February 2026

IESNYC Events

Student Lighting Competition Presents 25 And Still Shining, A Silver Celebration

February 11, 2026. Dazzle us with your best silver accessories and clothing to celebrate the history and impact of the Student Lighting Competition, dedicated to founder Patricia DiMaggio. The freshest faces in today’s lighting industry will gather at the Marset USA Showroom for light bites and libations. Networking starts at 6:00 pm, with guest speaker Clay Mohrman—2025 Student Lighting Competition Grand Prize winner—at 7:00. There will also be a chance to vote on ideas for the 2027 competition theme!  RSVP HERE

ATTENTION STUDENTS AND EMERGING PROFESSIONALS

NextGen Winter Warm-Up

March 5, 2026. Students, bring your questions about rewarding careers in lighting, because the IESNYC EPs are ready to share their experiences, insights, and advice. Enjoy snacks and beverages, as well as a hands-on, group community service project.  LEARN MORE

Technicolor Neon: Art and Design in New York City

March 25, 2026. Live neon bending with artist Kate Hush kicks things off—watch breath, fire, gases, and phosphors turn clear glass into glowing color. Kate then joins James Akers for a conversation on neon at the crossroads of art, commerce, and lighting design, followed by Q&A. The program wraps with a tour of UrbanGlass, NYC’s premier nonprofit glass studio in Downtown Brooklyn.
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Announcements

2026 IESNYC Student Lighting Competition
CALL FOR ENTRIES

Application deadline is March 15, 2026 

The IESNYC invites students from New York City Art and Design schools to participate in a city-wide design competition, emphasizing the significance of lighting in shaping the built environment. This year’s competition challenges students to creatively transform the old into the new through visual delight, improved functionality, or your own imagination.  MORE

What's Changed, What Hasn't: Design in 2026

IESNYC members Nathalie Faubert, CBBLD and Martin Van Koolbergen, KGM Lighting, join Bruce Taylor to convene for a powerhouse roundtable exploring the evolution, challenges, and future of architectural lighting. Hear their candid discussion on the state of our industry in “What’s Changed, What Hasn’t: Design in 2026.”

New Year, Additional New Leadership: The 2026 IESNYC Board 

With a realignment of the fiscal calendar, the IESNYC welcomes a new Board of Managers with the New Year. In addition to some shifting responsibilities, four fresh faces will lend their experience and energy to leadership: Jessie Frias, Maria Kulhavy, Monica Bradley, and Nick Emerick. MORE

Celebrating IESNYC 40 Under 40 Winners

We are pleased to honor our IESNYC members — Alexander Rossini; Dorothy Underwood; Wesley Burdett; Kristen Garibaldi; Xena Petkanas; and Phat Quach —for their exceptional talent, creativity, and forward-thinking contributions to architectural lighting. MORE

It's not too late to Become a 2026 IESNYC Sponsor

Connect and Reveal: it’s what we do every day. It is the work of the IESNYC to bring our community together and strengthen our industry. Through the IESNYC, we reveal lighting’s impact and steer the future of our profession. Our Sponsorship Campaign Spokesperson Francesca Bastianini, reminds us that connection and revelation are inseparable – and that our professions depend on both. Hear What She Has to Say

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Fabric of our Society

The Hidden Cost of Facade Lighting  

Ajin Cho
Lighting Designer, Domingo Gonzalez Associates

Tools for evaluating skyglow are often used only after construction, e.g., taking nighttime photos or on-site measurements. These assessments are helpful, but they often come too late to make any real changes. What we need is a more proactive mindset that helps us understand the environmental impact of our lighting decisions before they are built.  READ MORE

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Meet Our Member

Margo Wiltshire
Associate Principal, Fisher Marantz Stone

The tradition and legacy of the IESNYC are unrivaled. It’s not only a community for designers and practices, but also an incubator for our industry as a whole. Members of the IESNYC impact the world of lighting far beyond our great city, raising global standards every day… and we have for generations!  MORE

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Job Opportunities + Member News

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Other Events

Attendee Registration Opens for LEDucation 2026

April 14-15, 2026. Virtual sessions April 9-10. Attendee registration is open for LEDucation 2026. As one of the most influential and widely attended gatherings in the North American lighting industry, LEDucation will kick off on Tuesday, April 14, from 9:00–11:30am with exclusive DESIGNER-ONLY access to the Exhibition Halls. The event will showcase over 400 exhibitors and 39 accredited presentations highlighting innovations in lighting design, research, sustainability, technology, and beyond.  LEARN MORE

Call for Speakers: 2026 IES Street & Area Lighting Conference (SALC)

Deadline February 3. Presentation proposals for the 2026 IES Street and Area Lighting Conference in Phoenix, AZ, are now being accepted MORE

IES Webinar The LED Dilemma: Rethinking LED Sustainability

February 5, 2026. The first generation of LED luminaires are now reaching the end of their life. Join us as we explore why, what it means for the future of architectural lighting, and how to create solutions that prioritize longevity and circular design. MORE

IES26: The Lighting Conference

Deadline February 26. IES26: The Lighting Conference is accepting Research Tracks and Posters through February 26th. IES26 will be held at the Grand Hyatt Denver in Denver, CO August 13-15, 2026  MORE

IES Webinar: A New Tool for Projecting Long-term LED Chromaticity Stability

March 26, 2026. This webinar will introduce a new IES tool developed by the IES Testing Procedures Committee which can be used by designers and manufacturers to project this shift. MORE

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