mid-Hudson Section: Columbia, Dutchess, Green, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester
are eligible to submit, regardless of residency.
Schedule
- Submission Deadline: March 15, 2026
- Student Setup: Monday, April 13 — 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Awards Ceremony: Tuesday, April 14 — 5:00 PM
- Project Dismantle: Wednesday, April 15 — 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Exhibition Hours
- Tuesday, April 14: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Wednesday, April 15: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location
LEDucation Trade Show and Conference
New York Hilton Midtown – Trianon Ballroom
1335 Avenue of the Americas (6th Ave. between West 53rd & 54th Streets)
For questions, please contact: studentcompetition@iesnyc.org
For more details and to start the submission process visit: https://iesnyc.org/Student_Competition
