Vivid Sydney expands to illuminate Darling Harbour

Developed, owned and managed by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, Vivid Sydney is an 18-day festival of light, music and ideas.  It is the biggest festival of its kind in the southern hemisphere and will take place in Sydney from 24 May to 10 June.

For the first time in Vivid Sydney’s five-year history, Vivid Light will extend to Darling Harbour and transform the precinct into a spectacle of dancing water fountains, water screen projection performances and dazzling light and water shows, never seen before in Australia, masterminded by France’s legendary Aquatique Show International.  Aquatique Show International has developed and installed choreographed water and light shows for public entertainment for more than 30 years, amazing audiences in over 52 countries.

Mr Stoner said: “Vivid Sydney brings visitors something new and spectacular every year - and this year is no exception.

“Bringing Vivid Light to Darling Harbour will give visitors an amazing and unique Australian-first experience that will showcase the world’s best lighting and water technology, artistry and design.

“It’s sure to be something people will come back to over the duration of Vivid Sydney.”

CEO of the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, Catherine Gallagher, said Vivid Light in Darling Harbour will feature 20 metre-high illuminated water jets in a ‘Magic Wall’ of light and water, a recreation of the Versailles Fountain, spectacular laser shows, and site-specific installations across the Darling Harbour foreshore.

“We will undoubtedly see a significant increase in visitors to Darling Harbour, which will not only be a fantastic experience for Vivid Sydney festivalgoers, but also an important economic injection to businesses in the Precinct,” Ms Gallagher said.

Darling Harbour will also feature a Citibank Pop-up Bar, open from 6pm to midnight during Vivid Sydney, and the Australian National Maritime Museum will light up with a rooftop projection inspired by the colour, patterns, flavours and sounds of India to complement the museum’s exhibition, East of India.

“Bringing Vivid Sydney and in particular the spell-binding water and light shows to Darling Harbour will make a major impact on visitor numbers to the Precinct and its business. Darling Harbour is awonderful place for visitors to Sydney to come and experience, whether they are from overseas, interstate or live right here.”

In 2012, Vivid Sydney delivered record crowds of over 500,000 people, generated global media coverage in over 150 countries, fostered new tourism markets and opportunities, and saw tens of millions of dollars in new business achieved for NSW.

“In addition to the expansion into Darling Harbour, this year Vivid Light has received unprecedented expressions of interest from lighting artists from across Australia and the world, and the Vivid Ideas program will feature more than 100 creative industry events including the SPARC International Lighting Event and the inaugural Australian International Design Festival (AIDF),” said Deputy Premier Stoner.

“Vivid Sydney has firmly established its credentials as a ‘must see’ global event. It highlights Sydney as the creative hub of the Asia Pacific, and will continue to grow and surprise audiences in 2013.”  Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase, said that rising audience numbers demonstrated Vivid Sydney’s appeal to Sydneysiders, as well as interstate and international visitors.

“Our goal is to ensure Vivid Sydney surprises every year, and in 2013 we will deliver an expanded program across light, music and ideas to delight festivalgoers. Vivid Sydney provides a truly global canvas and audience for our artistic, creative and business communities. The evolving 2013 program will be our most exciting to date,” Ms Chipchase said.

Vivid Sydney is one of five signature events in the NSW Events Calendar developed by Destination NSW with the NSW Government as the major investor. The full program for Vivid Sydney 2013 including light, music and ideas can be found at vividsydney.com

Materials

• Darling Harbour media kit available here
• The full Vivid Sydney program expansion will be available from 11am at vividsydney.com
• High res imagery available at: vividsydney.com/media-centre