In the U.S., K–12 school budget short-falls are consistently atop local news cycles, regardless of the political leanings of individual towns and states. The inevitable cost-cutting discussions repeat like a skipping record—“Let’s start with the arts.” Unfortunately, often treated like noise are studies by organizations, such as the Brookings Institution, which reveal that experiences in the arts positively affect school engagement, compassion for others, and the desire to continue to post-secondary education.
Since the early 2000s, there’s been a significant push to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers earlier in the educational process. While that endeavor has garnered significant attention, it wasn’t until 2007 that engineering and technology teacher Georgette Yakman began implementing her STEAM educational framework, which added the arts to STEM-focused efforts.
Since then, STEAM has gathered, well, steam. In 2023, MIT rolled out a summer course, “Making Art for Scientists,” and invited scientists and engineers to explore new ways to represent and display their research. Participants used media including painting, digital art, and paper cutouts, among others, to visualize topics such as the correlation between brain waves and a person’s state of mind as well as how planetary systems are born.
“Recognizing ‘artistic value’ has been a staple in lighting societies for quite some time”
Recognizing “artistic value” has been a staple in lighting societies for quite some time. IESNYC encourages students from New York City Art and Design schools to participate in an annual city-wide lighting design competition, and, for a decade, the DLFNY, IALD New York, and IESNYC have collaborated on a “Moonlighting” event featuring the artistic side of folks in the New York City lighting industry and friends from allied fields.
I’m likely preaching to the converted here, but it’s good to be reminded that art greatly inspires creative approaches to projects and problem solving. While this issue of LD+A highlights “Visual and Performing Arts” projects, artistic elements exist across the lighting design spectrum. Hospitals, bridges, workspaces, churches, and stadiums, among myriad other structures, are diverse canvases waiting for designers’ artistic eyes to uncover the potential for efficient, effective, and moving illumination.
Craig CauserEditor-in-Chiefcraig.causer@sagepub.com
Editor-in-ChiefCraig Causer
Editor IMichele Zimmerman
Creative Manager, Commercial PublishingSamuel Fontanez
Senior Account Specialist IILeslie Prestia
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LD+A is a magazine for professionals involved in the art, science, study, manufacture, teaching, and implementation of lighting. LD+A is designed to enhance and improve the practice of lighting. Every issue of LD+A includes feature articles on design projects, technical articles on the science of illumination, new product developments, industry trends, news of the Illuminating Engineering Society, and vital information about the illuminating profession. Statements and opinions expressed in articles and editorials in LD+A are the expressions of contributors and do not necessarily represent the policies or opinions of the Illuminating Engineering Society. Advertisements appearing in this publication are the sole responsibility of the advertiser.
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