INTERVIEW
THE ALD’S IAN SAUNDERS The Executive Director of the Association of Lighting Designers (ALD) outlines the historic organisation’s plan for the decade ahead…
Formed back in 1961 from the hive of lighting activity in London’s West End for the pioneering lumineers to share ideas, information and opinions, The Association of Lighting Designers has been a staple of the theatre landscape for a number of years. However, with the everincreasing number of LDs moving from theatre to the live touring sector, the ALD’s Ian Saunders spoke to TPi about the importance of expanding its reach – as well as pushing for diversity within the inner workings of the organisation. Having joined in 2003 as Treasurer, Saunders has witnessed the development of the organisation in the midst of an ever-changing landscape. “In the early days of the ALD, we had two different member categorisations; Professional and Country. Unless you had worked on a number of West End shows, you would not attain Professional status.” Saunders explained that this out-of-date segmentation was very much based on the old model, where a theatre chief electrician would also be lighting a show – something that over the years had become much more of
a freelance role. “More and more theatres were buying in lighting services,” he stated. “Not only that, technology improved in such a way that LDs began leading teams due to lighting’s complex nature and the requirement for manpower to get jobs done.” The net result of these changes meant the ALD has expanded the reach of its Professional category to encompass all of those working within the field. “When I first joined, there was very much a practice where if you went to theatre school, you ended up in theatre, whereas if you worked at a rental company, you ended up on tour. This is no longer the case,” commented Saunders. “I always look to ALD members like Bruno Poet, who came through theatre and is now known just as much for his work in concert touring.” To draw on this side of the market, the ALD has been involved in the Knight of Illumination Awards and is continually looking for more people to join the board from the world of live touring. Along with focus on the live touring industry, the organisation has focussed on diversity within its ranks in recent years. “We’re proud to 84
