The role of the lighting designer (or LD) within theatre is to work with the director, set designer, costume designer, and sometimes the sound designer and choreographer to create an overall 'look' for the show in response to the text, while keeping in mind issues of visibility, safety and cost. The LD also works closely with the stage manager on show control programming, if show control systems are used in that production. Outside of the theatre the job of a Lighting Designer can be much more diverse and they can be found working on rock and pop tours,corporate launches, art installation and on massive celebration spectaculars, for example the Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies.

Der Lichtgestalter (englisch: Lighting Designer) ist an der (Theater- und Opern-)Bühne oder in der Architektur tätig.

Aussi appelé concepteur lumière, éclairagiste désigne le responsable de la mise en place du matériel et des techniques d'éclairage, et de toutes les ambiances lumineuses du spectacle.

Il Lighting design si occupa della progettazione di fonti di luce artificiali e di sistemi di luce (artificiali o misti, artificiali-naturali) per fini domestici o urbanistici.
È un settore del design industriale in continua evoluzione a causa delle novità tecnologiche continuamente aggiornate dalla ricerca nel settore.