Launching this year’s Vivid program at the Sydney Opera House, Mr Stoner said the festival of light was a signature event in Sydney and NSW’s Events Calendar. The 18 day festival, named Australia’s Event of the Year in 2013, will run from Friday 23 May to Monday 9 June, 2014.
“Each year Vivid Sydney brings something new, bigger and brighter to wow the hundreds of thousands of people who come to see it,” Mr Stoner said.
“Vivid traditionally runs in Sydney’s quiet winter period, and the success of last year’s program illustrates the boost the festival gives retail stores, hotels and restaurants.
“Last year over 800,000 people came to Vivid Sydney and the event contributed more than $20 million in new money to the NSW economy.
“According to the Tourism and Transport Forum, restaurant bookings during the 18-day festival period increased between 300-500 per cent.
“The festival also shone a spotlight on the State's creative industries, establishing new connections and opportunities across the many sector’s Vivid Sydney spans, with 2014 set to be even more successful.
“Vivid Sydney 2014 promises to be nothing short of amazing, with creative industries events, eclectic music performances and spectacular light displays across the city.
“This year for the first time, stunning Sydney harbour will join in like never before with ‘Harbour Lights’ – ferries and vessels will be decked out in LED lights, their colours computer-controlled by satellite navigation.
“The new CBD precinct at Martin Place will dazzle audiences with giant light installations and new Vivid programming at Carriageworks, the Seymour Centre, Sydney University and The Basement will take the event and its music content into more locations than ever before.”
Mr Stoner said lighting the sails of the Sydney Opera House was always a festival highlight, with this year’s design by award-winning creative agency 59 Productions.
“Renowned for their work at London’s Olympic Games' Opening Ceremony, the sails are sure to dazzle with an array of 3D-mapped projections,” Mr Stoner said.
“The sandstone facades of Customs House and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) will once again be bathed in light, through collaborations with local and international artists. New light installations are set to utterly absorb every visitor, including, for the first time, five works commissioned by Destination NSW.
“And after the huge success of last year, the Sydney Harbour Bridge will once again be lit by visitors with a stunning colour palette. Darling Harbour will be transformed by a spectacular display of water jets and lasers as France’s ‘Aquatique’ return again with a water show twice the size of last year, spanning two-thirds of the Bay.”
Some of the highlights for Vivid Sydney 2014
| Where | What | When |
|---|---|---|
| <p>Sydney Opera House</p> | Lighting the Sails by 59 Productions: see the Sails like never before with unforgettable 3D mapped projections | Nightly from 6pm |
| Customs House | Play Me by Danny Rose: turning the façade of this great building into a sequence of giant fantasy musical instruments | Nightly from 6pm |
| MCA (sandstone original building) | Light projects where art meets light by Jess Johnson and Spinifex | Nightly from 6pm |
| MCA (new building) | collaboration like no other where interactive light meets incredible 3D projections by The Digital Shamans and MCA artist Ross Manning | Nightly from 6pm |
| Sydney Harbour and North Sydney | Boats lit up, floating on the Harbour in a symphony of colour and the largest coat hanger in the world transformed into a beautiful palate of colours | Nightly from 6pm |
| Darling Harbour | Water jets, lasers, 3D projections on water screens – Aquatique transforms the Bay into a symphony of water, all set to music | Nightly, on the hour from 6pm (last show 11pm |
| Martin Place | Map your face onto a 3D, 1.6m head with e.MERGEnce | Nightly from 6pm |
| Vivid LIVE at the Sydney Opera House | Pixies rock it out in their only Australian performances | 23-26 May |
| Vivid Music and Modulations at Carriageworks | Pet Shop Boys Electronic music artists extraordinaire play three intimate gigs in this fantastic inner west venue | 6-8 June |
The full Vivid Sydney 2014 program, hi-res imagery and 2013 festival highlight footage is available at: vividsydney.com/media-centre
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