Leading Designs, Artists, Designs and Tech Minds Head to Vivid Sydney for Innovative Business Building

Sydney, New South Wales -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/21/2013 -- Tickets to the Vivid Sydney festival's Vivid Ideas program which features key creative industries leaders from around the globe are in high demand in the lead up to the 18 day celebration of lights, music and ideas (May 24 – June 10), with some sessions at the Vivid Ideas Exchange selling out completely and many others selling fast.

Popular business building creative sessions that have now sold out include Co-Create the Experience, featuring streetwear entrepreneur Johnny Cupcakes; Noise: Knock Knock Artist Talks, which showcases young Australia's graffiti, illustration and graphic arts scene; and How to Build a World-Class Creative Environment, which explores what makes creative people tick.

Also selling fast is Glasgow artist David Shrigley's session How are you Feeling? and from the Vivid Ideas signature program The Ten Commandments of Creative Practice, Make Data Beautiful, Embrace Mutations and Transform Your City. Also incredibly popular this year is The Making of…series including The Making of…A Blockbuster Game, The Making Of... A Mobile Game and The Making Of...The Future of Performance.

Vivid Ideas Festival Director, Jess Scully, said with some of the world's leading game designers, artists, marketers, designers and tech-minds coming to Sydney for exclusive presentations at Vivid Ideas, this was a fantastic opportunity to learn from the best and to gain an insight into the trends and advances that will shape business and the creative industries for the year to come.

"There's less than two weeks to go before Australia's biggest creative think-tank takes over Sydney and it's clear the creative industry are craving these sessions that showcase success in creative business environments. Get in now to be on top of the latest global developments and to access the people and tools you need to flourish in the creative economy," said Scully.

"The Making Of… series gives unprecedented access to the people who drive complex collaborations and creative products. It's a chance to go behind the scenes and discover the processes and systems leading companies employ to produce, promote and distribute their work.

"Prioritize Creativity is a must for anyone involved in the creative and cultural sector. This session presents a unique opportunity to hear first-hand about the three levels of new cultural policies being implemented by governments, and to ask your questions about where you can find the funding and support to build your career as an artist, performer or musician.

"There really is something for everyone this year – with events covering fashion, design, theatre, film, photography, publishing, gaming, animation, music, technology, lighting, architecture, education and even gastronomy; it's all here at Vivid Ideas.

"With over 120 creative industries businesses from design to technology and publishing to education taking part in Vivid Ideas, the industry and business event pillar of Vivid Sydney continues to expand at a rapid pace, celebrating our city as the creative industries' capital of Australia."

Vivid Ideas offers a world-class program of free and ticketed talks, collaborations and discussion panels held across Sydney with the Vivid Ideas Exchange returning to Level 6 of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia as the buzzing creative hub of Vivid Sydney.

Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said the Vivid Ideas program is part of what makes Vivid Sydney, the city's major winter event, a unique platform for global creative industries to come together in a striking harborside city to network, share ideas and do business.

"Vivid Sydney is like no other event in the world. Destination NSW is proud to present this platform to highlight Australia's global city to local and international audiences and deliver a forum for the creative industries to collaborate, foster business connections and showcase new ideas," said Chipchase.

Tickets are now available to the complete Vivid Ideas program, which attracts creative professionals from across the globe to Sydney each winter. To find out more and purchase tickets visit http://vividsydney.com

Now in its fifth year, Vivid Sydney is owned and managed by Destination NSW with the NSW Government as the major investor, and is one of five signature events on the NSW Events Calendar.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Sydney, New South Wales -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/05/2013 -- The Sydney Harbor Bridge will be the centerpiece of an interactive light installation for Vivid Sydney, bringing world-class lighting artistry to one of Australia's most internationally recognized landmarks.

Vivid Sydney event partner, Intel Australia has teamed up with Sydney-based lighting innovators; 32 Hundred Lighting, to create an immersive projection onto the bridge's western face which will be controlled by the public from an interactive touch screen.

32 Hundred Lighting will design the installation including 100,800 individual programmable LEDs and a state-of-the-art custom-designed software program with an interactive touch screen interface.

NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Stoner said the extension of Vivid Light to a Sydney icon in collaboration with Intel foregrounded an ambitious expansion of Vivid Sydney in 2013.

"It is a world-first that a structure of such international architectural significance will become the centerpiece of an interactive light projection.

"In only few short years Vivid Sydney, which is owned and managed by Destination NSW, the State's major events and tourism agency, has grown to be the largest festival of light, music and ideas in the Southern Hemisphere, and in 2013 we will raise the bar once again to showcase our city in its best light and promote Sydney's creative industries," said Stoner.

Intel Australia's Managing Director, Kate Burleigh, said Intel was delighted to be involved with Vivid Sydney for a third consecutive year to bring the lights of Vivid to one of Australia's most internationally recognizable landmarks.

"Intel is excited to be partnering with Vivid Sydney and 32 Hundred Lighting to create an installation that will cast new light on the Sydney Harbor Bridge and showcase the amazing things that are made possible with Intel technology inside."

"Technology is the digital paintbrush that makes installations like this possible. We look forward to presenting one of the showstoppers of this year's event together with 32 Hundred Lighting and the thousands of 'artists' who will interact with the bridge every night."

Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase, said: "Vivid Sydney is continuing to capture the attention of the global creative industry and reinforce Sydney's position as Australia's true global city and creative hub of the Asia Pacific."

Stills are available at http://www.vividsydney.com/media-centre/

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Sydney, New South Wales -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/21/2013 -- NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Stoner, has today announced German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk as headline act for the Vivid LIVE program at Sydney Opera House during Vivid Sydney 2013.

"Vivid Sydney continues to attract the world's most outstanding talent, with German legends Kraftwerk set to perform at the Sydney Opera House fresh on the back of performances at the MoMA in New York and TATE Modern in London," Mr Stoner said.

"Kraftwerk will present their acclaimed retrospective series in eight unique performances at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid LIVE.

"Now in its fifth year, Vivid Sydney, which is owned and managed by Destination NSW, the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency, has become a wonderful platform to highlight Australia's global city to the world by featuring some of the biggest names in music, lighting artistry and ideas, to local and international audiences.

"In 2013, this 18-day festival of light, music and ideas, the biggest in the southern hemisphere, will take place in Sydney from 24 May to 10 June."

The performances by Kraftwerk, dubbed THE CATALOGUE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, will showcase nearly 40 years of musical and technical innovation, including new improvisations, 3D projections and animation. Commencing with Autobahn, each night covers one of Kraftwerk's groundbreaking studio albums in full and appear in order of their release — Autobahn (1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), Computer World (1981), Techno Pop (1986), The Mix (1991) and Tour de France (2003) — alongside additional compositions from their back-catalogue.

Fergus Linehan, Festival Director of Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House, said: "We are thrilled to have Kraftwerk in residence for Vivid LIVE following the phenomenal reaction to their performances in MoMA and TATE Modern. Book your Sydney flights and hotels now - these eight concerts are a mind-melting feast for the eyes and the ears that are sure to sell out. It is a huge coup for Sydney."

Mr Stoner said the first announcement for the Vivid LIVE component of Vivid Sydney was a sign of exciting expansion across all tiers of Vivid Sydney in 2013.

"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," Mr Stoner said.

"Vivid Sydney has firmly established its credentials as a 'must see' global event and continues to highlight Sydney as the creative hub of the Asia Pacific, and will continue to grow and surprise audiences in 2013.

"In 2013, 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)."

Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase, said that in 2012 rising audience numbers demonstrated the events appealed with Sydneysiders as well as interstate and international visitors alike.

"Vivid Sydney raises the creativity bar every year, and in 2013 we will see 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 Creative Adviser, Ignatius Jones, said: "Vivid 2013 will see its largest expansion yet: in footprint, in technology and in sheer artistry. We will be presenting several massive installations that have simply never been seen in this country before, a much-expanded program of light art and a far greater proportion of international participation in our public-facing attractions. We will also continue to lead the world in sustainable, carbon-neutral programming—a principle which has always been a founding tenet of Vivid Sydney."

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 will be announced in March.

HOW TO BOOK

For more information on Vivid Sydney 2013, including SPARC International Lighting Event and the Australian International Design Festival, visit www.vividsydney.com

Sydney Opera House expects demand for tickets will be high for Kraftwerk's unique series of concerts exclusive to Sydney based on recent success in New York and London. To ensure everyone has an equal chance to purchase tickets SOH have put in place an online application process. This will minimise the congestion through sales channels and fairly distribute tickets to fans across time zones, states and countries.

Apply for your tickets anytime between Mon 25th Feb 2013 (from 9am) and Friday 1st March 2013 (midnight AEST). Tickets will not be allocated on a first come first served basis, all applications received during this period will be equally considered. To apply go to www.sydneyoperahouse.com/kraftwerk

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Festival of Lights, Music and Ideas Expected to Generate Tens of Millions of Dollars in New Business

Sydney, New South Wales -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/19/2012 -- NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Stoner said Sydneysiders should celebrate the myriad success generated for the State by the recent Vivid Sydney Festival.

"Initial results for the 18-­?day festival of light, music and ideas reveal Vivid Sydney delivered new record crowd numbers, global media coverage in over 150 countries, and tens of millions of dollars in new business generated during the event," said Stoner.

"Now in its fourth year, Vivid Sydney has firmly established its credentials as a 'must see' global event and positioned Sydney as a place to do business for the creative industries during the festival period and beyond. Early results from the research into Vivid's industry events indicate that it provided the ideal environment for business to be conducted, with around 100 industry and sector-­?focused events yielding many new relationships and investments.

"Preliminary feedback has suggested that deals signed between creative industry businesses during Vivid will be worth tens of millions of dollars. Furthermore, hundreds of newly formed relationships between creative industry professionals were developed at Vivid from which significant future business is expected to come."

Images and articles about Vivid Sydney were broadcast and published around the world from Moscow to Mongolia, showcasing not just the impressive URBANSCREEN work on the Sydney Opera House sails, but many of the more than 60 light art installations by artists from all over the world.

The Vivid LIVE music program at Sydney Opera House featured special performances by Florence + the Machine, Janelle Monae and Karen O's Stop the Virgens among others, attracting more than 37,000 people to 26 ticketed events over 10 days and generating a $2.4m gross box office. Audiences also connected with Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House on the web, with over 1.2m views to date of exclusive online content, including 900,000 views of performances live streamed on YouTube by The Temper Trap, Amon Tobin, Imogen Heap and URBANSCREEN's Lighting the Sails.

The Vivid Ideas Exchange, doubled to over 100 events in 2012, wrapped up last weekend with more than 7,500 people attending 14 days of talks, workshops and networking events including keynote talks from Cory Doctorow, author and co-­?founder of world famous weblog Boing Boing; Chad Dickerson, CEO of Etsy; UK fashion talent, Henry Holland, from House of Holland; Jake Nickell, founder of Threadless, and an appearance by VICE founder and CEO Shane Smith.

In the final week, Vivid Ideas hosted a panel at its headquarters, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, with the artist who conceived the Vivid Light concept for the new building, Black Eyed Peas frontman and Intel's Director of Creative Innovation will.i.am, who joined the public to 'play the building' with the Spinifex-­? created art, sound and light installation.

Other Vivid Sydney industry events, including Mumbrella 360, Song Summit and X Media Lab, drew crowds in excess of 2,500. The over-­?subscribed X Media Lab, which was held over the last weekend of Vivid Sydney and featured keynote speakers from around the world, selected 16 world-­?class projects to be hot-­?housed in the one-­?on-­?one mentor environment.

Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said impressive crowd numbers over the entire 18-­?day festival, even during rainy weather, had exceeded expectations and was testament to early research results that showed Sydneysiders and visitors alike embraced the event, particularly the Vivid Light program.

"Vivid Light raises the creativity bar every year as we see more intricate and complex designs alongside beautiful simplicity all to delight festival goers. Vivid Sydney provides a true global canvas and audience for our artistic and creative community," said Chipchase.

"There are now dozens of interactive installations that have entertained crowds of all ages on both large and small scales. Crowd favorites included the alarming and fun 'Screaming Rapture', which had groups of strangers gather together nightly to shout and scream at the sound activated light work in First Fleet Park, and Campbell's Cove, where along the harbor foreshore a literal playground of light installations have featured against the backdrop of URBANSCREEN's extraordinary Lighting the Sails on the Sydney Opera House.

"This year a new innovation has been mobile and graffiti style installations that have utilized social media, and clever concepts like 'Come to your Census' at Cadmans Cottage that featured real Australian Bureau of Statistics data to generate a highly intelligent, personalized and visual viewer experience.

"The extension of Vivid Sydney into the arts precinct of Walsh Bay has also proved successful with good crowd numbers visiting the 13 installations and particularly seeking out the popular and interactive 'Fractured Heart' created by the Illuminart team and ARIA Award-­?winning performer, Gotye.

"The light works are showcasing not just outstanding creativity -­? the event is inspiring brilliant collaborations between artists, even musicians such as Gotye and will.i.am, and designers. This collaborative approach was enhanced by great sponsors like Intel who could utilize their advanced technology as part of the event.

"Destination NSW also ran a social media campaign on Weibo, China's most popular microblogging site, and more than 4,000 Chinese visitors came to Sydney during Vivid as a result."

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.

Broadcast materials can be downloaded from: https://vimeo.com/vividsydney/
Vivid Sydney stills are at Destination NSW Media Centre: http://www.vividsydney.com/media-centre/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Sydney, New South Wales -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/15/2012 -- Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner has announced today that global creative icon will.i.am will join a stellar line-up of international artists, musicians, and thought leaders appearing at Vivid Sydney 2012.

As Director of Creative Innovation for Intel, will.i.am will participate in Vivid Sydney on a world-first interactive lighting collaboration on the facade of the recently constructed new wing of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) with renowned Sydney artist Justene Williams, facilitated by world-leading Sydney digital arts company Spinifex.

will.i.am first came to prominence as founder and creative force behind The Black Eyed Peas, one of the biggest, most successful hip-hop acts in the world, boasting 31 million album sales worldwide.

Mr Stoner said the participation of world-renowned creative talent will.i.am was evidence that Vivid Sydney, an event developed by the NSW Government through Destination NSW which will run from 25 May-11 June, was coming of age as a global festival and creative industry event.

"The NSW Government welcomes will.i.am as part of an exciting line-up of global artists and thought leaders taking part in Vivid Sydney," Mr Stoner said.

"Vivid Sydney is a forum for the creative industries to collaborate, foster business connections and showcase new ideas, and will.i.am's participation is a mark of the festival's standing amongst creative industry leaders worldwide," Mr Stoner said.

In what is believed to be a world first, the lighting collaboration will allow members of the public to literally 'play the building' via a purpose-built interface that interacts with will.i.am's music and the projections of renowned Sydney artist Justene Williams.

Vivid Sydney Creative Adviser Ignatius Jones said: "This is another first for Vivid Sydney: a trans-Pacific collaboration between an amazing Sydney artist, leading Sydney digital creative, and one of the world's most influential musicians. It puts a wonderful new toy into the hands of the public: for the first time, you can literally create a song and a work of art simultaneously."

As participants wave their hands in the air they can rearrange will.i.am's loops and samples, controlling the tone and arpeggiation. Justene Williams' created objects also 'shape' the music; the music in turn shapes the art, creating a completely unique and ever-evolving interactive work.

Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said: "Vivid Sydney is continuing to capture the attention of the global creative industry generating visitation from within our key tourism markets, and reinforcing Sydney's position as Australia's true global city and creative hub of the Asia Pacific.

"It is now the largest festival of light, music and ideas in the Southern Hemisphere, and was recently ranked by the UK's influential Guardian newspaper as one of the 'Top 10 Ideas Festivals in the World'," Ms Chipchase said.

Kate Burleigh, General Manager, Intel Australia, said: "Intel is proud to be a Vivid Sydney partner and contribute to the festival by bringing world-leading artist will.i.am to Sydney. As a musician, producer, and creator, will.i.am demonstrates what amazing, world-first innovations can be created with technology," Ms Burleigh said.

Liz Ann McGregor, Director of the Museum of Contemporary said: "The MCA is thrilled to have played a role in bringing together of one of today's most exciting music stars with an innovative Australian contemporary artist—the project can only further promote Sydney's reputation as an exciting creative city."

Further details about will.i.am's participation in Vivid Sydney will be announced in the near future.

The full Vivid Sydney program is available at http://vividsydney.com

Vivid Sydney 2012 artist impressions are available at http://vividsydney.com/media-centre

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The Annual Festival of Lights, Music, and Ideas

Sydney, New South Wales -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/07/2012 -- Next Friday night the lighting of the sails of Sydney Opera House will herald the opening of Vivid Sydney, the annual festival of light, music and ideas, bringing the city alive with creativity in precincts from Walsh Bay, through The Rocks to Circular Quay and Sydney Opera House.

Vivid Sydney, developed and managed by Destination NSW on behalf of the NSW Government, is the biggest winter festival for the city with free and ticketed events running for 18 days from 25 May – 11 June.

From families looking for an entertaining night out, to city locals and visitors wanting a new way to explore the city after dark, music lovers or those interested extending their creative minds through discussion and collaboration, Vivid Sydney has something for all to experience.

Highlights of Vivid Sydney 2012 include:

- Lighting the Sails – a visual feast of colour lighting and digital mastery illuminating Sydney Opera House created by multi-award winning German design team URBANSCREEN as part of Vivid LIVE
- Vivid Light – More than 60 interactive and immersive light installations from Walsh Bay, through to The Rocks and Circular Quay, huge 3D digital mapping projections across the city scape including projections on the Museum of Contemporary Art and Customs House, and three never seen before mobile light artworks which will change location each night.
- Vivid Ideas – connecting Australia's creative thinkers with global leaders and industry talents in over 100 creative industry and public events exploring topics ranging from electronic gaming to fashion, film craft, design and publishing to architecture and photography.
- The new Vivid Ideas program at the Museum of Contemporary Art features key note speakers; Cory Doctorow, author and co-founder of world famous weblog Boing Boing; Chad Dickerson, CEO of Etsy; UK fashion talent, Henry Holland, from House of Holland, Jake Nickell, founder of Threadless and an appearance by VICE founder and CEO Shane Smith.
- Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House – featuring over 25 events, including two world premieres and several Sydney exclusive performances by international and local artists including Florence + the Machine, The Temper Trap and Janelle Monae.
- Creative industry conferences including Global Media Ideas by X Media Lab, The Song Summit, Mumbrella 360, CeBIT Australia and SPARC Design.

Media Events:

PHOTO CALL - preview of SELECT Vivid Sydney light installations:
Thursday 24 May at 6.00pm, First Fleet Park, adjacent to the Museum of Contemporary Art

Lights On, Vivid Sydney:
See over 60 light installations and projections for Vivid Sydney, including the lighting the sails of Sydney Opera House. Friday 25 May at 6.00pm - Register for media exclusive access viewing locations.

IMAGES AND INTERVIEWS WITH THE ARTISTS AND FESTIVAL DIRECTORS ARE AVAILABLE.

Vivid Sydney is one of five signature events in the NSW Events Calendar supported by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.

The full Vivid Sydney program is available at http://www.vividsydney.com

Vivid Sydney 2012 artist impressions are available at http://www.vividsydney.com/media-centre

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Chicago, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2012 -- NSW Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner has announced details of the 18-day Vivid Ideas program (25 May - 11 June 2012) consisting of creative industry and public events that will focus on creative ideas, discussion and collaboration.

Mr Stoner said: "Vivid Ideas will connect Australia's creative industries with global leaders and emerging talent in over 100 events, more than double the creative industry events of previous years. These events will cover topics from electronic gaming, fashion, film, and design to publishing, architecture and photography.

"Sydney is the creative capital of Australia with around 150,000 people in NSW directly employed in creative industries," Mr Stoner said.

As part of Vivid Ideas, the new Vivid Ideas Exchange will be located at the Museum of Contemporary Art, hosting an industry-curated program that will be the creative hub of Vivid Sydney where technology, art and commerce intersect.

This year's program will consist of a selection of international keynote talks, information sessions and discussion panels all open to the public and industry only events including conferences, workshops, networking and fundraisers. The public program includes a range of free and ticketed events priced from $15 to $30 on sale at http://www.vividsydney.com.

Highlights from the program include keynote talks from Cory Doctorow, author and co-founder of world famous weblog Boing Boing; Chad Dickerson, CEO of Etsy; UK fashion talent, Henry Holland, from House of Holland, Jake Nickell, founder of Threadless and an appearance by VICE founder and CEO Shane Smith.

Other exciting additions are a partnership with the Sydney Film Festival; the Etsy Success Sydney microbusiness conference; ABC Rage 25th anniversary exhibition at Carriageworks; and a direction-setting think tank with 120 invited industry leaders on building the creative economy in NSW.

Major industry events include Song Summit, X Media Lab, Mumbrella 360, CeBIT Australia and SPARC Design.

Vivid Ideas Festival Director, Jess Scully said the Vivid Ideas program will build on the growth of three years of industry conferences and the public-facing Vivid Creative Sydney program.

"Vivid Ideas is a summit, forum and a playground for the creative industries to challenge and inspire ideas, and to connect our creators with the support networks and expert guidance that helps convert ideas into applied innovation," she said.

Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said this year's Vivid Ideas program is a coming of age for the festival with a record number of business events on the program.

"Destination NSW in partnership with the NSW Department of Trade and Investment is committed to growing the business potential of Vivid Sydney as a platform for the creative industries to collaborate, foster business connections and showcase new ideas.

"The festival is a ground breaking event model developed by Destination NSW. As well as providing entertainment for the public and attracting visitors, it's a stage for creative industry events and many associated business events.

"The Vivid Ideas program, one of the three pillars of Vivid Sydney - light, music and ideas, celebrates the creative industries and has a global outlook that will appeal to creative industry professionals across Australia and the world," she said.

Vivid Sydney is the largest festival of light, music and ideas in Southern Hemisphere and a major celebration of the creative industries.

Vivid Sydney was recently ranked as one of the world's top ten ideas festivals by the influential Guardian newspaper in the UK.

The festival is one of five signature events on the NSW Events Calendar developed by Destination NSW on behalf of the NSW Government.

The full Vivid Sydney program is available at http://www.vividsydney.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Chicago, IL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/16/2012 -- Vivid Sydney is back for its fourth year, with a program that according to Destination NSW will transform the city at night into a colourful canvas of light, music and ideas.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Trade and Investment, Andrew Stoner today announced that the festival's lighting centrepiece, the lighting of the Sydney Opera House sails would be designed by German light collective, URBANSCREEN.

Mr. Stoner joined this year's three Festival Directors at Sydney Opera House to announce the Vivid Sydney 2012 program. Anthony Bastic presented the Vivid Light selections. Fergus Linehan unveiled the Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House music line-up and Jess Scully outlined an 18 day and night Vivid Ideas program.

"As the major investor in the festival, the NSW Government is committed to supporting and growing Vivid Sydney, an event that has been truly embraced by Sydneysiders and visitors alike.

"Last year Vivid Sydney attracted more than 400,000 people and in 2012 we expect up to 500,000 people will attend the festival from the 25 May - 11 June. Destination NSW estimates Vivid Sydney 2012 will inject more than $10 million in new money for the State," he said.

Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said Vivid Sydney, developed by Destination NSW, has become an international success story reinforcing Sydney's position as Australia's global tourism and events city.

"As the largest annual festival of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, Vivid showcases Sydney as the creative industries hub of the Asia Pacific.

"Vivid Sydney was recently ranked as one of the world's top ten ideas festivals by the influential Guardian newspaper in the UK; being named alongside SXSW and TedX is a major endorsement of the festival.

"Images of the illuminated Sydney Opera House sails have been seen by tens of millions of people across the globe, in all of our key tourism markets. Last year 45,000 interstate and overseas visitors attended Vivid Sydney," she said.

Vivid Sydney Creative Advisor, Ignatius Jones said once again audiences would be wowed by a world-class festival program where the best, brightest and most innovative talent in the creative industries from both here and overseas come and play with light, music and ideas that will dazzle and amaze.

The festival includes free and ticketed events around Circular Quay, The Rocks, the Museum of Contemporary Art and Sydney Opera House.

The hugely popular Vivid lights will be switched on every night of the festival from 6.00pm to midnight in a free lighting display around The Rocks and Circular Quay, featuring 50 interactive and immersive light art sculptures, illuminated skyscrapers and large scale 3D mapping projections on the Sydney Opera House, Museum of Contemporary Art and Customs House.

Vivid Light Festival Director, Anthony Bastic has selected light art works from around the globe including France, Poland, Hong Kong, Scotland, USA, Brazil, Singapore and New Zealand. Australians feature from Sydney, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and regional NSW from Wagga Wagga, Goulburn, Maitland and Newcastle.

Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House will feature a line-up of local and international artists hand selected by Festival Director, Fergus Linehan. Cutting edge, German projection artists, URBANSCREEN, have been invited to weave their creative magic across Sydney Opera House in the festival favourite, 'Lighting the Sails'.

The astounding line-up of local and international artists, includes opening night act – the critically acclaimed English artist Florence + The Machine who will perform with the Ceremonial Orchestra taking over the Concert Hall.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O. will present her 'Psycho Opera' Stop The Virgens; R&B superstar Janelle Monae will make her long awaited Australian debut with 'The ArchAndroid Orchestra'; and New York's finest creative minds Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhly and Sufjian Stevens will collaborate on a special commission for Vivid LIVE.

The theatrically lit up canvas of the city will provide the backdrop for the biggest meeting of creative industries coming to Sydney to collaborate, foster business connections and showcase new ideas.

This year's festival has more than doubled the creative industry events with over 100 specialist and collaborative events in the Vivid Ideas program curated by Festival Director, Jess Scully.

"Vivid Ideas will attract global industry leaders alongside emerging talents, coming together over an 18 day program of discussion, debate and workshops at the new Vivid Ideas Exchange located at the Museum of Contemporary Art," said Mr Jones.

Highlights from the Vivid Ideas program include a partnership with the Sydney Film Festival, keynote talks from Chad Dickerson, CEO of Etsy and UK fashion talent, Henry Holland, to House of Holland and creative industry conferences X Media Lab, Song Summit, Mumbrella360 and CeBIT Australia.

Mr Stoner said I strongly encourage Sydneysiders and visitors to step out during Sydney's mild winter and experience Vivid Sydney 2012.

"Vivid Sydney has a record number of creative industry events and we invite creative practitioners from across Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific to come to Sydney to share ideas from around the world," he said.

Vivid Sydney is one of five signature events in the NSW Events Calendar developed by the NSW Government through Destination NSW.

The full Vivid Sydney program is available at http://vividsydney.com

Vivid Sydney 2012 renders are available at http://vividsydney.com/media-centre

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm