Agenda:
Main conference in Stockholm June 4 – 6, 2026
Registration link here, see programme below.
-> General Assembly Perspectiv June 3 2026
-> STTF Pre Conference June 3 2026
-> STTF 50 years anniversary dinner June 3 2026
-> Workshops
An opportunity to consider the qualities, uses and experiences of candlelit performance and its relevance to 21st century theatre. How can we reliably recreate 18th century stage lighting in a time of rapid development of new environmentally friendly and sustainable technology?
MAIN conference programme
Thursday June 4:
Drottningholm Court Theatre, Ekerö, Stockholm
Lectures introducing the Rope workshop, open for all participants
09:30 – Mastering the Ropes: Operating and preserving hemp rigging in historic theatres. Maintenance and safety in the Drottningholm Court Theatre.
Speaker: Åsa Tillman, Technical Director, Drottningholm Court Theatre
10:00 – Showing the Ropes: 3D scanning and documenting historic theatres.
Speaker: JR Norman Luker, Associate Professor of Theatre and Technical Director, Dept. of Theatre and Dance, College of the Arts, California State University Fullerton
10:45 – Learning the Ropes: Managing organizational learning of historic theatre machinery.
Round table: Representatives from Drottningholm Court Theatre, Vasa Museum and more.
Main programme – Drottningholm Court Theatre
12:00 – Light lunch in the Dejeunersalongen (wraps + soft drinks) for all participants
13:00 – Short backstage tour
13:20 – Welcome speech from Drottningholm organization
Speakers: Anna Karinsdotter, Artistic & Managing Director, Drottningholm Court Theatre, plus representatives from PERSPECTIV and OISTAT
Lectures
13:30 – What Is the World Considering as Historic Light Today?
Keynote speaker: (Name to be announced)
13:50 – The Drottningholm Experience – historic lighting in 1980, 1999 & 2025
Speakers: Per Forsström, former CEO Drottningholm Court Theatre & Tobias Hallgren, Lighting Designer
14:30 – Break: coffee & cinnamon bun
15:00 – The Eye and its Perception of Light and Colours
Speaker: Jan Ygge, MD, PhD, Professor in Pediatric Ophthalmology, Karolinska Institutet, Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience
15:45 – The History of Stage Light Through the Ages
Speaker: Chris van Goethem, Lecturer in Stage Technology (Podiumtechnieken), RITCS
16:30 – End of the day at Drottningholm
19:00 – Welcome buffet at Stockholm City Hall
The City of Stockholm, Stockholms Stad, is the host of the official reception.
21:00 – Informal evening mingle
Friday June 5:
Candlelight Sessions at Confidencen, Ulriksdal court theatre, Solna
09:00 – Coffee on arrival
09:20 – Welcome speech from Confidencen organization
Speaker: Madeleine Onne, Artistic & Managing Director, Confidencen
Lectures
09:30 – Working with Candles in performances, experiences and tryouts in the Confidencen Theatre
Speaker: Fredrik Forslund, former General Manager Confidencen, and Per-Arthur Segerström, Confidencen
10:00 – The Good Example: Candlelight Experiences
Speaker: To be announced
10:30 – Coffee break
11:00 – A Stage Director’s Approach to Historic Light
Speaker: Gilbert Blin, Stage Director
11:30 – Demonstrations: Workshops using artificial light: mask and wig, costume, stage painting.
12:30 – Lunch (wraps + soft drinks)
13:30 – Demonstration: Candlelight stage illumination. Time to light up Confidencen with real candles and try the workshops again.
Gilbert Blin will demonstrate with the support of the wig designer and costume designer and the workshop samples in real candlelight. Time for discussion with audience.
15:00 – Coffee break
15:30 – More About the scenic approach to real candle light
Speaker: To be announced
16:15 – Summary and discussion
17:00 – End of conference. Bus transfer to Stockholm Central Main Station.
Main conference in Stockholm June 4 – 6, 2026
Registration link here, see programme above.
June 6:
Saturday 6 June – Optional Programme
Excursion to Gripsholm castle theatre (optional)
09:00 – Bus departs from Stockholm City
10:00 – Arrival at Gripsholm. Guided tours of the theatre and visit to the castle.
13:00 – Departure from Gripsholm
14:00 – Return to Stockholm City
No refreshments included during the outing.
Main conference and optional programme
in Stockholm June 6, 2026
Registration link here, see programme above.
The conference is a collaborative event arranged by
- STTF – Swedish Association of Stage Technicians
- OISTAT – International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians
- SLF – Swedish Lighting Designers Association
- PERSPECTIV – Association of Historic Theatres in Europe
in cooperation with
Confidencen Ulriksdals slottsteater and Drottningholms Slottsteater.
The conference is supported by the City of Stockholm and the Sponsors Scala stage systems & services GmbH and ModTruss Europe.
