Vivid Sydney

Vivid Sydney is an annual festival of light, music and ideas, held in Sydney. It includes outdoor immersive light installations and projections, performances by local and international musicians, and an ideas exchange forum featuring public talks and debates with leading creative thinkers.

Vivid Sydney
Circular Quay during Vivid 2015
GenreExhibition
BeginsMay 2021
EndsJune 2021
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Sydney
Years active10
Inaugurated2009
Most recent24 May-15 June 2019
Attendance2.3 million (2017)
Websitewww.vividsydney.com

This event takes place over the course of three weeks in May and June. The centrepiece of Vivid Sydney is the light sculptures, multimedia interactive work and building projections that transform various buildings and landmarks such as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in and around the Sydney central business district into an outdoor night time canvas of art.[1]

During the 2015 festival, sites of interest were Central Park, Chatswood and the University of Sydney as well as around the CBD, Darling Harbour and The Rocks.

History
The Sydney Opera House during Vivid Sydney, 2017
Customs House, Vivid Sydney 2015
Visitors at Vivid Sydney 2015

Vivid began as a smart light festival in 2009 for energy efficiency curated by lighting designer Mary-Anne Kyriakou and headlined by Brian Eno who in collaboration with lighting designer Bruce Ramus, projected light painting onto both sides of the Opera House.[2][3] Currently, it is the biggest festival of lights, music and ideas in the world. It is owned, managed and bankrolled by Destination NSW, the state government's tourism and events agency.[4]

The 2020 event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Commercial success for Destination NSW

According to New South Wales Deputy Premier and government Andrew Stoner, Vivid 2012 attracted more than 500,000 visitors to the outdoor exhibition and events,[6] generating around $10 million in income for the state,[7] whereas Vivid 2013 attracted more than 800,000 visitors, contributing more than $20 million to the NSW economy.[8]

In 2014, the festival involved the Opera House, Walsh Bay, Circular Quay, The Rocks, North Sydney, Darling Harbour, and, joining in for the first time, Harbour Lights, The Star and Carriageworks. A new projected work by London based creative team 59 Productions illuminated the sails of the Sydney Opera House.[9]

In 2015, Vivid Sydney attracted more than 1.7 million visitors to the city.[10] The 2016 Vivid event included an expanded program of multi-genre music, stimulating presentations and Vivid Talks from global presenters and dazzling light projections across the city.[11][12] In 2016, a display was added at Taronga Zoo.[13]

In 2016, Vivid Sydney was extended to 23 nights and was attended by more than 2.3 million people.[14]

In 2017, Vivid Sydney attracted a record 2.33 million attendees and injected over $143 million into NSW's visitor economy.[15][16]

In 2019, the Surry Hill precinct was included with a montage of Heckler's 50 most iconic women being displayed on the famous art deco Hollywood Hotel. Publican and proprietress Doris Goddard was inducted as the 51st icon.[17]

Interactive Activities

At Vivid Sydney, there are many opportunities for individuals to interact with the unique technology that is offered. Exhibits at Vivid Sydney are all numbered based on their location and these numbers are all displayed on a map. While there are multiple larger light shows such as the ones displayed on the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, there are also multiple smaller exhibits located around the harbour.

Musical Cubes

One of the interactive activities in the harbor was called Musical cubes. In this activity, a group of 6 individuals would take part in a musical experiment. Each member would be given a three dimensional cube. Each cube represented a different instrument (Guitar, Piano, Synths, etc.) and each side of the cube would represent a different pace (measured in beats per minute). Every member of the group would take their cube, select a side, and place the cube on a table. A computer program would then interpret all the information from the cubes and play the resulting musical beat over loud speakers that surrounded the table. Participants would be allowed to change the tempo of their instrument and as they changed them, the program would react to reflect the change and play the new tune.

Heart of the City

Another activity located in the harbor was called the Heart of the City. This was one of the more popular activities at Vivid Sydney 2015 due to its immersive nature. The Heart of the City resembled a large, solid beanbag chair and was located near the Sydney Opera House. Upon reaching the front of the line, participants would be asked to seat themselves in the middle of the chair. Once seated, they would be instructed by a Vivid Sydney volunteer to insert their finger into a small hole located near the chair. If your finger was inserted correctly, the chair would begin to light up red to match your heartbeat. As participants began to notice this, their heart rate sometimes increased causing the chair to light up more rapidly.[18]

See also

References
  1. Willis, Kimberley (17 February 2012). "Top 10 ideas festivals". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  2. "Profile/ Sydney Opera House (2009)". Ramus Illumination Pty Ltd. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  3. Gallasch, Keith (April 2009). "Designs on light". RealTime Arts (90): 12–13. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  4. "WHAT IS VIVID?". The Daily Telegraph. 27 May 2019.
  5. Coronavirus update: Sydney's Vivid festival cancelled, Australian cases pass 250, Donald Trump COVID-19 test clear ABC News 15 March 2020
  6. Boulton, Martin (27 May 2012). "A vivid idea of a festival". The Age. Melbourne: Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 8 May 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  7. Taylor, Andrew (21 March 2013). "Vivid Sydney up in lights". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014.
  8. "One Week until Sydney goes Wild". Destination NSW. 16 May 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  9. "Vivid Live - Lighting the Sails 2014". 59 Productions. May 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  10. "Vivid Sydney". Destination New South Wales. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  11. "Vivid Sydney". Destination New South Wales. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  12. "Vivid Sydney Programme". Vivid Sydney. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  13. Vivid Sydney will light Taronga Zoo for the first time Taronga Zoo
  14. Vivid Sydney 2016 smashes visitor record with 2.3 million Destination NSW 27 June 2016.
  15. [http://carriageworks.com.au/vivid-sydney-2018-media-release/ CARRIAGEWORKS ANNOUNCES VIVID SYDNEY 2018 PROGRAM ST. VINCENT HEADLINES]
  16. Record attendance at Vivid Sydney 2017 Australian Leisure Management 26 August 2017
  17. "Heckler brings Vivid to the famous Hollywood Hotel with global icons". Mumbrella. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  18. http://www.vividsydney.com/event/light/heart-city

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