Soho Kids Xmas Lights 2024

The child co-designed light project returns to Soho for its 4th annual edition!

Award-winning Architecture for Kids CIC presents the Soho Kids Xmas Lights project, showcasing designs by pupils from Soho Parish Primary School. This year’s theme, "Lighting, Identity of Place, and Migration," invites the community to reflect on local identity and the role of light in shaping a sense of place.

Inspired by a similar project in Newburgh, Scotland, the Soho Kids Xmas Lights project was founded in Soho in 2021 by Antonio Capelao, founding director of Architecture for Kids CIC. Antonio co-produces the project with Hannah Peaty (Assistant Head Teacher, Soho Parish Primary School), Cllr Patrick Lilley (Westminster City Council), Sophie Draper (RIBA Learning), Jamie Poulton and Rupert Power (Soho Business Alliance), and Tim Lord (Soho Society).

To inspire their designs, pupils participated in a guided visit to Soho Square organized by Antonio and the Migration Museum. During the tour, the children researched local architecture, communities, cultures, and traditions, exploring how identity and sense of place are shaped, and the role of light in each.

Through a series of workshops led by Antonio, Hannah, Tia Shah (Migration Museum), and Sophie Draper RIBA Learning), all 100 pupils transformed their research into lighting designs expressing local and personal identity. In a curatorial workshop facilitated by Antonio and Hannah, the six winning pupils and their art councillors colleagues curated the final exhibition for the streets of Soho.

A committee of residents, business owners, academics, artists, and architectural professionals —including representatives from Architecture for Kids CIC, Randall Aubin, Sophie’s House, The Soho Society, Soho Parish Primary School, RIBA, the Migration Museum, Soho Housing, The National Gallery, NLA, Institute of Education UCL, WSA Cardiff University, and Westminster Council—selected the six winning designs. Some designs were awarded by RIBA for outstanding creativity.

The six winning designs were transformed into LED lights by Floodlighting Electrical Ltd and installed by Sparkx. They will be exhibited in Soho’s streets from November 12th to January 5th, alongside 49 designs from previous years, for a total of 55 lighting creations co-designed by Soho Parish Primary School pupils. Each design reflects the pupils’ understanding of the community where they live and study.

This project celebrates community through light, bringing Soho together during the darkest months of the year!

Sponsors and Special Thanks:

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Soho Kids Xmas Lights is a community project which relies on sponsorships and grants. Any donation you can provide will help bring this project to life, support Soho’s children, and spread holiday cheer. Please consider contributing and sharing our message here: GoFundMe