International Laser Display Association (ILDA)

06/08/2026

2025 Beams/Atmospherics Show with Add-On Effects - 1st place winner:

"Sky", Merlin Schaadt

"Sky" is an immersive laser experience that transforms the night into a canvas of light, color, and sound. Inspired by the beauty and drama of the sky above us, the show leads the audience through a visual interpretation of natural phenomena — from the soft pastels of dawn to the intense energy of the sun, lightning storms and the calm wonder of a starry night.

Credits: Showdesign: Merlin Schaadt; Technical Management: Rico Behlke

Music: Supreme Devices, Epic Music World, David Klemencz, "Sky Is the Limit"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEE1joAGDcs
(Youtube blocked in some countries due to music copyright restrictions)

2025 ILDA Awards, First Place, Beams/Atmospherics Show with Add-On Effects, “Sky”, Merlin SchaadtThis received First Place in the “Beams/Atmospherics Show wi...

06/03/2026

Voting is now open for the 2026 Career Achievement Award (CAA)

Be sure to read the bios of each nominee before voting - this is not a popularity contest, but one of "ACHIEVEMENT".

Nominees for the ILDA Achievement Award

06/01/2026

2025 Abstract Show - 1st place winner:

"Godzilla", Christopher Short

This is a single projector abstract show. Big and stompy with lots of shapes and sequences to evoke big destruction and explosions. Mechanical and natural mutations. Out of the atom was born the King of the Lizards. The hero we deserve.

Credits: Christopher Short

Music: Blue Oyster Cult, “Godzilla”; Bear McCreary cover for the 2019 “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9bU723VwEI
(Youtube blocked in some countries due to music copyright restrictions)

2025 ILDA Awards, First Place, Abstract Show, “Godzilla”, Christopher ShortThis received First Place in the “Abstract Show” category at the 2025 Internationa...

05/25/2026

2025 Graphics Show - 1st place winner:

“Highland Gold”, Orion-Art Multimedia

Highland Gold Mining Ltd. is a gold producer with a strong reputation. They are engaged in a full cycle of gold mining and casting, including geological research and the creation of many jobs for workers. The company cares not only about making a profit, but also cares about the social benefits for employees – education, healthcare, sports and recreation. This laser show was created for a business corporate event of this company.

Credits: Laser Graphics: Kirill Nikitochkin; Project Manager: Taras Viter; Lasers Operator: Mikhail Smirnov

Music: Wave Music Studio, "An History"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSaS68lMGaM
(Youtube blocked in some countries due to music copyright restrictions)

2025 ILDA Awards, First Place, Graphics Show, “Highland Gold”, Orion-Art MultimediaThis received First Place in the “Graphics Show” category at the 2025 Inte...

05/18/2026

2025 Multi-Effect Laser Show - 1st place winner:

"Olympic Games 2024 Opening Ceremony”, Laser System Europe

Directed by Thomas Dechandon, who sought to create a spectacular alternative to traditional fireworks, this laser show created for Panam24 marks the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony. With atmospheric and graphic designs enhanced by Eiffel Tower lighting, it features cutting-edge technology: two 600W laser beams, twelve RGBY 30W, twenty-six 80W, and fifty 60W lasers, delivering a breathtaking display of innovation and artistry.

Credits: Show Director: Thomas Dechandon; Programmer: Tara Winona; Project Director: Francois Vandermeeren; Technical Manager: Nathan Awouters

Music: Victor Le Masne, "Infinite"; Ceronne, "Supernature"; Victor Le Masne, "Parade IV"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pbfoow32HM
(Youtube blocked in some countries due to music copyright restrictions)

3 likes. "2025 ILDA Awards, First Place, Multi-Effect Laser Show"

05/13/2026

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE AN ILDA AWARDS JUDGE?

This is a call for any ILDA Members and/or Laserists that may want to be a judge for this year's ILDA awards.

We are looking for a few people to join our Judges group - even if you have submitted an entry, you can still judge entries in another category.

Please DM me if you are interested. Also, let me know if you entered this year and if so, what category(ies) you entered into.

To judge, you will:
- be sent a private link to the Awards entries in the category(ies) you'll be judging.
- go online to review the entry videos.
- use a judging sheet to score each entry based on certain criteria.
- after viewing all the entry videos in a category, submit your scores to the judging coordinators email.
- the judging coordinator will add your scores to the other two judges scores in the category, to get the final score which determines the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners.

Depending on the number of judges, you may be assigned to one, two or more categories. We will not overload you with too many videos, we promise!

Thank you,
~Richard Gonsalves
ILDA Awards Chair and coordinator

05/11/2026

2025 Live Stage Show - 1st place winner:

"LSR/CITY: CYBERPUNK", Nathan Jin

The year is 2025. Humanity has become enslaved to content generated by AI. All forms of creativity have been suppressed. Come with us on a journey to rediscover what it means to be human.

Credits: Designers: Allen Harsting, Nathan Jin, Patrick Willett, Garrett Gosting; Operator, Ron Lake; LSO and Supply, Rick Hale

Music: Gareth Emery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcnGVS7f1G4
(Youtube blocked in some countries due to music copyright restrictions)

5 likes. "2025 ILDA Awards, First Place, Live Stage Show"

05/04/2026

2025 Nightclub/Disco/Music Festival Show - 1st place winner:

"Owl Festival 2024", Laserimage AB

Owl Festival is a smaller hardstyle event with big-stage ambitions. We delivered a laser show using a combination of high-power beam lasers and RGB laser bars to create a tightly programmed, high impact experience. Despite limited scale, the goal was to match the intensity of major festivals.

Credits: Programming & Operator: Anders Edström

Music: Owl Festival, "Intro"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSc2VjG0uoE
(Youtube blocked in some countries due to music copyright restrictions)

2025 ILDA Awards, First Place, Nightclub/Disco/Music Festival Show, “Owl Festival 2024”, Laserimage ABThis received First Place in the “Nightclub/Disco/Music...

04/27/2026

2025 Planetarium Show - 1st place winner:

"Queen of the Night", LOBO

Lasers vividly bring one of the most dramatic and memorable scenes of Mozart’s timeless masterpiece “The Magic Flute” to life: The Queen of the Night extorts her own daughter to murder her rival, or else she be banished forever. One of the key difficulties in adapting this work to the medium laser was the lack of bass rhythm, the most typical musical feature of any beam show. The show designer masterfully solved this by synchronizing the beams to the rising and falling voice of the opera singer instead, perfectly capturing the gravitas of the moment.

Credits: Show Designer: Roman Schütz; Laser Arrangement Planetarium: Mirko Schinke; Videographer Planetarium: Nico Kuhn

Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, "Der Hölle Rache - Königin der Nacht (Die Zauberflöte)"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUz4LVYBjfU
(Youtube blocked in some countries due to music copyright restrictions)

2025 ILDA Awards, First Place, Planetarium Show, “Queen of the Night”, LOBOThis received First Place in the “Planetarium Show” category at the 2025 Internati...

04/26/2026

ILDA AWARDS DEADLINE: APRIL 30

This is a final reminder that the ILDA Awards entry deadline is four days away: Thursday April 30 by 11:59 pm your local time. This is for Artistic and Technical Award entries, as well as nominating someone for the Career Achievement Award. Complete information is at https://www.ilda.com/rules2026/.

You must be a current (2026) Member to enter the Awards or to nominate someone for the Career Achievement Awards. The person you nominate for CAA does NOT have to be a Member, however.

https://www.ilda.com/rules2026/

Judging guidelines and procedures for the ILDA Artistic, Technical, Career, and Special Achievement awards