Created by the Luton Carnival Arts Development Trust, the Centre is intended to "become an expression of the living, breathing and evolving spirit of carnival arts", providing a 250 seat performance space as well as teaching and workshop spaces and a knowledgeable, experienced support staff.
Inside the venue, White Light has supplied a rig based around fixtures from Selecon, ETC and Thomas, including Acclaim Fresnels and Profile Spots, Source Four Parnels, and Thomas Par Cans. Control is from a new ETC Congo Jr console supplied with a custom flightcase, controlling ETC SmartModule and Zero88 Betapack 3 dimmers; distribution from dimmers to lights is handled by rugged Rubber Box distro packs.
As it often does with smaller installations, White Light also handled the supply of the venue's new sound system, including a Yamaha LS9-16 mixing console, Yamaha amplifiers, Tascam CD and MiniDisk recorders, EM Acoustics loudspeakers plus microphones from AKG, Sennheiser and Shure, a Sennheiser infra-red hearing system, and RAT music stands.
White Light was then approached by lighting designer Adam Povey to help realise his design for the Centre's opening ceremony, created by outdoor theatre specialists Walk The Plank. Intended to launch the venue in spectacular, memorable style, the show encompassed all of the building's roof and surrounds and even the dual carriageway road running adjacent to the building, which was closed to traffic for the event.
Povey's design included over 260 Par cans, 12 Atomic strobes, ColourBlast LED washlights, Thomas four-way blinders and over 100 Xenon beacons which were distributed over the front of the building.
White Light's on-site team was led by project manager Dominic Yates, who oversaw the complex logistics of getting the rig into position, included using cranes to position dimmer racks and other equipment on the building's roof, as well as leading the on-site team of electricians and ensuring that everything ran on time and to budget. The result: a spectacular show, and a happy creative team. "The show's creators were over the moon," comments Yates, "and also thoroughly impressed with the professionalism and dedication of the lighting team. The whole thing was incredibly rewarding - particularly given the complexity of the show and the tight time constraints."
(Jim Evans)
