Welcome to the New York City Section of the IES
We are a volunteer professional membership organization comprised of individuals who share a mutual appreciation for and fascination with all things lighting. We are dedicated to promoting both the art and science of illumination to our members, to other professional organizations, to the industry, and to the public through inspiring events, informative programs, educational series, and great networking opportunities.
2027 IESNYC Lumen Awards Open for Submissions
Deadline: January 8, 2027. The 2027 IESNYC Lumen Awards are officially open for submissions, and we’re looking for projects that showcase the creativity, innovation, and artistry of exceptional lighting design. Designers, start gathering your project details, select your best images, and get ready to submit. Your next award-winning project could be the one everyone is talking about. DETAILS
2026 Richard Kelly Grant Recipient
Zora Liu, a Ph.D. candidate in Architectural Engineering at Penn State, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Richard Kelly Grant in recognition of her creative and thoughtful approach to the art and science of illumination. Her research explores how people perceive and respond to light in nighttime environments, with a particular focus on visual perception, color, visibility, navigation, and the ecological impacts of artificial light at night. READ MORE
In Conversation With Rita Carver
Rita Kogler Carver
Principal of BearFly Designs LLC
Rita Carver, who literally wrote the book on lighting for stage and screen, shares her insights into how theatrical lighting is transforming the built environment—from museums and hospitality spaces to outdoor experiences. While she finds the continued evolution of lighting technology incredibly exciting, she cautions emerging designers not to get distracted by the “eye candy” without first understanding how and why to use it effectively. READ MORE
Spotlight on Diversity
ALC Book Club Values Perspectives
Lively in-person meetings with the ALC Book Club prize frankness, individual perspectives and backgrounds, and bonding through personal experiences and memories that bubble up. ALC Book Club has met a half dozen times at showrooms, offices, restaurants, and even at members’ homes. Meetings are open to anyone interested in reading and discussing books with a diverse community of readers. MORE
IESNYC CALENDAR
Annual Lighting Industry Holiday Party
Save the Date and get ready to celebrate the holiday season with your friends, colleagues, and fellow lighting industry professionals!
2027 IESNYC Student Lighting Competition Theme Announcement
What We Do In The Shadows
What is NOT lit can be as impactful as what IS lit. Moments of silence in a musical piece make the voiced parts more powerful. Pauses add drama to speech. And light is made more nuanced in contrast to darkness. How can what we do in – and with - the shadows make us appreciate the light? The 2027 theme, What We Do in the Shadows challenges students to explore and investigate the power of light and shadow through the creation- or correction-of a space, an object, a concept, or a combination of all three. LEARN MORE
ADDITIONAL NEWS & EVENTS
IES Webinar: Light + Justice Symposium: Spaces of Incarceration
November 4, 2026. This one-day virtual symposium is dedicated to position light and darkness as designed, time-based conditions essential to neurological recovery. Participants will receive 4.5 CEUs
Read More ►Registration Open: 2026 IES Street & Area Lighting Conference
Join IES in Phoenix, November 8-11, for the only forum specific to the interests and challenges facing outdoor lighting professionals.
Read More ►Chip Israel Gateway Grant
November 11, 2026. Join the Nuckolls Fund for Lighting Education for an interactive webinar session on the Chip Israel Gateway Grant, a funding opportunity designed to increase enrollment in lighting education throughout North America.
Read More ►Fabric of Our Society
Preparing Emerging Lighting Professionals in the Era of AI
Peter Ngai
Lighting Innovation Mentor and Consultant
As AI continues to transform the lighting industry, it raises an important question for emerging professionals. According to Peter Ngai, the fundamentals of becoming a successful professional remain unchanged—and may be more essential than ever. He explores seven key fundamentals that continue to shape professional growth and success in an AI-driven world. MORE
Meet Our Member
Soumya Undavalll
Lighting Associate, Light Abilities
For a someone new, IESNYC is a world full of opportunities. When I was starting out in India, there was very little awareness of lighting design as a profession, and even fewer people practicing it as a specialty. Here, there is a whole world that gathers in one room, and everyone is approachable no matter where you are in your career. It is not just a professional organization you join. It shows you the entire field at once and lets you find your place in it. MORE
2026 IESNYC Event and Educational Sponsors
Brilliant Sponsor
Radiant Sponsors
Glow Sponsors
Sparkle Sponsors
Lutron Electronics | Light Abilities
Twinkle Sponsors
Available Light | Hartranft Lighting Design | HLB Lighting Design
KGM Architectural Lighting | MGE Lighting Design Collaborative | Pierce Lighting Studio
