Lighting Culture and Creative Legacy: BMLD’s Journey at the National Arts Festival 2025
From School Halls to National Stages
Benjamin’s journey began in 2006 at a high school lighting workshop. By 2007, he was already running the technical aspects of school events. From 2008, he began leading student-run lighting workshops. These early years laid the foundation for the creative mentorship and technical expertise that would define his professional path.
By 2012, Benjamin was contributing to professional productions at events like the National Arts Festival. Since then, his lighting designs have illuminated stages for Joburg Ballet, Mzansi Ballet, AFDA Johannesburg, and many others, including more recent projects such as CRC Pretoria and Prime Circle.
A Longstanding Connection with Electrosonic SA
Benjamin’s connection with Electrosonic SA began in 2015, when he reached the finals of the Lighting Designer Contest at Mediatech Africa. In 2017, he won the competition outright. It was a turning point in his career.
The prize was originally intended as a visit to Martin Professional’s headquarters, but with the facility in transition at the time, Electrosonic SA instead arranged for Benjamin to attend Prolight + Sound in Frankfurt, one of the world’s leading trade shows for professional lighting and events. He was accompanied by Bruce Schwartz, Director of Electrosonic SA and Head of the Entertainment Technology division. The experience offered valuable international exposure and helped build a lasting professional connection rooted in shared passion for technical excellence.
Powering the Festival with Partnership
Electrosonic SA has been a long-standing technical sponsor of the NAF festival, supporting the event with reliable, professional-grade gear year after year. In 2025, that support included Martin lighting fixtures and the Obsidian NX4 lighting console, which played a key role in delivering consistent technical infrastructure across both curated and fringe productions.
Each year, Electrosonic SA’s Live Events Sales Manager, Renier Smit, works closely with the NAF production team to coordinate this support. Benjamin continues to play a central role as a facilitator, ensuring that technical systems are in place so every show, whether part of the curated or fringe programme, has what it needs to be staged successfully. His work, supported by Electrosonic SA’s ongoing sponsorship, helps empower the wider community of artists and technicians who bring the National Arts Festival to life each year.
NAF is not only South Africa’s largest arts festival, but it also holds its own among the world’s major fringe events. The continued support from Electrosonic SA helps maintain that standard, ensuring that every production, whether part of the curated lineup or the fringe programme, has the tools it needs to succeed.
As Benjamin shared on social media:
The partnership is not just about equipment. It reflects a long-standing commitment to the growth of South Africa’s live events industry and to the artists, crews and communities who power it from behind the scenes.
The National Arts Festival: More Than a Stage
NAF is more than a festival. It’s a platform for creative risk, a space for mentorship, and a celebration of technical brilliance. For Benjamin Mills, it has been a place of early discovery, professional evolution, and continued inspiration.
From school hall lighting desks to the global stage of Martin HQ, and back to the spotlight of NAF, Benjamin’s story is one of talent, perseverance, and long-term collaboration. His work with Electrosonic SA continues to shape what’s possible on South Africa’s most important stages.