
Celebrating the Return: Gobo lights and sound installation celebrates the return of the salmon to the Okanagan, and was created by Tara Dunn under the supervision of Dr. Aleksandra Dulic
Light Up Kelowna is initiative that started in 2020 with Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies (FCCS) professors Dr. Miles Thorogood and Dr. Aleksandra Dulic, working in collaboration with Kirsteen McCulloch, Executive Director of the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan (ARTSCO).
The initial Light up Kelowna project was an annual event of digital installations that were projected onto the outside of the Rotary Centre for the Arts that showcase images and sounds created by FCCS faculty and students. Projections were shown on the exterior of the Rotary Centre for the Arts from November to April, 2020 to 2023.
In May of 2023, Drs. Thorogood and Dulic attended ISEA 2023, the 28th International Symposium on Electronic Art in Paris, presenting the Light Up Kelowna project, gaining international recognition for the open-source network infrastructure for their public art project. The presentation, Light Up Kelowna: Coordination and Development of Networked Community-based Media Art Urban Screen Infrastructure, they outline the structure for coordinating engaged parties in developing scalable urban screen infrastructure and considerations necessary for installing rear projection urban screens in existing city spaces, and talked about their approach for developing an urban screen, showcasing multiple exhibitions.
In December 2024, two significant new exhibition venues were created —Light Up Kelowna ArtWalk and Urban Screen at the Kelowna Community Theatre (KCT).
The Artwalk runs along the pedestrian thoroughfare linking the Rotary Centre for the Arts (RCA) and the Kelowna Community Theatre (KCT), and the Urban Screens are on the outside of the KCT. Both create vibrant installations that illuminate the Cultural District, showcasing local artists and engaging the community in a celebration of creativity and connection.
The first exhibitions for the new Light Up Kelowna consist of three elements viewed together: the gobo lights, the audio installation, and the three-channel video, Celebrating the Return, Gobo lights and sound installation along the Artwalk, and Okanagan Waterways, projections at the KCT. The light, sound and video installations will change seasonally, the imagery created for December’s exhibitions, highlight the cultural and ecological significance of restoring Sockeye Salmon and the cultural imperative of restoring Okanagan habitats, riparian systems, and biodiversity. These exhibitions were on display from December 2024 to the end of February, 2025.
Through the Centre for Culture and Technology (CCT), Dr. Aleksandra Dulic created the concept and feel for the digital projections and worked to determine the design for the three-channel projections on the KCT, providing guidance to the technical team that included Dr. Thorogood and Dr. Yujie Gao, creating an infrastructure that can be used for this space going forward.
Dr. Miles Thorogood and his team at the Sonic Production, Intelligence, Research, and Applications Lab (SPIRAL) along with Dr. Dulic, designed the cutting-edge wireless sound and light system that brings the Artwalk to life. Spanning the 120-meter walkway, this infrastructure includes five innovative sound and light nodes. Each node operates independently, offering customizable soundscapes and dynamic lighting effects. This versatility enables a range of creative applications, from multi-channel media installations to live performances with musicians and performers, positioning the Artwalk as a living, breathing work of art.
The installation is more than just a technical achievement, it’s a testament to SPIRAL’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of media art and community engagement. Over the next five years, this infrastructure will serve as a platform for local, national, and international sound and media artists, fostering a vibrant dialogue between art, technology, and community.
Light Up Kelowna is a partnership with the Arts Council of the Central Okanagan (ARTSCO), the support of the City of Kelowna with financial support from the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, the United Way Recovery Fund, the BC Arts Council and Canada Healthy Communities.
This project is produced by ARTSCO Executive Director Kirsteen McCulloch, and is made possible with support from FCCS Technical Director Philip Wyness, FCCS Studio Technician Connor McKinnon, FCCS Media Technician Sam Neal, MFA alumnus Ryan Broadbent, MA student Christopher Anderson, PhD alumna Dr. Yujie Gao, along with guidance from Dr. Miles Thorogood, Dr. Aleks Dulic.
Thanks to the work of Dr. Dulic and Dr. Thorogood, the Artwalk is not just a walkway—it’s a stage for innovation, a canvas for creativity, and a space where art and technology unite to inspire.

The tech team, Philip Wyness (left), Rylan Broadbent (centre), and Sam Neal (right) setting up the Gobo lights along the Artwalk