Light art competition for Winter Lights Festival

Ritstjórn
Artwork at the 2022 Winter Lights Festival. Artists: Haraldur Karlsson and Litten Nystrøm. Ragnar Th. Sigurðsson
Light artwork at Austurvöllur during the 2022 Winter Lights Festival. Large white illuminated star, darkness outside, purple illuminated tree.

Reykjavík City and Veitur Utilities are holding a competition for light art in public spaces during the Winter Lights Festival 2026. The festival runs Feb. 5-8.

Reykjavík's Winter Lights Festival was first held in 2002 with the goal of brightening the dark winter days and giving residents and visitors a chance to experience the city's unique atmosphere.

Goals and priorities

The competition aims to encourage innovation and Icelandic creativity that supports a creative and vibrant city.

Open competition

The competition is open to everyone: fine arts, music and lighting professionals, designers, computer scientists or others who work with electricity, light and art in any form. Participants can suggest locations or get advice from organizers.

Originality is key, and various materials can be used. Remember to consider the outdoor winter setting in making the proposal. Interactive works or installations in public spaces are preferred.

Two projects will be selected and receive support of 1,000,000 Icelandic króna each. This amount is intended for both the development of the work and the remuneration of the artists.

Artwork at city hall, Tjarnarsalur, during the 2022 Winter Lights Festival. White "figures" that inflated with air and danced back and forth.

Artwork at City Hall during the 2022 Winter Lights Festival. Artist: Katerina Blahutová.

Selection Committee criteria

The Committee will consider:

  • Overall concept strength.
  • Artistic merit of the proposal.
  • Impact on public space.
  • Feasibility and cost of implementing the concept.

Timeline

October 22, 2025 // Competition announced, applications open.

November 23, 2025 // Application deadline.

November 24 – December 1, 2025 // Selection Committee deliberation.

December 2, 2025 // Results announced.

February 5–8, 2026 // Winter Lights Festival in Reykjavík.

Submission and delivery

Proposals should include:

  • Images and report explaining the overall concept and artistic merit of the proposal.
  • Cost estimate for creation and winner's fee.

Submit proposals as PDF or digital presentation via WeTransfer to vetrarhatid@reykjavik.is by midnight on Sunday, November 23, 2025.

Entries remain anonymous and proposals must include a six-digit identification number that participants choose themselves. Include a separate file with the same identification number containing participant information, including contact name, email, and phone number of the group's contact person. Only a selection committee staff member has access to that information. A proposal is accepted if it is received within the stated deadline and anonymity is maintained.

You can send inquiries to vetrarhatid@reykjavik.is

Results

The Committee aims to finish by December 1, 2025. Once the Committee has formally finished, the anonymity will be lifted and results announced to participants.

Selection Committee

  • Salóme Rósa Þorkelsdóttir, urban designer at the transportation and urban design office within the Department of Environment & Planning.
  • Sigurður Trausti Traustason, head of division for collections and research at Reykjavík Art Museum.
  • Sesselja Jónasardóttir, founder of the art festival List í ljósi.

If no suitable proposals are received, the Committee may reject all entries. The Committee's decision is final.

Reykjavík City reserves the right to contact non-winning participants about potential collaboration.

Artwork at the 2023 Winter Lights Festival. Image projected on a wall at the bottom of Skólavörðustígur, looking toward Hallgrímskirkja along the rainbow street. Darkness, people walking.

Artwork at the 2023 Winter Lights Festival. Artist: Vala Kjarval.