Since the first “nuit blanche” event in Paris in 2001, a tradition of free, nighttime art events has expanded to dozens of cities and drawn millions of participants worldwide. This global network of locally organized events encourages artists to engage with a diverse public audience—presenting site-specific light and projection art that activates public space and uniquely transforms the built environment.

On October 24, Richard Flood will moderate a roundtable discussion considering the future of the international “nuit blanche” phenomenon. The organizers of Nuit Blanche New York, Ethan Vogt and Ken Farmer, will be joined by Shauna McCabe (Curator, ScotiaBank Nuit Blanche Toronto), Steve Dietz (President and Artistic Director, Northern Lights), and Council Member Stephen Levin to explore critical responses to, challenges, and opportunities for the “nuit blanche” model, and visions for its continued evolution. Informed by this global context, panelists will propose strategies for sustaining an annual “nuit blanche” tradition on the New York waterfront, rooted in the extraordinary potential of the city’s public spaces and creative communities.