Inside the IES26 Illumination Awards: Nearly 600 Entries and a Sold-Out Gala
Illumination Awards Chair Amanda Schaneman and longtime committee member Denis Lavoie discuss the judging process, international growth and plans to elevate one of the lighting industry’s most prestigious awards programs.
The IES26 Illumination Awards brought 340 people together in Denver for a sold-out evening celebrating outstanding lighting design from around the world. The event was sponsored by Acuity Brands.
Following the event, I spoke with Illumination Awards Chair Amanda Schaneman and longtime committee member IES Past-President Denis Lavoie about the work behind the gala. They also shared their vision for the program’s future.
The scale of the awards may surprise those who see only the final presentation. The Illumination Awards received nearly 600 project submissions this year, and I had no idea there were so many.
Only a small percentage reach the program’s highest levels of recognition.
“The Special Citations, Awards of Excellence and Awards of Distinction represent the top 1% to 2% of projects every year,” Amanda explained. “It’s a big honor, and it’s rare to receive one.”
The official IES program describes the Illumination Awards as a merit-based recognition program rather than a competition. Judges evaluate each project against established criteria instead of comparing one entry with another.
Amanda Schaneman Takes the Chair
Amanda joined the Illumination Awards Committee shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic. She had previously worked with former Chair, Jana Owens and later spoke with her about becoming more involved with the Illuminating Engineering Society. Jana encouraged Amanda to join the committee.
“Things just kind of happened from there,” Amanda said. “I ended up becoming chair this last year, which has been a great honor.”
Unlike some IES leadership positions, the Illumination Awards chair does not serve a fixed two-year term. The chair remains in place while the committee identifies and prepares a successor. Amanda confirmed that she will lead the program again next year.
Denis joined the Conference committee around 2010, initially serving as a liaison from the IES Board of Directors. His current focus includes budgeting, sponsorships, revenue and management of the awards gala.
Over that time, he has watched the program evolve from a relatively simple auditorium presentation into a formal industry event.
Years ago, Denis recalled, the awards included no dinner or reception. The committee gradually added food, wine, centerpieces and a red-carpet experience. More recently, IES incorporated gala admission into conference registration. That change helped increase participation.
“We’ve seen improvements over the years, which is great,” Denis said. “We would obviously like to go faster.”
A Gala That Reached Capacity
The 2026 gala sold out early.
The committee increased the number of tables twice, but demand continued to grow. Attendance eventually reached the room’s fire-code limit of 340 people.
“We hit the fire-code limit, basically,” Amanda said. The strong attendance also created a new challenge. Some registered guests did not use their seats, while other people could not obtain tickets.
“We need to make sure that if people aren’t going to use their seats, those tickets can be donated to somebody who wants to attend,” Amanda said. They expect a slightly larger space for next year’s event, although they have not finalized the capacity.
How the Illumination Awards Judging Works
The Illumination Awards use a multistage judging process designed to evaluate every project against the program’s published scorecards. Entrants begin with a short project description. They may submit up to 10 images with brief narratives of approximately 25 words each.
They may also include one video lasting no more than one minute. The video cannot contain narration or music. Its primary purpose is to demonstrate dynamic effects that static photographs cannot adequately capture.
The projects then enter merit judging.
IES invites volunteers from its broader community to participate in this initial round. Judges score each project against the appropriate criteria. They do not compare projects directly with one another.
Amanda said the committee looks for a natural scoring break that allows a substantial group of strong projects to advance.
“Good projects would not be weeded out,” Denis added. “The threshold is set so that enough projects high-quality go through.”
The top-scoring entries advance to final judging. A panel of approximately three to seven design professionals then spends a full day reviewing the projects in detail in person.
Final judges may include lighting designers, architects and engineers. Manufacturer and agency representatives do not participate in the final round.
“Everything is judged against the scorecard and against good lighting design in and of itself,” Amanda said. “It’s not project one versus project two.”
That approach aligns with the IES description of the program. The Society recognizes projects for professionalism, ingenuity and originality based on each entry’s individual merit.
Volunteer Judges Make the Program Possible
The Illumination Awards depend heavily on volunteers. Final judges donate their time and cover their own travel expenses. Sponsors provide lunch, snacks and other support during the daylong judging session.
The committee plans to begin recruiting final judges for the next awards cycle soon. Organizers expect to hold the next final judging session at ETC’s New York office before LEDucation
The committee expects to confirm and announce the next submission schedule in September.
Seventeen Projects Receive Top Recognition
For 2026, the final judging panel selected 17 projects for the highest levels of recognition this year. Amanda described that as one of the largest groups in the program’s history.
Despite the number of honorees, the gala maintained a quick pace. Each presentation gave attendees enough information to understand the project without allowing the evening to become repetitive.
IES contacted each recipient in advance and provided a complimentary gala ticket. Recipients covered their own travel and accommodations. Some attended the entire conference. Others traveled specifically for the awards.
Fifteen of the 17 honorees attended in person.
“The fact that only two of the 17 were not there shows that people take this very seriously,” Denis said. “They are honored to receive these awards.”
International Recipients Make the Trip
Several recipients traveled to Denver from outside the United States. One winner came from Brazil. A seven-person team traveled from Tokyo and attended the ceremony wearing coordinated white accessories.
“They were the kindest, most amazing people,” Amanda said. “They were so grateful and so happy to be there.”
For Denis, their presence demonstrated the Illumination Awards’ international potential.
IES continues to expand its global reach through sections and developing regions in Australia and New Zealand, the Middle East and North Africa, and Greater China. Denis believes the awards can support that strategy by giving international designers a visible platform for their work.
“What better way to promote IES internationally?” he asked.
Amanda agreed that the growing international network should attract more submissions and increase awareness of the program beyond North America.
Plans to Elevate the Experience
Amanda and Denis want the Illumination Awards to become the world’s premier professional lighting awards program. Additional sponsorships will play an important role in reaching that goal. More financial support would allow the committee to enhance both the gala and the broader awards program.
Amanda plans to introduce a location-inspired theme next year. The theme would help distinguish each gala and connect the experience more closely with its host city.
The committee’s long-term goal involves moving the awards into a dedicated setting. That could mean a separate ballroom at the conference hotel or an off-site venue. “We want to make it feel even more unique and elevate it to that next level,” Amanda said.
Denis praised Amanda’s energy and her work to strengthen the committee’s internal structure.
“With Amanda, we will certainly go to the next step,” he said.
Amanda, in turn, credited Jana for building a strong foundation during her years as chair. Jana received an IES Presidential Award for her leadership and continues to support the committee during the transition.
“I couldn’t be more grateful to have been handed the reins where the program is now,” Amanda said. “Jana spent a lot of time and energy getting it here.”