The voluntary design industry collective, CITYLights Toronto, plans another hands-on mentoring exercise for Nuit Blanche, the annual one-night, sunset-to-sunrise festival of contemporary art, which is set for September 29 this year. Students and young professionals working in the fields of lighting design, architecture and interior design are invited to help create a public art installation that will literally illuminate Cloud Gardens, the micro-park tucked amid the towers of Toronto’s financial district.

Prospective participants are asked to register now so that preparatory workshops can be organized. Toronto-based artist David Rokeby will lead enrollees through the design process, from conceptualizing to installing the finished piece. The goal is to highlight innovative sustainable urban lighting and reflect this year’s Nuit Blanche theme: You are here.

Site-specific temporary installations are central to CITYLights’ mission to engage and educate young designers, and demonstrate how lighting technology can enhance urban environments. Nuit Blanche, now a 13-year tradition in Toronto, provides a connecting link to the public as hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors venture out to all-night viewings.

Nearly 5,200 artists have contributed to more than 1,490 art installations since Nuit Blanche Toronto was launched in 2006. Nine other Canadian cities also host their own Nuit Blanche events on varying dates throughout the year.