Lighting Hire & Lighting design

Looking for lighting design that keeps your stage, presenters, and performers looking sharp in the room and on camera? LSS Live provides lighting design and lighting hire as part of joined-up event production, supporting everything from outdoor concerts and festivals to corporate awards, conferences, and touring shows. Combining industry-leading fixtures with an experienced engineering team, LSS Live designs and delivers lighting that is safe, reliable, and ready for live audiences. To plan your next show, request a site recce and specification sheet.

Professional lighting design for live events

LSS Live’s lighting design service focuses on clear visibility, strong atmosphere, and practical operation on show day. The team works from outcomes first – who needs to see what, from where, and on camera – then builds a rig and cueing plan to suit your venue, schedule, and budget.

Benefits include:

Lighting that supports presenters, artists, and cameras with clean, confident faces
Designs suited to conferences, awards, festivals, outdoor concerts, touring, and brand activations
Hundreds of professional fixtures, from washes and profiles to beams and blinders
Lighting design integrated with stage hire, sound hire, power distribution, and AV
Expert engineers who lead site recces, produce RAMS, and oversee safe rigging and operation

Whether you need a full lighting package for a festival main stage or refined looks for an awards night, LSS Live can build a complete production plan around your brief.

What to expect from the lighting design process

1. Briefing and outcomes

The process starts with a conversation about:

Event format and running order
Audience numbers and venue layout
Camera requirements and broadcast or recording needs
Brand, colour palette, and creative references

From there, the team defines outcomes: where presenters stand, how performers move, what needs to be seen on screens, and how the space should feel across different moments.

2. Zoning and base lighting

Next, LSS Live maps key zones:

Presenter and lectern areas
Performance zones and band positions
Set pieces, awards tables, and scenic elements
Screens, projection surfaces, and camera locations

A three-part base of key, fill, and backlight is then planned to keep faces clean and consistent, avoid spill on screens, and add depth for photography and video.

3. Fixture choices and looks

With the base layer defined, the designer selects fixtures by job:

Wash fixtures for broad colour and even stage coverage
Profile fixtures for shuttered key light, gobos, and logo projection
Beam fixtures for high-impact music moments and stings
Pixel bars and blinders for audience sweeps, accents, and layered chases

Looks are planned for walk-ons, stings, awards, speeches, performances, and finales so the show flows smoothly.

4. Control, cueing, and integration

Lighting control is specified with DMX or network control, cue stacks, and busked looks agreed in advance. Cue lists are shared with stage management so VT rolls, walk-ons, and key show moments land reliably. Where required, lighting design is aligned with wider AV production so colours, content, and sightlines work together.

5. On-site setup and operation

On site, LSS Live’s experienced engineering team manages load-in, rigging, power distribution, and system checks. Lighting operators handle focusing, programming, and live cueing, while a competent engineer oversees inspections and sign-off before doors.

Technical planning, safety, and engineering oversight

LSS Live places safety and compliance at the centre of every lighting design, particularly when systems are flown over audiences, integrated with temporary stage hire, or deployed outdoors.

Expert engineers typically:

Lead site recces to check access, rigging options, and power availability
Produce RAMS tailored to the venue, fixtures, and rigging method
Oversee temporary works, ballast, and load paths where roofs and truss are involved
Verify rigging points, uniformly distributed loads, and point loads against manufacturer data
Coordinate with venues, promoters, and other contractors on compliance
Manage inspection, sign-off, and handover documentation before rehearsal

For outdoor shows, lighting design is also aligned with wind management plans, weather contingencies, and safe working at height so the show remains both impactful and compliant.

Lighting design for outdoor and festival events

Outdoor events bring changing daylight, weather, and ground conditions. LSS Live plans festival and concert lighting design with these factors in mind:

IP-rated fixtures (typically IP65 or better) for exposed positions
Beam and wash balance so performers remain visible as light levels change
Colour temperature choices that work for cameras and live audiences
Power distribution sized and routed to support lighting, sound hire, and wider infrastructure
Rigging that respects stage load ratings, PA wings, and LED or scenic loads

For festivals, lighting is delivered as part of integrated event production services, combining stage, sound, lighting, power, and engineering oversight so builds stay efficient and schedules hold across multi-artist bills.

Corporate and conference lighting design

For conferences, award ceremonies, and corporate events, lighting design focuses on clarity, brand consistency, and being camera-ready:

Key and fill lighting for presenters and panels
Locked colour temperatures (often 3200 K–4000 K) to flatter skin tones on camera
Controlled light around projection screens and LED walls
Subtle movement and colour shifts between walk-ins, content, and awards

Here, lighting is integrated with event production so stages, screens, and audio work together. Cueing is aligned with show callers and producers, helping presentations run smoothly and photography look professional.

Lighting & sound working together

Lighting design does not exist in isolation. LSS Live combines lighting hire, sound hire, and staging into one coherent technical plan:

Sound: system design using professional line arrays and distributed speakers; FOH and monitor mixes; noise-limit and SPL management; soundchecks and line-checks.
Lighting: lighting plots, rigging plans, programming, operator provision, and cueing to show caller notes.
Staging and power: stage layouts that protect sightlines and rigging locations; power distribution sized for both lighting and audio with sensible redundancy.

The experienced engineering team coordinates power provision, rigging points, and FOH positions with audio and lighting technicians. For detailed sound plots, lighting plots, and power schedules, you can request a site recce and specification sheet.

Lighting design in Manchester and across the UK

LSS Live is based at:

Unit 2, Sion Street,

Radcliffe,

Manchester,

M26 3SB

From its Greater Manchester base, the company delivers lighting design, lighting hire, stage hire, and wider event production throughout the UK and internationally. Whether you are planning a local community event, a city-centre corporate show, a touring production, or a large-scale festival, the team can scale designs and equipment to match the venue, audience, and schedule.

FAQs about lighting design

Do you provide lighting design as well as lighting hire in Manchester and across the UK?

Yes. LSS Live offers lighting design alongside lighting hire, delivered by an experienced engineering and technical team. Services are available in Manchester, across the UK, and internationally for festivals, corporate events, exhibitions, and touring productions.

How does lighting design integrate with full event production?

Lighting design is planned as part of wider event production, alongside sound systems, stage layouts, AV, and power distribution. This joined-up approach means rigging points, power, and cueing are coordinated from the start rather than treated as separate elements.

What are the main elements of good lighting design for live events?

Core elements include visibility, form, colour, movement, balance, and consistency for camera. Practically, this means clean key light for faces, controlled fill and backlight, fixture choices that suit the job, and colour temperatures that keep camera shots looking natural.

Can you design lighting for outdoor festivals and concerts in the UK?

Yes. LSS Live delivers festival lighting design and hire as part of complete production solutions, including staging, sound, power distribution, and technical management. Outdoor designs focus on IP-rated fixtures, power planning, and safe, reliable rigs that perform well in changing weather.

How early should lighting design be planned for a conference or awards night?

It is advisable to engage a lighting and event production company as early as possible, ideally when the venue and date are confirmed. This allows time for site recces, technical design, RAMS, and coordination with venues, producers, and other suppliers.

Do you work with existing stages and AV suppliers, or only with your own stage hire?

LSS Live can work with existing venue stages and in-house AV where appropriate, or supply its own stage hire, sound hire, and AV packages. The team’s engineers will review existing infrastructure, rigging points, and power to confirm what is practical and safe.

What information do you need to start a lighting design for my event?

Helpful information includes event type, dates, venue details, audience size, running order, branding or colour preferences, camera/broadcast needs, and any artist or presenter technical riders. A site recce and specification sheet are often requested for more complex shows, exhibitions, and festivals.

Can you support touring productions that need consistent lighting design each night?

Yes. Touring production support includes professional lighting, audio, and technical crew, with designs and plots created for repeatable setups. This helps keep tours on schedule while delivering consistent lighting looks night after night.

Plan your next show with professional lighting design

To discuss lighting design for your next concert, conference, festival, or touring date, contact LSS Live’s team. An experienced engineer can review your brief, arrange a site recce, and prepare a specification sheet so your lighting design, staging, and wider event production are aligned from the start.

Delivering Professional Event Production Services Across the UK