The world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas,Vivid Sydneyreturns in 2018 with a spectacular new precinct at Luna Park, the return of much-loved Customs House, and a fantastical blend of everyday objects and Australian-inspired motifs on the sails of the Sydney Opera House.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events,Adam Marshallsaid, “Vivid Sydney has delighted and inspired people from aroundAustraliaand the world. With the Festival now in its 10thyear, visitors and locals alike can once again expect to be mesmerised by the Vivid Sydney program, with larger installations and a gripping Music and Ideas offering, so I encourage visitors to start planning their trip early to get the most out of this year’s exciting line-up.
“Over 23 nights from Friday 25 May to Saturday 16 June, Vivid Sydney will paint the Harbour City in the colour and spectacle of Vivid Light, take over Sydney stages with Vivid Music’s electric performances and collaborations, and provide a global forum for thought-provoking debate and creative discussion at Vivid Ideas.”
Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW and in 2017, attracted a record-breaking 2.33 million attendees to Vivid Sydney, delivering an incredible$143 millionof visitor expenditure into the NSW economy.
VIVID LIGHT
For the first time, Vivid Sydney’s dazzling Light Walk extends to new precinctLuna Park Sydney,where the iconic amusement park comes alive with a large-scale projection on the facade of Coney Island. The show celebrates the history, magic, creativity, engineering, fantasy and imagination that have come together to create millions of memories on this unique and special site. This year also marks the first time Luna Park’s iconicFerris Wheelwill be lit for the festival following an LED refit, which has included a massive boost in the number of lights adorning the wheel.
Vivid Sydney’s bright lights will illuminate theRoyal Botanic Garden Sydneyagain in 2018, where visitors will follow a pathway that weaves through an exciting nocturnal environment inspired by nature. Here,Parrot Partyinspired by the New Zealand Kea Parrot and the Australian Rainbow Lorikeet comes alive as people gather, breaking into song and radiating colourful light.Aqueouswill dazzle with its interactive landscape of meandering pathways of light, which will flow and glow in full illuminated interactivity, engaging visitors in collaborative play.The Bloom,a giant electric, metallic flower with petals adorned with mirrors that refract and reflect light, puts you in the centre of the flower capturing the perfect photo moment, andHe’e nalugives the joyous sensation of surfing a wave.
In celebration of their 100 year anniversary,May Gibbs’iconic and immortal characters,Snugglepot and Cuddlepieand their stalwart companions come to life on the façade ofCustoms House, as they journey through the Australian Bush and encounter the weird, the wonderful, and things quite unknown altogether. This whimsical piece will be narrated by renowned Australian film and television actressNoni Hazlehurst AM, Patron of the Australian Children’s Laureate, and beloved by Play School devotees far and wide.
All eyes turn to the World-Heritage listedSydney Opera Houseat the centre of the Vivid Light Walk forLighting of the Sails, created in 2018 by award-winning Australian artistJonathan Zawada. Visitors will be captivated byMetamathemagical,a bold and dynamic display of morphing digital sculptures inspired by recognisable Australian motifs across science, nature and culture.
Sydney’s iconic buildings will once again be transformed, including the facade of theMuseum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)withVirtual Vibration, a highly-collaborative creative work produced in conjunction with MCA Collection artistJonny Niescheand composerMark Pritchard. Interactive lighting displaySkylarkwill let visitors put their own colourful mark on the city, stretching from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the skyscrapers of Circular Quay to the reaches ofSydney Harbour.
Network Ten and MasterChef Australia will bring a magical experience to the facade of the ASN Co. Building in The Rocks, in celebration of both Masterchef and Vivid Sydney’s 10thBirthday withMystery Gateau. Mini construction-worker chefs will guide you on a journey of fun and wonderment, with the famous MasterChef clock ticking down to the final extraordinary surprise.
Popular precincts Taronga Zoo, Darling Harbour, Chatswood, Barangaroo and Kings Cross will return in 2018.
Festival favourites from last year are back along with a whole new mob of fierce, fantastic, quirky and endearing species forTaronga Zoo’s Lights for the Wild.Visitors will discover some new spectacular animal light sculptures, and learn how Taronga is working to help save 10 species from extinction over the next 10 years.
An art-meets-technology water fountain, light and laser experience takesDarling Harbourvisitors into a dream-like dive under the ocean, while the iconic rooftop of the Australian National Maritime Museum will be projected with BBC Earth and SirDavid Attenborough’sBlue Planet II,exploring the fascinating world beneath the waves.
A pop-up market inspired by the colourful neighbourhood street markets ofBrazil, built from a scaffold and recycled materials and lit by lasers will transform theChatswoodCBD. The Concourse will take visitors on an immersive, deep dive into space featuring NASA’s amazing imagery and 360-degree projection.
Barangarooglows under layers of light and sound that evoke the surrounding waterways, with the precinct coming to life through the magnificent art of puppetry with a breathtaking, giant luminescent creature venturing along the waterfront in a theatrical display of sound and light.
Precinct contributor Coca-Cola returns to light up the streets of Sydney’s iconicKings Crossand to support another KX program in 2018. The colourful strip along Darlinghurst Road will be transformed with a spectacular display of light and life. The famous Coca-Cola sign comes alive again in 2018 with an array of flair and a creative colour show. Other Vivid KX transformations include the historic Victorian Terrace; World Bar, which will unfurl a multi-story house party, and the renowned Kings Cross Hotel, which will host cutting-edge artists curated by legendary party-crews.
VIVID MUSIC
Vivid Music ups the ante in 2018 with an electric line-up, from noise to jazz, sonic experimentation to the soul. Highlights include a one-night-only performance by Grammy award-winning rock-goddessSt. Vincent,and the return ofCurve Ballheadlined byAlison Wonderland— a large-scale live music and art event created by the team behind Field Day, Harbourlife and Listen Out — both atCarriageworks.
The City Recital Hall returns to the program, tracking the extraordinary rise in jazz with theInnovators In Jazzseries featuring the undisputed king, triple Grammy award-winner saxophonistBranford Marsalis. The world’s finest jazz vocalists includingKurt Ellingand chanteuseMadeleine Peyroux will line up alongsideOrange is the New BlackstarLea Delariain her musical comedy, jazz interpretation show.
Vivid LIVEat theSydney Opera Househosts a stellar line-up of Australian exclusives as part of Vivid Sydney, including several Opera House debuts. Highlights this year include American dream-pop iconsMazzy Star, the godfather of West Coast rapIce Cube,acclaimed 90s indie rock singer/songwriterCat Power, Grammy award-winning artistSolange,and the long-awaited collaboration between iconic Australian artistsDaniel JohnsandLuke Steele.
Now in its 4thyear as part of Vivid Sydney,Heaps Gaystruts uptown to Sydney Town Hall for an unmissable experience, the inauguralQueen’s Ball.Other not-to-be-missed events includeYoung Hearts Run Freeand one ofAustralia’smost exciting breakthrough artists performing at the Enmore Theatre,Vera Blue.
Also returning to Vivid Music in 2018 isX|Celerate, a partnership between Vivid Sydney and theCity of Sydneyto enliven music venues across town. Showcasing grassroots and emerging local music talent, highlights will includePurple Sneakers12thbirthday at The Lansdowne, a fusion of food, wine and music at Cake Wines Cellar Door, andHAPPYandVISIONSat The Lady Hampshire.
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VIVID IDEAS
As architects of the future, it’s time to join the masterminds and creative catalysts at Vivid Ideas for inspiration. Vivid Ideas provides a forum to workshop, collaborate and cultivate fresh thinking to drive the creative agenda across tech, design, entertainment and culture. Vivid Ideas returns in 2018 with some of the world’s greatest minds as we explore the future-shaping scenarios that will define our lives.
Vivid Ideas 2018 showcases those who are leading the way in technology, creativity and science. Game Changers and Creative Catalysts this year include film-maker, marine explorer and conservationistJames Cameron.In a Vivid Sydney exclusive, James will explore his passion for science and technology, and how it has influenced his work as a film director and environmentalist. James will be joined in conversation byAdam Spencer,while inSydneyto open theJames Cameron – Challenging the Deepexhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum.
Australian global success storyDare Jennings— founder of Mambo Clothing, Phantom Records and Deus ex Machina — joins his good friendJames Valentineto discuss creating cult brands that cut across age and lifestyles as well the joys of throwing out the rulebook.
Futurist and game developer,Jane McGonigalcan prove games have the power transform our real world lives. She and Artificial Intelligence expertKriti Sharmajoin Vivid Ideas to explore the latest in AI, VR and gaming to ask what kind of society we can create with technology.
Visual strategist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and co-founder of the Museum of Awe,Dan Goodsjoins the Vivid Ideas Creative Catalysts line-up to explore how creativity and science interplay and why NASA has a virtual strategist.
TheNew Horizonsseries explores the mega-trends and micro-developments in technology and innovation and shines a light on experts tackling the biggest issues with creativity in a bid to make our future brighter. Topics includeFuture Fashion, Algae is the New Black, Blockchain DecodedandEvolving Democracy.
Over three successive Wednesdays, Vivid Sydney will take over the Art Gallery of NSW to create an intimate portrait of our better selves. Our special guests dare to ask if we can improve dying, how we can find common ground when and where there’s conflict, and why we should nudge perceptions around female sexuality. These events will be accompanied by curated music fromGold heist, Air Land SeaandHaiku Hands.
The Vivid Ideas Exchange at the Museum of Contemporary Art returns, boasting a diverse line-up of talks presented by creative experts covering topics including the future of work, the ethics of humanizing technology and how to become agents for change.
VIVID SPONSORS
Vivid Sydney thanks its sponsors for their support of Vivid Sydney 2018. Partners include American Express returning for the second year of partnership, and introducing a new partner, Samsung. Supporters includeCity of Sydney, Oracle Liquid, Property NSW, Sydney Opera House, TAFE NSW, Technical Direction Company, Transgrid, Transport for NSW and 32 Hundred Lighting. For the second year, Vivid Sydney’s Access and Inclusion partner is Cushman and Wakefield, Coca-Cola returns as Kings Cross precinct contributor and the festival continues its sustainability partnership with the Banksia Foundation. Also new to Vivid Sydney are Vivid Collaborators, CSIRO, Gateway Sydney, Network 10, ATS Logistics, Kennards Hire andRed Balloon.
Source- Hotel and tourism online
Image source- Vivid Sydney