Enlighten Canberra

Outdoor annual art and cultural festival

Enlighten Canberra

Genre| Exhibition
Begins| March 2026
Frequency| Annual
Location(s)| Canberra
Coordinates| 35°18′29″S 149°07′28″E﻿ / ﻿35.3081°S 149.1244°E﻿ / -35.3081; 149.1244
Years active| 13
Inaugurated| 2011
Most recent| 28 February-10 March 2025
Attendance| 287,874 (2015)[1]
Budget| $5.3 million over four years (2011 to 2014)[2]
Website| www.enlightencanberra.com.au

Enlighten Canberra is an outdoor annual art and cultural festival held in Canberra, Australia featuring illuminating light installations and projections, performances from local and interstate musicians, a short film festival and the Canberra Balloon Spectacular.

The festival is an Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government initiative held annually in early March, encouraging people to "See Canberra in a whole new light." The centrepiece of Enlighten Canberra is the illuminating of Canberra's cultural institutions after dark, including Old Parliament House, Parliament House and the National Gallery of Australia (since the 2011 event) as well as the National Portrait Gallery and Questacon (since the 2012 event). There is also live music, film screenings and after-hours tours.

Since its inception, Enlighten has become increasingly popular, attracting 115,000 visitors in 2013 and 131,500 in 2014. Attendance rose again in 2015, to 287,874 visitors.

## History of the event

[edit]

### 2008–11: Lead-up to the first Enlighten

[edit]

A projection on the National Library of Australia during the 2012 Enlighten festival

In 2008 ACT Labor made an election promise to deliver a new autumn event for Canberra, Australia—this was the beginnings of Enlighten Canberra.[3][4] In December 2010, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation Andrew Barr, announced the ACT Government Enlighten would be a major annual event, commencing in March 2011\. He said national attractions that would participate with lit facades after dark included the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House and Old Parliament House. Ticketed events were also announced, including headline international acts in concert.[5]

### 2011: The first Enlighten

[edit]

In its first year, along with other events, Enlighten hosted rock band INXS,[6] jazz guitarist George Benson,[7] and world-music supergroup Afro Celt Sound System.[8] To help promote Enlighten, INXS arrived in Canberra in a helicopter, landing on the lawns of Old Parliament House two weeks before their concert appearance.[9] INXS band member Kirk Pengilly told reporters that the show planned for Enlighten 2011 was "probably the biggest production that we've put on at any show in Australia."[10] As part of the festival, cultural institutions in the Parliamentary triangle were illuminated after dark, including Old Parliament House, Parliament House and the National Gallery of Australia.

Despite the big-ticket performances and media stunts, the inaugural festival cost $2.4 million,[11] and there was poor community interest,[12][13] with just 8600 visitors.[14] The first Enlighten did however attract 2400 visitors from interstate or overseas who came to Canberra specifically for Enlighten or extended their stay because of it.[15]

The slogan for Enlighten, announced in December 2010, is "See Canberra in a whole new light"[16]

### 2012: Enlighten made a part of the Canberra Festival

[edit]

In its second year, Enlighten was made a part of the Canberra Festival.[17][18] The merging of the festivals was met with criticism from the Canberra branch of the Liberal Party of Australia, with Canberra Liberal Brendan Smyth describing the Labor Government's attempt to create a new festival as "embarrassing".[19] The Enlighten entertainment lineup featured in the 2012 event was scaled back significantly from the 2011 event to instead feature local Canberra artists including Owen Campbell.[20] Of the nearly 100 artists contracted to perform in the 2012 festival, 53 per cent were local artists, paid 11.5 per cent of the Enlighten programming budget that year.[21] In 2012 Questacon and the National Portrait Gallery became canvasses for projection for the first time—they had not been lit in the 2011 Enlighten festival.[22]

A 2014 Enlighten projection on Questacon

### 2013–14: the spiegeltent joins Enlighten

[edit]

In 2013, along with the large-scale building illuminations featured in the previous two events,[23][24] Enlighten hosted a spiegeltent for the first time. The tent put on dozens of shows featuring comics, acrobats and musicians.[25][26] The festival also included Canberra's first Dîner en Blanc, a pop-up picnic in which all guests dress in white and bring their own food, table, table-setting and chair.[27] More than 700 people attended the picnic, the third Dîner en Blanc to be held in Australia.[28] Dîner en Blanc was repeated in 2014, with over 800 people attending, but the dinner was not included as part of Enlighten 2015.[29] Film screenings and after hours tours were also offered,[30][31] and American soul singer Charles Bradley performed as part of the 2014 festival.[32]

### 2015–16: Enlighten debuts the Night Noodle Markets in Canberra

[edit]

Visitors to the 2016 Enlighten Night Noodle Markets, in the lawns to the north of Old Parliament House.

In November 2014, the ACT Government announced the Night Noodle Markets would be coming to Canberra during the Enlighten Festival in 2015. The Night Noodle Markets feature Asian-themed street-food vendors.[33] ACT Tourism Minister Andrew Barr told media that Canberra's Night Noodle Markets were expected to host up to 25 hawker style food stalls,[34] and that the ACT Government had committed $200,000 to bring the 2015 noodle markets to the city.[35] Around 156,000 peoples visited the inaugural Enlighten Night Noodle Markets—of whom 24,000 visited on the opening night,[36] far exceeding expectations.[37]

In 2016, alongside the Night Noodle Markets, Enlighten featured an installation by Amanda Parer of five illuminated white rabbits standing at 7 metres (23 ft).[38][39] Parer described the rabbits as metaphors for the mismanagement of the environment.[40] Free concerts held over the consecutive weekends featured indie rock Australian band Augie March and American alternative country musical group Calexico.[41]

Ahead of the 2016 ACT election the Labor party committed to spend $3.72 million to continue Enlighten in 2017, 2018 and 2019.[42]

### 2020–21: Pandemic

[edit]

Enlighten in 2020 just missed the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. It still went ahead in 2021, under some restrictions as most events and installations were ticketed and required online pre-registration to allow contact tracing. The Night Noodle Markets were not held, replaced by Late Night Treats. The Skyfire fireworks show was also cancelled that year.[43]

## Criticism

[edit]

Enlighten has come under severe criticism in the Australian media[44][45] for not paying professional artists for their work and labor producing installations and artworks (despite being a well-funded government festival). For the 2020 festival the EOI proposal request published on Artshub[46] and Visabel [47] suggests four remuneration options to artists, three of which indicate artists should fully self-fund, partially self-fund or find sponsorship for exhibition of their own work. One indicates that the festival will pay for some projects but stresses a very limited budget for artworks.

## Projections

[edit]

For its first six years, the large-scale projections for Enlighten were coordinated by Electric Canvas.[48][49] Electric Canvas's managing director Peter Milne has also worked on the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.[50]

## Budget, attendance and visitor expenditure

[edit]

Since its inception, Enlighten has become increasingly popular, attracting 115,000 visitors in 2013 and 131,500 in 2014. Attendance rose again in 2015, to 287,874 visitors.

Enlighten attendance, budget and visitor expenditure  Year  | Dates  | Attendance  | Event budget  | Visitor direct expenditure  | References

|
|
|
|
|

2011  | 11, 12, 18 and 19 March  | 8,600  | $1,500,000  | $600,000  | [11][51]
2012  | 2, 3, 9 and 10 March  | 30,000  | $1,248,000  | $300,000  | [51][52][53]
2013  | 1 to 9 March  | 115,000  | (estimated) $1,100,000  | $650,000  | [51][54][55][56][57]
2014  | 28 February to 8 March  | 131,556  | (estimated) $1,200,000  | $2,300,000  | [51][54][58][59][60]
2015  | 27 February to 7 March  | 287,874  | (estimated) $1,300,000  | $3,350,000  | [1][54]
2016  | 4 to 12 March  |  |  |  |
2017  | 3 to 12 March  |  |  |  |
2018  | 2 to 18 March  |  |  |  |
2019  | 1 to 11 March  |  |  |  |

## Energy usage

[edit]

Entrance to Old Parliament House during Enlighten 2013

In 2012, projections for Enlighten were predominantly powered using diesel generators and consumed 2423 litres of diesel, resulting in an estimated 7.0 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.[61]

## See also

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Enlighten Canberra.

* Art of Australia
* Vivid Sydney

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Culture and creativity illuminate the capital: Enlighten event report 2015 (PDF), ACT Government, 2015, p. 2, archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2015
2. ^ Barr, Andrew (23 December 2010). "Flower power - report confirms biggest Floriade ever" (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 March 2014.
3. ^ Smyth, Brendan (9 February 2012). "Enlighten downgraded to a subsidiary event" (Press release).
4. ^ Gallagher, Katy (25 September 2012), $12 million to support jobs and boost tourism, archived from the original on 10 April 2013
5. ^ Barr, Andrew (13 December 2010). "New event to light up Canberra's autumn nights" (Press release). Archived from the original on 8 March 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
6. ^ Gallagher, Katy (27 January 2011). "Australian music legends INXS will rock Canberra this March" (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 March 2014.
7. ^ Stanhope, Jon (15 February 2011). "Jimmy Barnes to rock Canberra's birthday concert" (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 March 2014.
8. ^ Stanhope, Jon (20 January 2011). "World=music sensation to kick off first Enlighten" (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 March 2014.
9. ^ "Media joy meets INXS helicopter". 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014.
10. ^ "INXS to headline autumn festival". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 January 2011. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014.
11. ^ a b "Barr enlightens Oppn on festival". Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. 10 December 2011. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014.
12. ^ Thomson, Phillip (2 March 2014). "Enlighten Festival sets record for opening night". Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014.
13. ^ Enlighten festival ticket sales 'lacklustre', 27 May 2011, archived from the original on 8 March 2014
14. ^ Griffiths, John (27 May 2011), Enlighten reports on 2011, RiotACT
15. ^ Barr, Andrew (27 May 2011). "Event helps people see Canberra in a whole new light" (Press release). Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
16. ^ New event launched to 'Enlighten' Canberra, Spice News, 14 December 2010, archived from the original on 8 April 2011
17. ^ Barr, Andrew (1 March 2012). "Enlighten begins tomorrow" (Press release). Archived from the original on 27 January 2014.
18. ^ Barr, Andrew (9 December 2011). "New look Enlighten 2012 sure to delight locals and tourists" (Press release). Archived from the original on 4 February 2014.
19. ^ "Enlighten festival 'embarrassing', says Smyth". City News. 9 February 2012. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014.
20. ^ Barr, Andrew (15 February 2012). "Parliamentary Triangle gets Enlightened" (Press release). Archived from the original on 4 February 2014.
21. ^ Andrew Barr, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (22 March 2012). "Enlighten festival—local artists (Question No 2090)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: ACT Legislative Assembly. p. 1247\. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014.
22. ^ Warden, Ian (1 March 2012). "Making light of old city dames". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012.
23. ^ Pyror, Sally (1 February 2013). "Festival's principle [sic] focus is to enlighten the locals". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014.
24. ^ Barr, Andrew (1 February 2013). "Enlighten to light up Canberra nights this autumn" (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 May 2013.
25. ^ Thomson, Phillip (3 March 2013). "Electricity in the tent of mirrors". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013.
26. ^ Musa, Helen (27 February 2013). "Enlighten's monumental moment". City News. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014.
27. ^ "A secretive phenomenon". The Senior. 10 February 2013. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014.
28. ^ "In the white mood for festival fun". City News. 3 March 2013. Archived from the original on 9 May 2013.
29. ^ Belot, Henry (12 February 2015). "Diner en Blanc unlikely to return to Canberra as government withdraws support". The Canberra Times. Fairfax media. Archived from the original on 20 October 2015.
30. ^ Wescott, Ben (28 February 2014). "Festival set to enlighten Canberra". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014.
31. ^ Parliament House Celebrates Enlighten, Australian Parliament House, 2014, archived from the original on 8 March 2014
32. ^ Barr, Andrew (15 January 2014). "Enlighten 2014 set to illuminate the capital" (Press release). Archived from the original on 19 February 2014.
33. ^ Rudra, Natasha (19 November 2014). "Night Noodle Markets come to Canberra for Enlighten 2015". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014.
34. ^ Barr, Andrew (20 November 2014). "ENLIGHTEN Night Noodle Markets coming in 2015" (Press release). Archived from the original on 28 November 2014.
35. ^ Rudra, Natasha (20 November 2014). "Fairfax Night Noodle Markets launch at Malamay". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014.
36. ^ Rudra, Natasha (13 March 2015). "156,000 Canberrans flock to Enlighten Night Noodle Markets 2015". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 14 March 2015.
37. ^ "Enlighten: Night noodle markets doubles Canberra light festival visitor numbers, Events ACT says". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 March 2015. Archived from the original on 11 March 2015.
38. ^ Travers, Penny (4 March 2016). "Enlighten: Giant inflatable rabbits invade Canberra's Parliamentary Triangle for annual festival". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
39. ^ Rudra, Natasha (4 March 2016). "Gates open on Enlighten Night Noodle Markets 2016 in Canberra". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
40. ^ McCarter, Liz (2 March 2016). "Sneak peek at giant rabbit as Enlighten 2016 comes to Canberra". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
41. ^ Hogan, Jil (2 March 2016). "Seven events not to miss at Enlighten 2016". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016.
42. ^ Knaus, Christopher (23 September 2016). "South by Southeast? Labor's plan for a Canberra version of South by Southwest festival". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 26 September 2016.
43. ^ Connolly, Ayla (27 February 2021). "Lights are up - five ways to Enlighten your autumn". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
44. ^ Endrey, Chris (19 March 2016). "The dark side of Enlighten: artists not paid". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
45. ^ Endrey, Chris (19 March 2016). "The dark side of Enlighten: artists not paid". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
46. ^ "Enlighten Festival 2020 - Call for Illuminated Installations | ArtsHub Australia". www.artshub.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
47. ^ "Applications are open for Enlighten Festival - Illuminations". Visabel Pty Ltd. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
48. ^ Kelly, Emma (27 February 2015). "Enlighten and the Night Noodle Markets pull in hungry crowds". Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 9 August 2015.
49. ^ Thistleton, John (1 February 2016). "Enlighten 2016 gets the jump on Floriade with seven-metre-tall white rabbits". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016.
50. ^ Doherty, Megan (18 February 2014). "Enlighten festival: Come paint the town red and blue and ..." The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014.
51. ^ a b c d Enlighten Event Report (PDF), ACT Government, 2014, archived (PDF) from the original on 28 November 2014
52. ^ Andrew Barr, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (21 March 2013). "Increasing visitation to Canberra". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: ACT Legislative Assembly. p. 1253\. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014.
53. ^ Andrew Barr, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (21 March 2013). "Economic Development Directorate—Territory Venues & Events (Question No 83)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory. p. 1885\. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
54. ^ a b c 2013–14 Budget Paper No. 3: Expenditure Initiatives (PDF), ACT Government, p. 138, archived from the original (PDF) on 29 November 2014
55. ^ Barr, Andrew (22 May 2013), Enlighten, "The total attendance figure for Enlighten - See Canberra in a whole new light 2013 was 115,031, an increase of 290% on last year's figure of 29,437."
56. ^ Barr, Andrew (23 May 2013). "Enlighten 2013 draws record breaking crowds" (Press release).
57. ^ Enlighten 2013: Key findings (PDF), ACT Government, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2014
58. ^ McIlroy, Tom (9 May 2014). "Record crowds at this year's Enlighten Festival". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014.
59. ^ Kelly, Emma (8 June 2015). "Canberra Enlighten festival visitor numbers double with Night Noodle Markets". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015.
60. ^ Nicholson, Larissa (3 March 2014). "Hopes for Enlighten record not dampened by forecast rain". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014.
61. ^ Andrew Barr, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (24 August 2012). "Enlighten Festival—power use (Question No 2285)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: ACT Legislative Assembly. p. 3705\. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014.