Lights on the Exchange has returned to Winnipeg as of Jan. 21 for its fourth installment, kicking off a two-month light-based art festival in the Exchange District. Until March 21, the Exchange will be illuminated with art by over 30 contemporary local and Canadian artists.
Scott Fitzpatrick, the arts and culture coordinator of the Exchange District BIZ and de facto director of the festival, explained the concept of Lights on the Exchange.
“The primary backbone of its programming has been based on a combination of large-scale digital projections, window display art installations and then a series of artist-designed lanterns that were commissioned through the Winnipeg Arts Council back in the first year of the festival,” he stated.
With a desire to expand programming, the 2026 edition of Lights on the Exchange is curated in partnership with other local arts organizations such as the PLATFORM Centre for Photographic + Digital Arts, which contributed a photography exhibit on 35 Albert St.
“We have another new initiative with the Winnipeg Film Group called Lights on the Catalogue, and it is looking at films in the Winnipeg Film Group distribution catalogue that are lesser seen or lesser known […] We’ve blown up stills from some of those films and had them installed in light boxes in the Winnipeg Film Group office window just along King Street,” said Fitzpatrick.
“[This is] accompanied by a special screening of the works that are being shown in these light boxes, as well as 10 other films from the distribution catalogue […] It’s a public art installation, but it’s also bringing in some IRL meet space event energy to it. We’ll have this special screening at the Dave Barber Cinematheque.”
Fitzpatrick mentioned that Lights on the Exchange was created to drive foot traffic and tourism in the Exchange during the winter months, which is quieter than the summer months due to the lack of festivals. Moreover, he hopes the festival will change the perception of the area.
“We were looking to fill an empty spot in the dark part of the calendar, but it was also conceived as a way to open up space for artists from Manitoba, and Canada more broadly, to explore and discuss alternative perspectives and stories to the traditional narratives that are told about the history of the neighbourhood,” he commented.
While most of the works are light based, Winnipeggers will also be able to experience other art forms, such as live readings by poets selected by Plume Winnipeg. In addition, a concert featuring light-based art is set to take place on March 6 at 555 Main Street, adding a musical touch to Winnipeg’s dazzling winter art festival.
“I think the strength of the festival is that it does engage a lot of different artists and a lot of different arts organizations,” Fitzpatrick reflected.
“I also direct the Winnipeg Underground Film Festival, and that’s got a more singular focus. We’re doing our thing, and we’ve got some partners. But this has been an experience working with a lot more organizations at once, and getting a lot of input and curatorial feedback from all kinds of different partners.”
For more information on Lights on the Exchange, visit exchangedistrict.org/lightsontheexchange.
