Tonight is the night Sydney’s popular tourism attractions and most visited spots transform into illuminating and interactive works of art. That’s right, Vivid Sydney is here.
In its seventh year this year, the annual event has transformed from a few light displays in Circular Quay to encompass a number of frequented locations around the city plus new locations such as Chatswood and Central Park.
It’s going to be bigger, better and even brighter than ever before.
Preview of the Laser-Fountain Water Theatre at Darling Harbour.
If you happened to be in Chatswood, Pyrmont or Darling Harbour earlier this week then you would have been lucky enough to get a glimpse of what to expect.
But for those that weren’t there, you have 18 nights from tonight to see and experience the annual light show.
Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Chipchase told KarryOn that she expects the 2015 display to attract more visitors than the 1,43 million that attended last year.
“Vivid Sydney has been pivotal in turning what was traditionally the quiet, off-peak period for the city’s tourism and retail industry, into a bumper period for visitation.”
Sandra Chipchase, Destination NSW Chief Executive
“Vivid Sydney is firmly established as a must-see global event and has so much to offer as it continues to expand and attract the world’s leading artists and creatives.
“With more than 60 light installations, new precincts to explore, more ideas seminars and an expanded music offering, there really is something for everyone at Vivid Sydney this year and I can’t wait to see it all come to life.”
She said in 2014 around 90,000 people came from outside Sydney, including almost 30,000 visitors from overseas.
Of the 30,000 international visitors, more than 20,000 visited on Vivid Sydney travel packages, including over 9,700 visitors from China.
In total, these visitors spent over 169,000 nights in Sydney and almost 10,000 additional nights in Regional NSW.
So what can attendees expect to see over the next 18 days?
Music baby!
All hail the incredible Grace Jones who will be in town for Vivid this year!
While lights are a big draw card for attendees, Ms Chipchase says this year around 90,000 people will attend Vivid Sydney 2015 for its music events.
This year’s expanded music program features 110 music performances.
These include popular acts such as Morrissey – who is holding two Vivid exclusive performances; Daniel Johns; Jane Tyrrell; the incredible Grace Jones and more.
In addition to live shows, visitors can also attend music-related evenings such as the ‘Silent Disco’ – a unique experience where party-goers dance to music playing from earphones. Click here for more music information.
“This year, there is a focus on mass participation and interactivity, bringing people together to enjoy activations like INTER/Play.”
Sandra Chipchase, Destination NSW Chief Executive
Visitors can also see the Australian debut of Intel’s amazing new RealSense technology with the installation Transcendence, or enjoy one of the first-ever multi-drone activations, A GAME OF DRONES.
The Laser-Fountain Water Theatre at Darling Harbour is also sure to be a hit, bringing us a sophisticated and dazzling on-water activation choreographed to a cutting-edge bespoke DJ set from The Presets.
‘Ideas’ will be flowing
In 2015, Vivid Sydney will host 150 ideas events, which are all focused around the theme of innovation and creativity.
With a line-up of heavy-hitting speakers, Vivid Ideas introduces The Game Changers, a new talk series this year headlined by three global influencers.
The include multi Emmy-winning writer Matthew Weiner, series creator and executive producer of Mad Men and former executive producer and writer on The Sopranos; Grammy-winning designer Stefan Sagmeister, whose clients include the Rolling Stones, Lou Reed and the Guggenheim Museum; and entrepreneur and publisher Tyler Brûlé, founder of the world-famous magazines Wallpaper and Monocle.
“Visitors to Vivid Sydney can be among the first to see technologies and artistic trends that are going to shape our world in coming years.”
Sandra Chipchase, Destination NSW Chief Executive
There will also be free talks at the Sydney Opera House from TV On The Radio’s Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimp, Bill Callahan and The Preatures’ frontwoman Isabella Manfredi.
Sound Advice will be hosted by ABC’s Double J presenter Myf Warhurst, on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 May in the Joan Sutherland Theatre’s Northern Foyer of Sydney Opera House.
In these exclusive sessions, Myf Warhurst will interview US singer-songwriter Bill Callahan, and The Preatures singer Isabella Manfredi. Myf will also delve into the business of music, speaking with Nic Warnock from indie record store Repressed Records and Royal Headache’s lead singer Shogun, the founders of Future Classic – Nathan McLay, Chad Gillard and Jay Ryves on their ten year journey to global success, and art rock icons Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the Radio before they take to the Concert Hall stage for their Sydney Opera House debut.
The Lights
Of course, then there’s the lights.
This year, attendees can expect to see 60 light installations around and outside the city.
The lights will switch on from 6pm to midnight each evening.
Vivid Light Walk installations follow a playful theme with illuminated swings, a grand scale Duck Duck Goose game, musical stacking dice and Vivid’s largest multi-player experience, INTER/Play at Cadmans Cottage.
There’s also no shortage of big and small creations and visitors can expect a human brain, graceful dresses, an enormous Rococo pig, curious monsters and a giant crochet dolly who just wants a hug.
New, interactive installations and projections will see many create their own art and this year for the first time, visitors will literally be able to Paint The Town! as they colour the city’s skyline over Circular Quay with state of the art lasers controlled by interactive touch screens, setting the stage for collaborative design or lighting battles.
Getting there
Visitors to Vivid Sydney 2015 will be able to take advantage of thousands of extra public transport services with 3,500 extra trains, buses and ferries to run during the annual festival of lights, music and ideas.
Over three weekends, more than 2,600 extra bus services will run in addition to the regular timetabled services, moving an extra 130,000 passengers.
More than 700 additional train services also will be added, with capacity to get an extra million people in and out of the city, including from Chatswood, while an extra 154 ferry services will help to move an additional 55,000 passengers around Sydney.
Use the App
Access more Vivid Sydney information in the palm of their hands with the Vivid Sydney smartphone app.
It features customised trails from famous Australians including iconic children’s band The Wiggles, current No. 5 World Championship Tour surfer Sally Fitzgibbons, and 2014 Australian of the Year and Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres said the enhanced Vivid Sydney app will help visitors make the most of the biggest Vivid Sydney program ever, providing a new way to interact with 18 days of light installations and projections, music, and ideas events.
