The Illumination Engineering Society (IES) announced that submissions for its 2025 IES Illumination Awards will open on January 2, 2025.
The IES Illumination Awards (IA) program recognizes individuals for professionalism, ingenuity, and originality in lighting design based on the individual merit of each entry. Judges are selected from a broad professional spectrum representing knowledge of lighting and design excellence. The judging system is entirely based on how well the lighting design meets the program criteria. The Illumination Awards program is not a competition.
Eligibility & Entry Rules
- Anyone may enter a project for an Illumination Award, including IES members, non-members, and agents, with the exclusion of IES staff, IES Board of Directors, and manufacturers.
- Submitters should submit their project to the Section of the lead designer. If there is no active Section, the project should be submitted to the Section closest to the location of the lead designer. Your project will still be accepted and entered for judging.
- Any permanent lighting installation can be submitted to the Illumination Awards. There is an exemption for the Experiential Lighting Design award, which allows for temporary, permanent, or seasonal displays.
- The installation must have been completed during the 24 months preceding the January program date listed.
- Projects may be entered only once using the IA submission portal. The nominator must check with all parties to eliminate duplicate entries.
- Different areas of the same project may be submitted as separate lighting or controls project entries. Each of these entries must have its own distinguishable title and additional entry fee. Each of these entries will be judged separately.
- All entries previously judged in prior Illumination Awards will be rejected.
- The Lead Lighting Designer must inform the owner and all others involved or associated in the project design, of participation in the program and that the entry may be published in LD+A. The owner’s name and location may be withheld for privacy reasons.
New Program Category
New for 2025 is the Illumination Award for Experiential Lighting Design, sponsored by ETC, Inc. recognizes those projects that use the design of lighting as art or for effect. The projects submitted in this category are themed or immersive environments, whether temporary, permanent, or seasonal.
The Experiential Lighting Design award encompasses interior and exterior projects and permanent, temporary, or seasonal installations. This can be a park with interactive elements for visitors, a spectacular holiday display, or an amusement park ride, to name a few examples.
Important Dates
Early Bird Submission: January 2-24, 2025
Regular Submission: January 25-February 21, 2025
(Both deadlines are at 11:59pm US Eastern)
Submission Pricing
Early Bird Submission: IES Member $265 / Non-Member $365
Regular Submission: IES Member $320 / Non-Member $420
Registration fees are non-refundable
Program Resources
Submission Tutorial
IES Illumination Awards FAQ
2025 Program Calendar & Deadlines
About Merit Judging