Lumen
noun (plural lumens or lumina /ˈluːmənə/ )
The SI unit of luminous flux, equal to the amount of light emitted per unit solid angle (one steradian) from a uniform point source of one candela.
Next April, the historic Company’s Garden will be transformed into a glowing playground of light, colour and creativity as Cape Town hosts ‘LUMENOCITY – The Art of Light’. Billed as Africa’s first large-scale festival dedicated entirely to light-based art and immersive creative technology, it’s set to run from 9-12 April 2026. The four-night experience is timed to coincide with the Two Oceans Marathon, adding a new drawcard to an already busy weekend in the city.
Designed and created entirely by South African artists – including Cape Town illustrator and multi-disciplinary artist Yay Abe – LUMENOCITY will showcase more than 20 large-scale light installations and interactive artworks. Expect projection mapping by Yay Abe across the South African Museum and National Gallery, glowing pathways, illuminated trees and ambient performances, all encouraging visitors to move, touch, explore and play.
“LUMENOCITY is about igniting wonder – that electric moment when imagination feels real,” says Gareth Hadden, LUMENOCITY Founder and Creative Producer. “We want every visitor to leave with a sense of possibility, reminded that creativity isn’t just art on display, but a future Cape Town can shape and lead.”
Signature installations include a 10-metre light tower housing an LED ‘cave’ for full visual immersion, and the ‘Beam of Hope’, a powerful column of light that will shine into the city sky for the duration of the festival. Open from dusk till late, food trucks and family-friendly zones will round out the experience.
Next year’s festival is just the beginning. LUMENOCITY is pitched as a catalyst for creative and economic opportunity, guided by a five-year vision that includes expanding further across the Gardens, exploring citywide light trails and, eventually, projection-mapping Table Mountain.
“Cape Town is a city shaped by light - from its mountains and oceans to its people and stories. LUMENOCITY celebrates that light, and amplifies it,” adds Hadden.
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