Opened in 2015, Pontio is Bangor University’s arts and innovation centre. As well as numerous teaching and learning spaces, the venue is home to a 600-capacity flexible theatre space, 200-seater cinema, studio theatre, and a cutting-edge Innovation Centre.
With an eclectic programme of music, drama, gigs, cinema, cabaret, and more, Pontio is in use seven days a week for the benefit of both the university and local community.
Funded by the Welsh Government through the Arts Council of Wales with match funding from the University, the venue recently completed a major upgrade to its theatre and studio lighting systems with the aim of moving toward a more sustainable technical infrastructure.
Lighting specialist White Light was engaged to supply the project, and facilitated onsite demonstrations as well as providing technical guidance to Pontio’s in-house team, who carried out the full installation. The majority of Pontio’s traditional Tungsten fixtures were replaced with energy-efficient LED solutions, leading to lower energy consumption, reduced maintenance time, and expanded creative possibilities for visiting artists and companies.
Pontio took a phased approach to the project, first fully converting its studio spaces, and then upgrading the majority of the theatre’s fixtures. The new system is built around Elation KL Fresnels and KL Profile Compacts, offering the quality and versatility required for a theatre space which routinely transitions between different configurations on a day-to-day basis. The award-winning Elation KL Series is crafted for versatility across key, wash, and fill fixtures. Featuring high CRI ratings and rugged construction, the KL Series delivers precise colours and natural-looking skin tones on and off screen.
At Pontio, the project team installed 60 KL Fresnel 6 FC, 12 KL Profile FC Compact, and two Obsidian Netron EN4 (Ethernet to DMX gateway with four RDM compatible ports). Elation and Obsidian products are distributed in the UK and Ireland by Live Technology.
For Pontio’s Technical Director, Gwion Llwyd, the project represents both a practical improvement and a long-term strategic investment: “Our biggest driver was sustainability – making the move away from tungsten to a more energy-efficient, flexible lighting system. LED technology has advanced so much that early limitations are no longer a barrier. The fixtures we selected offer the quality, reliability, and control we need, without compromise. We work to incredibly tight schedules, so the ability to adjust colour and mood quickly, without re-gelling or re-rigging, gives us far more flexibility. It means we can do more, faster, with the same team.”
White Light Business Development Manager, Paul Botham, who worked closely with the Pontio team throughout the project, added: “It’s been fantastic working with Gwion and the entire Pontio team. Their passion for delivering high-quality productions and their commitment to sustainability made this a truly collaborative process. Being able to demo the fixtures directly in their space meant that we could explore solutions together, ensuring the final system genuinely supports their artistic and operational needs. We’re proud to play a part in their journey toward a more flexible and environmentally responsible future.”
Although the upgrade is relatively recent, the benefits it brings to Pontio are already clear. The theatre runs cooler, power consumption has been dramatically reduced, and visiting companies have responded positively to the quality and reliability of the new fixtures.
