ZOOMINESCENCE

A Festival of Light Like no Other.

Each winter, the Edmonton Valley Zoo lights up the night with Zoominescence: A Festival of Light, presented by The Valley Zoo Development Society. Nestled in Edmonton’s beautiful River Valley, this dazzling event transforms the Zoo into a glowing celebration of light, artistry, imagination, and community spirit. Guests of all ages are invited to explore spectacular light installations and discover the magic of the Zoo after dark—all while supporting local conservation efforts.

CALL TO ARTISTS

Are you a creative spirit with a love for art, animals, and community? Every year, we invite local artists, teams, and organizations to design and build light-up installations that bring Zoominescence to life! This is your chance to showcase your talent, gain local recognition, and be part of one of Edmonton’s most beloved winter traditions.

A select number of submissions are chosen by a jury of Zoo and event partners, and winners receive $3,500 each to bring their glowing vision to life.

AI POLICY

Zoominescence has a longstanding history of bringing people together to celebrate community and conservation, and our Call to Artists competition reflects these values. We’re proud to showcase the work of local artists and support genuine human creativity. For this reason, the use of generative artificial intelligence (“Generative AI”) is strictly prohibited in all submissions for our Call to Artists competition.

Submissions created in whole or in part with the use of generative AI, including visual/conceptual artwork, images, graphics, or animations are not allowed. All pieces must be original and created entirely by the submitting artist or team. Any submission found to contain AI-generated elements will be immediately disqualified from the competition. If a second violation occurs, the artist and/or team will be prohibited from participating in future events or collaborations.

By applying, artists confirm that their submission is has been entirely created through their own process and reflects their authentic work. This policy may be updated at any time.