Shining brighter than ever

VIVID Sydney has kicked off its 10th-anniversary celebrations in style, with more than 330,000 Vivid Light Walk attendees turning out for the opening weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas. 

Weekends are by far the busiest time to see the lights and people are reminded that from tonight through until Sunday night there will be a one-way walking route in place on the Light Walk, so it’s important to plan ahead and be patient. 

Since launching the 2018 festival program, VividSydney.com has had more than a million visitors, the app has been downloaded almost 30,000 times and visitors are spreading the joy on social media. More than 13,000 people have already used the VividSydney hashtag and over 10,000 have shared incredible images and videos from the festival across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. 

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Picture Credit: Gunn Shots Vivid Sydney  via photopin

All lit up . . .

WITH less than ten weeks until Queenstown’s award-winning light festival illuminates the night sky, the countdown is officially on. The LUMA Southern Light Project returns to Queenstown, #NewZealand on the Queen’s Birthday Weekend (June 1 – 4) featuring a world light festival ‘first’ with four evenings of illuminated art, light sculptures and entertainment. 

The free public event focuses on the transformation of space, public interaction, art, culture and education, made possible by curated collections of stunning light sculptures and thought-provoking installations. Visitors can expect to be dazzled by an array of interactive and unique light displays, each one designed to encourage them to engage with the art and the surrounding Queenstown landscape. 

Set within the picturesque Queenstown Gardens and waterfront, visitors can explore the illuminated winter wonderland with hot food in hand warming their fingers, as the art captivates their minds. The ‘world festival first’ will see local and international artists collaborating on an instillation using over 90,000 individual light sources to turn trees in the Queenstown Gardens into an enchanted forest.

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400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage

THE official countdown to the 400th anniversary of the #Mayflower voyage will begin this Thanksgiving with a series of Illuminate events being held across eight destinations in the UK with links to the Mayflower Pilgrims. Each Illuminate event will include a range of events and activities including innovative light-based artworks, local choir performers and parades which reflect themes of freedom and liberty. 

This four nation commemoration aims to unite the nations of the UK, US, Netherlands and Native American people. The origin of the event and the light symbolism at the heart of Illuminate comes from a quote by William Bradford, one of the Mayflower Pilgrims who later became Governor of Plymouth Plantation: “‘…just as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many”.

In 2019, Illuminate will open the year-long #anniversary programme, and the commemorations will culminate in 2020 with a final Illuminate event. The aim is that the events of Illuminate do not stop after 2020 and that Illuminate will become a traditional and annual event. Each destination will have improved and developed their ability, knowledge and expertise to deliver high quality, high spectacle, light based, artist led participatory events for years to come.

www.mayflower400uk.org

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Discover Tasmania Discover Dark Mofo

MONA, the Museum of Old and New #Art in #Tasmania holds an annual winter festival, Dark Mofo which first arrived on the scene in 2013. The #festival aims to connect old winter solstice rituals whilst exploring the links with modern day mythology, celebrating dark through large-scale public art, food, film, music, light and noise.

Taking place from June 8-21 across Hobart, on Tasmania, with major exhibitions at the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) and the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG), a public art playground at Dark Park, international musicians and artists performing around the city.

The celebrations include the City of Hobart Dark Mofo Winter Feast on Hobart's waterside docks, the ogoh-ogoh parade and burning on the solstice night, and the annual Nude Solstice Swim in the River Derwent at sunrise to welcome back the return of the light after the longest night.

Much controversy is surrounding this years event in particular the planned killing of a bull in the Hermann Nitsch 150.Action which is scheduled for Saturday June 17. Nitsch has been a part of the Vienesse Actionist movement for over 50 years and is a highly respected international artist.

A number of events are free including the Hermann Nitsch 150.Action but they do require prior registration.

darkmofo.net.au

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Picture Credit: Pintrest

Shine a light on San Francisco

ILLUMINATE SF Festival of Light, now celebrating it's fourth year, shines a light on 35 dramatic, eco-friendly light art installations accessible by public transport and free for all. 

From Thanksgiving 2016 through New Year’s Day 2017 celebrate the power of light and tour San Francisco’s art installations by a diverse range of local and world renowned light artists. 

“#San Francisco is the apex of technology and culture,” said Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association, “It is our hope that visitors not only get to experience the sparkle of The Bay Lights, but the truly vibrant gallery of light that is San Francisco.”

The 39-day celebration offers artist talks, Museum Saturdays, neon light tours and a stargazing party in the Presidio during the longest nights of the year. These free tours, talks and participatory experiences will once again highlight the newest permanent and temporary installations. This, all in addition to the city's crown jewel, Leo Villareal's, The Bay Lights, now permanent and dazzling and best viewed when the sun sets just before 5 p.m. throughout December.

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Picture Credit: Guner Gulyesil <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/76786399@N07/27985971685">Golden Gate</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com