The Pat MacKay Diversity In Design Scholarships are awarded annually in partnership with TSDCA and USITT, funded by LDI and Live Design, and sponsored by LIGHTSWITCH to support talent from underrepresented backgrounds in the field of entertainment design.
Elena Hewett (they/them) is a lighting designer and scenic painter currently pursuing both a BFA in technical production and a BA with a focus in comparative genocide studies at Western Michigan University. They’re passionate about creating art that is collaborative and community-centered, communicating complex messages with subtlety and refinement. One of Hewett’s main motivations is to emphasize and uplift the voices of fellow trans and gender-nonconforming individuals within theatrical spaces. They are thrilled to be recognized by this scholarship and hope to continue to develop as a designer and artist.
Live Design: What brought you to this scholarship?
Elena Hewett: The faculty at WMU, my current undergrad program, forwarded along scholarships and opportunities that would benefit their student population. I thought this scholarship aligned with my values and was excited for the opportunity to apply!
LD: What drew you to design?
EH: I have always loved the arts and have spent my life working on one design pursuit or another. I was brought into lighting design as a high school junior and taught myself how to program and design from scratch. This challenge was incredibly energising and it unlocked my love for lighting design as well as design generally! The chance to capture the intangible 一 to create worlds with something as ephemeral as light 一 is both an honor and a creative pursuit unlike any other.
LD: What are some of your career goals?
EH: My short-term goals involve developing a greater knowledge base in various programming systems and doing more hands-on work across operating systems. I’m also looking forwards to grad school and a Masters in Lighting Design. Longer term, I want to work in the live music space, specifically in concert/event lighting design.
LD: How can the industry better serve underrepresented communities?
EH: A major first step is programs like this one. Creating access for people from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences is vital to building spaces where underrepresented voices have the opportunity to be heard. Institutional support is imperative to building greater social cohesion across backgrounds. We need to shift the industry from an attitude where acts of inclusion are treated as extraordinary towards a culture where inclusion is expected.
LD: Who or what are your influences in terms of people or events?
EH: Rob Sinclair is perhaps my biggest inspiration. His ability to weave complex musical narratives through his lighting designs is awe-inspiring. He develops endlessly creative visual worlds with a deftness and consistency that I idolize.
I’ve also followed the work of the folks over at Cassius Creative fairly closely 一 similarly to Sinclair, they build musical narratives into their lighting design work in a truly compelling way. Their ability to develop minimalistic designs that pack a full-stage punch is striking!
Another influence on my artistic practice more generally is the work of the nonbinary performance artist Cassils. I first encountered their work with Inextinguishable Fire and am in awe of their ability to capture the tumultuous reality of transgender identity. They make the visceral horror of trans existence in our current world something tangible and real 一 and therefore something that can be acted upon.
LD: What challenges have you faced?
EH: Coming from the deep South, I have often found myself the subject of overtly hateful actions and speech. I carry with me physical and emotional scars from a lifetime of existing outside of the system. As anti-trans rhetoric continues to escalate on a nation-wide scale, transphobic violence has continued as a persistent force in my daily life. In the face of such virulent opposition, I choose to do what I have always done: create art that can change minds.
LD: Do you have a bucket list item?
EH: A huge bucket list item for me would be working as a design associate for an EDM festival! I would love the chance to watch a creative professional work with opportunities for exploration and expression that a festival of that nature provides. I’d also love to have the chance to work outside of the states, on anything from Hurricane Fest in Germany to Wildlands in Australia.
LD: What are you hoping to take away from your experience at LDI 2025? (Networking/technical skills/product knowledge/something else.)
EH: I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to meet and speak with people working in the industry. I am very conscious of how much I have to learn, and I’m excited to have the chance to build on the knowledge I have, learn new skills, and have great conversations with interesting people! I’m particularly enthusiastic about the laser operation classes and the discussion on the UVify IFO Swarm Drones, as well as having the chance to explore new tech on the expo floor.