IALD LIRC Meeting at LightFair Focuses on Future Priorities
With a two-day Board of Directors meeting, a well-attended LIRC session, and the upcoming International Lighting Design Awards on Wednesday, IALD is playing a key role in driving valuable traffic and energy to LightFair.
At LightFair, members of the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) and the Lighting Industry Resource Council (LIRC) gathered for a highly engaging 90-minute session focused on setting future priorities, strengthening alignment, and elevating the lighting design profession.
Welcoming Remarks and Introductions
Ron Kurtz, co-chair of the IALD LIRC, welcomed attendees and introduced key figures, including Messe Frankfurt’s North America CEO Constantin von Vieregge and his team.
Maximizing LIRC Membership Benefits
Ron highlighted the tools available to LIRC members, including posting logos, contact details, and organization information on the IALD website. He encouraged members to take full advantage of these resources, reminding them that anyone within their manufacturing companies can be included in the directory, not just the main point of contact.
He also promoted using IALD branding elements, including logos, hashtags, and icons, to help members amplify their connection to the broader lighting design community. Ron urged members to engage with the LIRC’s LinkedIn page, regional events, and sponsorship opportunities, such as the LERN (Lighting Education Resource Network) program, the Emerging Professionals Program, and the upcoming International Lighting Design Awards.
Expanding Educational Outreach
Jill Cody, President of the IALD Education Trust, provided updates on the trust’s new strategic plan. She explained that after reviewing past metrics, the trust realized its travel stipend program, while effective, could broaden its impact. Moving forward, the trust aims to expand outreach, particularly by connecting with educators who can influence larger groups of students over time.
Rather than focusing only on students already committed to lighting design, the trust now seeks to reach students in related fields like architecture and interior design. The new mission calls for finding people in early stages and raising awareness even before someone identifies as a “pre-practioner.” Jill emphasized that while the immediate focus is on college-level engagement, the trust remains open to exploring partnerships that reach high school or younger audiences if sponsorships become available.
Aligning Policy and Advocacy
Christopher Knowlton, IALD CEO, spoke about the need for greater alignment between the IALD, the IALD Education Trust, and the LIRC. He emphasized that as the organization rebuilds after the pandemic, it must develop clear policy positions to guide advocacy efforts. These positions will help the IALD strengthen its voice on key industry topics, clarify who it should collaborate with, and better leverage the intellectual capital of its members.
Interactive Priority-Setting Exercise
Andrea Hartranft, IALD President, led an interactive exercise designed to identify the most critical topics facing LIRC members over the next five years. Participants were divided into four groups, asked to brainstorm essential issues, and then rank them using dot-voting. This exercise aimed to ensure that future IALD policies reflect the priorities of both the design community and industry partners.
Key Takeaways
One major takeaway from the session was the shared desire to raise public awareness about the value of professionally designed lighting. Participants agreed that educating consumers on how great lighting impacts everyday life can elevate the profile of the profession and drive demand for high-quality lighting design.
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