The annual festival of light, music, and ideas, Vivid has over the past decade become a major tourist attraction in Sydney. With more and more visitors checking in during the festival, trying to get around can prove to be a real problem. Introducing Vivid cruises, with which you can view the attractions and displays at a relaxed pace, far away from the crowd! Enjoy the sights while you indulge in a scrumptious meal on a Vivid dinner cruise!
The History of Vivid Sydney
Vivid had started out in 2009 as a smart light festival for energy efficiency. By projecting a light painting onto both sides of the Opera House, Mary-Anne Kyriakou and Bruce Ramu, both light designers, along with the musician Brian Eno kicked off what would later become Sydney’s most favourite winter festival. The event which was launched by Destination NSW was essentially four festivals in one, lacking a sense of synergy between them, and too many appeared “disjointed” in the beginning years. It was only in 2011 that Vivid stopped trying to be many things for many people, and started building purpose and an identity for itself. It was Ignatius Jones, the Creative Director of Vivid Sydney for over eight years now, who played a key role in this transformation.
Today, Vivid has a clear sight of what it needs to be and has three clear offerings to its visitors: Light (Installations/Displays), Live (Music/Performances), and Ideas (Discussions/Talks). Outdoing itself every year in terms of revenue generated and visitors served, Vivid Sydney today stands at the forefront of art festivals. While Vivid 2012 attracted 500,000 visitors generating around $10 million, Vivid 2017 saw a staggering 2.33 million attendees and contributed over $143 million into NSW’s economy!
Vivid Sydney Cruises
The staggering number of visitors every year might prove to be troublesome for first timers and returning visitors alike. Thankfully, you can stay away from the crowd and enjoy attractions from close by, on Vivid Sydney dinner cruises! You can enjoy the best views from prime vantage points from the waters, while feasting on a delectable dinner served hot to your table. Choose from a list according to your preferences and enjoy the best of what Vivid Sydney has to offer!
Vivid Light, Music and Ideas
Vivid Light transforms Sydney into a magical wonderland of light art sculptures, light installations and large-scale projections that everyone can enjoy for free. A celebration of light-design excellence, LIGHT transforms Sydney into the world’s largest outdoor art gallery. Engaging lighting artists, designers and manufacturers from around Australia, this event transforms Sydney’s urban spaces through their creative vision.
Vivid Music is a contemporary music program. With international as well as local artists performing at the iconic Opera House, large venues and small bars, Vivid Music hosts a lively range of artists. With incredible live performances and mesmerising music collaborations, Vivid Music has catered to every musical needs of all visitors alike.
Vivid Ideas is a culmination of innovation, creativity and community. Supporting creative industries and creating professional development opportunities, this program spans the innovation and imagination sector. The topics of discussion involve tech, start-up culture, design, architecture, film, visual and performing arts, advertising and marketing, animation, VFX, lighting and events.
This year, it’s nearly impossible to expect visitors from other parts of the world, due to the pandemic. However, we hold our expectations high to see the success of the event. Come, join us on board one of our luxury cruises and experience the grandeur of the festival, away from the crowd. Wait no more! Get your tickets today!
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