GLOW, the renowned Eindhoven light festival, is set to request voluntary contributions from visitors this year in a bid to manage rising costs and secure additional funding. The organisers hope the campaign will help avoid reducing the number of light artworks along the route in the future due to financial constraints.
Since its start in 2006, GLOW has always been a free event, and the organisers are determined to maintain that accessibility. However, the festival’s costs have been increasing. Currently, half of the funding comes from subsidies provided by the municipality of Eindhoven, with the remainder supported by sponsors, including cultural funds and local businesses such as ASML and Signify.
To ensure the festival remains sustainable, GLOW now intends to introduce a third stream of income through voluntary donations.
“We don’t want to introduce an entry fee. The festival must remain free for everyone,” says GLOW director Ronald Ramakers. “But with 750,000 free tickets distributed each year, the financial pressure is mounting. That’s why we’re appealing to our visitors to consider making a small contribution this year. Without this additional funding, we may have to scale back on the number of light artworks in the future.”
‘Big fan’
So during GLOW, which starts on Saturday, visitors can donate money. They can then call themselves ‘big fans’ and have a chance to win prizes. That could be a dinner for four, a GLOW tour with a group dinner, or a light mantle.
Impact
According to Ramakers, the impact of GLOW on city and region is great, both socially and economically. ‘GLOW is a connecting festival, in times of polarisation. It brings people together. And the event generates some 24 million euros for the city. It is lucrative for hotels, shops, and restaurants, among others.’
He therefore indicates that it would be a shame to have to adjust ambitions by necessity. ‘The route is now an experience, with a good density of light art. We want to keep it that way.’
Source: Studio040
For Eindhoven News: Chaitali Sengupta
