Daniel Salazar has been a Chicago based lighting designer since 2018 but started designing lights in 2012. He moved up to Chicago from Shreveport, Louisiana in hopes to further pursue his career in professional lighting design and acting. However, life had different plans for him for the past 7 years, pushing him towards corporate design and event management full time, but he still pursued his career of professional theatrical lighting design. Daniel has been the Lighting Supervisor for a Chicago based corporate production company but currently, he is making the shift back to pursuing Regional Theatre and Broadway full time!

Daniel got his start in lighting design 2012 at a community college in Texas before moving back home to Shreveport, LA in 2013. Once he moved back home, he landed a job working for the theatre company Stage Center Inc. Daniel was the acting resident lighting designer for a majority of his time there, designing over 40 shows, and also spent a lot of his time acting and directing with the company. Daniel continues to design lights and perform with the company

In addition to pursing his career as a professional lighting designer, Daniel Salazar is the acting Production Manager and serves on the board for Bodies of Water which is dedicated to fostering artistic innovation and community engagement through dance, performance, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The organization provides opportunities for artists at all career stages by supporting the creation, education, and presentation of dynamic works that inspire and connect diverse audiences.

One additional hobby Daniel has started to pursue is creating a YouTube channel called The Industry. The main purpose of the channel is to provide insight into the process of all live entertainment professionals, how these professionals got started, and how they have navigated the industry. His hope is that the channel will reach young/early career designers looking for better insights on working in the industry, and that they will gain that insight by established professionals showing/explaining what it's like in the field.

Daniel Salazar hopes to foster creative and empathetic environment's every where works and with what ever he does. He believes strongly in leading with empathy, care, and respect in all that he does because everyone deserves it! The world can be better when we care for one another and look out for those who are marginalized and discriminated against! We need to lift each other up and celebrate what makes all beautiful!