How does one truly understand light? Best through first-hand experience. Ten years ago, this was Zumtobel Group’s starting point for launching Light(s) on tour. The successful series that staged 140 events in 87 cities and welcomed more than 10,300 visitors in total celebrates a decade on the road this year – and resonates with today's clients more deeply than ever. As artificial intelligence and screen-mediated experiences continue to evolve, live events and human interaction become even more valuable. All the more so because Light(s) on tour brings lighting experiences directly to clients wherever they are. Whether managed centrally by the Global Customer Excellence Team or delivered as a local spin-off, the roadshow found its way to a wide range of regions, including Central Europe, the Nordics, Benelux, MEIA including the Emirates, and APAC including China. This seasons’ 2025/26 tour reached a fitting crescendo at an extraordinary event held at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona.
Lighting solutions to be felt, not just seen
"What began as a single step in 2016 has grown into something we are genuinely proud of – a yearly celebration of light, brought directly to the people who share our passion for it," says Roberta Figini, Head of Customer Engagement at Zumtobel Group. "From the very beginning, we wanted our customers to experience our latest stories, products and technologies first-hand, wherever they are in the world. Because we have always believed that light cannot be understood from a distance. It needs to be felt. That is why Light(s) on tour is built around real encounters – expert conversations, live demonstrations, and the kind of personal exchange that no screen can replicate. I am very happy that my colleagues around the world are sharing their lighting passion with our customers at each of our tour stops – because when passion travels, it multiplies."
A spark in 2016. A movement ten years on.
While the first Light(s) on tour focused exclusively on the latest products within the office sector, today the roadshow embraces a rich and varied range of applications from the portfolios of Thorn and Zumtobel, both indoor and outdoor. On display have been lighting examples from arts and culture to retail, from education and office to industry and healthcare, from road to urban life and sports – complemented by holistic lighting solutions spanning digital solutions, lighting management and emergency lighting. Not only have the topics broadened, but the means of presentation have also become far more interactive.
“I’ve always believed in the value of going to our customers rather than asking them to come to us,” says Stefan Van Thillo, Field Marketing Manager Benelux at Zumtobel Group. “That belief already shaped the very first Light(s) on tour event, held at the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam. Since then, the concept has allowed us to share our products and expertise in inspiring locations, with the right context and atmosphere. For me, that is how you create genuine connection, and how you continue to reach more people, even after ten years.”
Among the highlights showcased during the past 10 years of Light(s) on tour is a spectrometer illustrating the difference between standard LED and LED featuring Zumtobel Spectrum technology. A sporting movement was recorded on high-resolution camera to show that Thorn Altis LED floodlight with a flicker-free driver had no impact on individual frames. And for a specialist emergency lighting tour, the team installed a dark tunnel measuring five metres in length to make clear how emergency lighting cuts through smoke and chaos to guide people safely to the exit. Today, the Global Customer Excellence Team has a selection of nine different tables and three outdoor podiums to choose from. The mobile exhibition concept also draws on sustainability principles: part of the luminaires showcased at Light + Building 2026 will be presented at Light(s) on tour.
Crafted with care. Delivered come rain or storm.
The roadshow benefits from a diverse team led by Roberta Figini, in which a wide range of competencies come together: project management, event architecture and construction, invitation management, global and local marketing, sales, social media, graphic design, and product and application management all contribute to the seamless, cohesive success of each roadshow. That said, the team has had to navigate countless minor – and occasionally major – challenges over the years.
"With a live event like this, flexibility is not just useful – it is essential," recalls Roberta Figini, Head of Customer Engagement. "We have had a weather alert in Frankfurt that kept guests at home, and a storm in Ljubljana that partially flooded the area around our exhibition space. But that has never once given us reason to hesitate. Because what stays with me, every single time, is the moment our customers leave – and you can see that something has shifted in them. They carry a sparkle of Zumtobel Group light in their eyes. That, for me, is everything."
A large part of the event series is devoted to genuine conversation with Zumtobel’s and Thorn’s customers, discovering the challenges they are currently facing – and what lighting solutions they envision for the future. Light(s) on tour was never conceived as a one-way-channel. And therein lies its very heart.
Where light lives: Munich, Vienna and beyond.
The 2025/26 season’s tour stops brought the roadshow to places where light is not merely displayed but lived – from Munich and Vienna to a very special anniversary evening in Barcelona. In Munich, lighting by Thorn and Zumtobel plays an active role in the brand experience at the sports and event venue SAP Garden, a project realised by Zumtobel Group. The Global Customer Excellence Team organised a private behind-the-scenes-tour of the home of celebrated ice hockey team EHC Red Bull Munich – including a glimpse into technical areas and the changing rooms. In Vienna, Zumtobel Group CEO Alfred Felder personally extended a welcome to customers and partners on the occasion of the opening of the newly designed lighting centre. One of the focus products for the 2025/26 season was Zumtobel’s recently launched TECTON II continuous-row lighting system, which spans a broad range of applications from industry and logistics to office and education, through to retail, arts and healthcare facilities.
Ten years. One unforgettable evening in Barcelona.
An intimate setting that fostered both personal and professional exchange served as the most fitting of backdrops for this year's final tour stop in Barcelona. Zumtobel Group gathered customers and project partners, architects and designers at the magnificent Mies van der Rohe Pavilion to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Light(s) on tour – exploring central themes such as design, innovation, lighting quality and sustainability. The evening brought together an impressive line-up of keynote speakers, including Meritxell Moyà Vilalta and Cristòfol Tauler Bennassar (Batlle i Roig Architects), Héctor Pascual (PGI Engineering), Begoña Villacís Sánchez (SpainDC), Nicola Girotti (Pininfarina) and Gerard Sánchez (Kripton Lighting Solutions).
“The iconic Mies van der Rohe Pavilion provided a highly enriching space for reflection on lighting and contemporary sustainability,” says Meritxell Moyà Vilalta, Senior Associate at Batlle i Roig Architects. “The event brought together various experts who shared insights and innovative solutions, culminating in the experience of the magical Fountain of Montjuïc light show. Zumtobel Group’s careful organisation, the setting, and the quality of the presentations made this event particularly valuable on both a professional and a personal level.”
The evening came to an atmospheric close with the warmth of a cocktail reception, accompanied by live music. Inspiring, educating, entertaining and deeply connecting – the Barcelona tour stop distilled the very spirit of Light(s) on tour. And built upon the recently established partnership between Zumtobel Group and the Fundació Mies van der Rohe.
Light that can be seen and felt, experienced and discussed: stay up to date at https://z.lighting/en/group/lights-tour/