Host: Regen
Location: Exeter, UK
Dates: 18–21 September 2015
Theme: From Industrial Revolution to Energy Devolution
Overview
ReLight My Fire was a four-day festival of performance, workshops, creative installations and public conversation exploring energy—its past, present, and possible futures. The festival reimagined the story of energy in everyday life, engaging people emotionally, intellectually and playfully in the heart of Exeter. Hosted by Regen, the festival aligned with the Transition Network International Conference and drew on Exeter’s own rich industrial heritage.
Funders and Partners
- Funders: Big Lottery Fund, Exeter City Council, Stephens Scown
- Delivery partners: Regen, Exeter Community Energy, Kaleider, The Bikeshed Theatre
- Performers and contributors included:
- Scratchworks Theatre Company
- Sound Communities CIC
- PaddleBoat Theatre Company
- Shumba Arts, Rough Music, Makertopia, Chloe Uden
- Storyteller Lisa Schneidau
- EcoDesign Centre, Energy Saving Trust, and more
(Full programme: Festival Brochure PDF)
Programme Highlights
- Pop-up performances in public squares, parks, and city venues
- Sound installations and storytelling walks reframing Exeter’s energy heritage
- Workshops and creative labs exploring community energy, design thinking, and low-carbon living
- School and youth engagement, including sessions co-designed with young people
- Panel discussions featuring artists, technologists, and energy specialists
Impact
- Attracted hundreds of participants across four days, many of whom engaged with energy topics for the first time
- Created a unique platform for interdisciplinary exchange between energy experts, artists, educators, and the public
- Inspired deeper local conversations around community ownership, creativity in climate action, and place-based futures
- Reinforced Regen’s leadership in arts-based climate engagement, helping shape future initiatives like Art Lab and SWIMBY
Reflections & Legacy
ReLight My Fire demonstrated how artistic interventions in public space can shift energy from a technical to a human conversation. The combination of play, story, and local context proved powerful in widening participation and deepening emotional engagement.
The festival model informed future Regen activities and has since been cited as a pioneering example of how to merge cultural programming with energy transition goals.
