Many people dread the long, dark days of winter. The lack of light can feel never-ending but if, in the words of Mary Oliver, you pay attention/ be astonished / tell about it, there is always light to be found, even on the darkest days. Just ask the people who mark turning points in the calendar – the winter solstice on 21st December (or summer solstice in the southern hemisphere) and Imbolc on 1st February (August in the southern hemisphere).
So we would like to invite you to notice the light with us for a new 26 project we’re calling Look for the Light. The results will run between winter solstice 2026 and Imbolc 2027 – a period of 43 days. We’re looking for 43 writers to write a 43-word piece, in a form of their choice, reflecting on light and what it means to them. This is not hemisphere-specific, and we’d love our NZ friends to get involved too.
The results will appear on 26’s Instagram feed from 21 December 2026 until 1 February 2027, with an accompanying original image from each writer.
Lisa Andrews and Ed Prichard came up with the idea (spring/summer babies, both have light issues) and will lead the project team. If this sounds up your street, drop them an email at 26lookforthelight@gmail.com to register your interest. As always, participants will be chosen on a first come, first served basis.
Once we have our 43 writers we will share a more detailed brief…