Lighlab 2025
Caroline is a multidisciplinary artist with a background in theatre and performance design. Passionate about the power of public art to bring people together, spark imaginations and transform everyday spaces, her work is inspired by nature and aims to raise awareness of wildlife issues while creating joyful shared experiences.
A participant in our Lightlab artist development programme in 2025, Caroline has since been awarded Arts Council England Research and Development funding to further develop her skills in lighting, technology and installation art. She is now bringing those new skills to her first Lightpool commission.
Caroline Daly said: “I was totally delighted to receive this commission, it was only last October that I took part in the Lightlab development programme and started to explore working with light festivals, so to be on this year’s programme for Lightpool feels like a great achievement – I can’t quite believe it!
What excites me most about this project is the opportunity to develop my idea and see my vision come to life at such a high-profile festival alongside the iconic Blackpool illuminations. I’m also really looking forward to working with residents and school children who will contribute to the installation”
Visitors to Lightpool Festival 2026 can expect plenty of laughs – and food for thought – with What the Gull?!, a brand-new light installation by Manchester-based artist Caroline Daly. The work has been commissioned through Lucent, our artist development programme, which supports artists to create ambitious new light-based work.
Blending humour, scale and surprise, What the Gull?! explores climate change, habitat loss and humanity’s relationship with wildlife. The installation invites audiences to see Blackpool’s herring gulls in a new light, celebrating them as the town’s feathered ambassadors while highlighting their important role as indicators of
ocean health.
What the Gull?! reveals that even the most familiar creatures have extraordinary stories to tell. Suitable for all ages, the installation encourages visitors to look beyond the seagull’s mischievous reputation and discover there’s far more to these iconic birds than meets the eye.
