The opening of the second edition of Spotlight — International Festival of Light came as a natural step after the success recorded in 2015, expanding the original vision through collaborations with Romanian and international artists, but also through a diversified program that integrated new spaces in the capital. Held on 5—8 May, the festival reconfirmed Bucharest's potential to become a vibrant platform for digital art and light installations. The central route of the festival, running along the Victory Road, from the Central University Library to the United Nations Square, was complemented by impressive video-mapping and architectural lighting shows that visually reinvented iconic buildings such as the National Military Circle, the National History Museum, the CEC building and the Novotel Hotel.
The 2016 edition was also marked by the support of Bucharest's candidacy for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2021, Spotlight reflecting the priorities of this initiative by opening up to the neighborhoods of the city. For the first time, the festival extended the experience of light to the peripheral areas, illuminating symbolic buildings such as the Fire Gazebo, the National College “Gheorghe Șincai” and the statue of the Genius “Lion”. The festival also had a strong international component, being held in partnership with the Signal Festival in Prague and the Berlin Festival of Lights — one of the most important events in the world. The opening was marked by a spectacular concert held by Lords of Lightning and Zoli Toth Project in George Enescu Square, setting the tone for the four evenings in which the city was transformed into an open-air urban gallery, freely accessible to the public.
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