Brisbane shines bright with festival of light

Brisbane will come alive in September with a new laser light show, the first of its kind in Australia, lighting up the skyline as part of a free family event that celebrates the city.
Introducing the light show, which will feature as part of this year's Brisbane Festival, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh explained that it will fill the space between Kurilpa and Goodwill Bridges with a nightly choreographed spectacle that can be seen across the city.
Premier Bligh stated "nine months after the January floods, this year's Brisbane Festival is going to be bigger and better than ever. This is a powerful symbol that Brisbane is back in business and shining bright.
"The Queensland Government, through Events Queensland, is pleased to support this light show because it makes a statement about who we are - our strength, our resilience and the bright future ahead.
"I'd also like to thank Santos for their support for this fantastic addition to this year's festival which will be a real family event with a great community vibe."
Every night during the three weeks of Brisbane Festival, the main viewing area for the show, the Santos City of Lights, will be at South Bank's Cultural Precinct. The areas will be buzzing with festival atmosphere as people are welcomed at the Santos Lounge, music stages, food and beverage outlets, and other installations.
Internationally acclaimed Australian lighting designer John Rayment, who worked on the Sydney Olympics' opening ceremony, and creative director Tony Assness, who created the Australian launches of Moulin Rouge and Fox Studios, are working on this major project with Brisbane Festival.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Noel Staunton said Santos City of Lights would take advantage of the theatrical geography of Brisbane's landscape and give residents the opportunity to celebrate their city while seeing it from a whole new perspective, stating "Santos City of Lights will show Brisbane's beauty, by using the grandeur but intimacy of the river precinct to build moving light sculptures, set against soaring musical scores.
"It will provide a focal point for Brisbane Festival and a stunning free event for everyone to enjoy - people will tell their friends and come again and again. It will be reminiscent of dance, responsive to music, with intensity, movement, rhythm, tempo, flow, surprise and drama."