Bangor University’s Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre, North Wales, recently completed a major upgrade to its theatre and studio lighting systems with Elation KL Series fixtures to move toward a more sustainable technical infrastructure. Lighting specialist White Light supplied and facilitated onsite demonstrations as well as provided technical guidance to Pontio’s in-house team, who carried out the full installation.
As the University’s arts and innovation center, the venue is home to numerous teaching and learning spaces, including a 600-seat flexible theatre, a 200-seat cinema, a studio theatre, and a cutting-edge Innovation Center. With an eclectic program of music, drama, gigs, cinema, cabaret, and more, Pontio is in use seven days a week for the benefit of both the university and local community.
The majority of Pontio’s traditional tungsten fixtures were replaced with energy-efficient LED fixtures, resulting in lower energy consumption, reduced maintenance time, and expanded creative possibilities for visiting artists and companies.
Pontio took a phased approach to the project, first fully converting its studio spaces, and then upgrading the majority of the theatre’s fixtures. The new system is built around Elation KL Fresnels and KL Profile Compacts, offering the quality and versatility required for a theatre space that routinely transitions between different configurations on a day-to-day basis.
The award-winning KL Series is crafted for versatility. Featuring high CRI ratings and rugged construction, the KL Series delivers precise colors and natural-looking skin tones on- and off-screen. At Pontio, the project team installed 60 x KL Fresnel 6 FC, 12 x KL Profile FC Compact, and 2 x Obsidian Netron EN4 Ethernet-to-DMX gateways for signal distribution. Elation and Obsidian products are distributed in the UK and Ireland by Live Technology.
For Pontio’s Technical Director, Gwion Llwyd, the project represents both a practical improvement and a long-term strategic investment. “Our biggest driver was sustainability - making the move away from tungsten to a more energy-efficient, flexible lighting system,” he stated.
“LED technology has advanced so much that early limitations are no longer a barrier. The fixtures we selected offer the quality, reliability, and control we need, without compromise. We work to incredibly tight schedules, so the ability to adjust color and mood quickly, without re-gelling or re-rigging, gives us far more flexibility. It means we can do more, faster, with the same team.”
White Light Business Development Manager, Paul Botham, who worked closely with the Pontio team throughout the project adds, “It’s been fantastic working with Gwion and the entire Pontio team. Their passion for delivering high-quality productions and their commitment to sustainability made this a truly collaborative process. Being able to demo the fixtures directly in their space meant that we could explore solutions together, ensuring the final system genuinely supports their artistic and operational needs. We’re proud to play a part in their journey toward a more flexible and environmentally responsible future.”
Although the upgrade is relatively recent, its benefits are already clear. The theatre runs cooler, power consumption has been dramatically reduced, and visiting companies have responded positively to the new fixtures’ quality and reliability.
Photos courtesy of Pontio Arts
About Elation
At Elation, we collaborate with leading professionals in the lighting industry to help bring extraordinary experiences to life. As a designer and manufacturer of a wide range of high-performance entertainment lighting products, we’re proud to be a trusted partner to top lighting professionals and production/rental houses around the world. Our commitment to quality, innovation, and creative solutions has made us a go-to resource in the industry. We also offer an advanced line of lighting control products through Obsidian Control Systems, and a full range of dependable specialty effects called Magmatic. Elation serves clients worldwide through offices in Los Angeles, Mexico City, Canada, and the Netherlands. We invite you to take a closer look at elationlighting.com
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