The Community Nova
Many lights. One shared glow.
What is it?
The Community Nova is a participatory illuminated artwork made to form a constellation of custom-built radio controlled porch lights. Each light is an individual point of presence; together, they create a shared field of color, rhythm, and motion. Built with original electronics, code, and long-range radio communications, the project transforms public space into a living metaphor for community:
many separate lights becoming one collective glow.
How does it work?
Each Nova light is placed outdoors, plugged into power, and set where it can be seen from the street. The lights listen for simple instructions sent using an unlicensed ISM radio band, allowing them to share brightness, timers, and palettes over a large area resulting in a group of separate lights that can move in concert with each other as a living public artwork.
For Neighbors
Neighbors can participate by hosting one Nova light outdoors in a safe, street-visible location, such as a porch, stoop, balcony, front yard, fence, storefront exterior, or other community-facing spot. Hosting requires access to a regular outlet and permission to keep the light visible during the project period.
Participation is free, but the first run is limited to 100 lights within the project map. Hosts do not need technical experience, an app, or a home network connection. You are simply helping create a shared neighborhood constellation.
Want to support us?
The Community Nova is moving from prototype toward a public run of 100 outdoor, street-visible lights. Funding helps build the lights, improve materials, create safe outdoor enclosures and mounts, purchase power supplies and radio equipment, prepare spares, document the project, and support deployment within the project map.
Grant and community support make it possible for neighbors to participate for free while helping the artwork grow from a single prototype into a reliable constellation of light across the neighborhood.