More than 2.2 million people attended Vivid Sydney 2022 before the lights were switched off at 11 PM (AEST) on Saturday 18 June, delivering the biggest, brightest, and most brilliant festival of creativity, innovation, and technology in the event’s 12-year history.
Following 23 days of illuminating light artworks, music performances and thought-provoking talks and immersive workshops, festival organizers today provided a beacon of light for fans of Australia’s largest event, announcing the festival dates for 2023.
Vivid Sydney 2023 will take place from Friday 26 May to Saturday 17 June and will feature for the first-time dedicated food programming – Vivid Food – which will sit alongside Light, Music and Ideas.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said Vivid Sydney continues to offer attendees new and fresh reasons to visit while turbocharging NSW’s visitor economy.
“Vivid Sydney provides a mid-year boon for restaurants, bars, cafes and retail in the central business district (CBD) and along the festival’s footprint. Participation figures for this year show that NSW has fallen back in love with Sydney,” Mr. Ayres said.
“In 2022, more than 650,000 Vivid Sydney attendees dined out on the footprint. Feedback indicates this Vivid Sydney has delivered industry with patrons on par with the pre-pandemic festive seasons. It is this natural synergy between the festival and dining out that has led us to introduce Vivid Food, which will give chefs, producers, restaurateurs and event companies the opportunity to create festival food events, stimulating visitation to CBD restaurants and venues and promoting Sydney as a global dining destination.”
Festival Director Gill Minervini added: “I’m thrilled that my first program for Vivid Sydney has been received so well. There has been a real buzz in Sydney over the last 23 nights and it’s wonderful to see so many people back in the CBD enjoying the essence of this great city and what makes it authentically unique.
“Vivid Sydney has provided a much-needed injection to Australia’s creative, entertainment, hospitality and tourism industries and with planning for the 2023 festival well and truly underway, I have no doubt that we will deliver a dynamic, thought-provoking and inspirational line-up in 12 months’ time.”
To relive the magic of the biggest, brightest and boldest Vivid Sydney ever, an incredible FPV (First-Person-View) drone fly-through shot by Destination NSW has been released. Audiences can take in 2022’s thrilling 8km Light Walk, the longest in the history of the event, stretching from Circular Quay to Central Station.
Captured over three mornings, micro drones provide a real-life, 2.5-minute journey past key light artworks and 3D projections including Yarrkalpa – Hunting Ground 2021 on the Sydney Opera House Sails, Ken Done’s For Sydney with Love on Customs House, New York Sunday on the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Ephemeral Oceanic on the waters of Walsh Bay, and Sydney Infinity, the largest light and water show ever seen in Australia at Darling Harbour.
Vivid Sydney 2023 Expressions of Interest (EOI) for Light, Music, Ideas and Food will open on Saturday 18 June. Light and Cross Art Form EOIs will close on Monday 1 August with Ideas, Music and Food closing on Monday 19 September. The Vivid Sydney EOI outlines opportunities for artists, designers, creative industry professionals, equipment suppliers, architects, engineers, businesses, restaurants, event companies, chefs, producers and educational institutions to present their ideas, designs, concepts and interest for inclusion in the festival program.
