New technology and displays to enhance returning Vivid 2022

After a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19 cancellations, Sydney’s Vivid festival of lights returns from tonight, with new displays and more powerful illuminations.

Starting as the sun sets this evening, Sydney's biggest arts festival will feature projections on the Opera House sails and Circular Quay ferries on the waterfront, mini events and exhibitions and 12 never-seen-before displays.

Running for the next 23 days to Saturday 18th June, Australia's largest light festival, will be welcoming a display team of 600 flying drones that are set to illuminate the sky over Sydney Harbour.

Behind the scenes, TDC - Technical Direction Company’s project managers, creative technologists, designers and engineers are driving the delivery of many of the technical aspects of the festival of ideas.

TDC are illuminating buildings and performance stages with the latest technical advances in LED and projection design and mapping. TDC provides backbone technology for signage systems for new immersive experiences on the Vivid Sydney Light Walk.

TDC LiveView technology will be in action with over 72 real-time digital way finders. TDC LiveView will guide the audience through the Vivid Sydney Light Walk based on real-time information from traffic management, police and emergency services to ensure a great audience experience.

Explaining the planning, TDC Technical Project Manager, Alex Rendell advised “after 12 months of planning, our team are so excited to be back working on Vivid Sydney again. The project is a huge logistical and technical rollout for us.

“It is going to be bigger and brighter than ever. Vivid Sydney will showcase the largest projection mapping display at any single event ever in Australia.”

Commenting on the innovation at the 12th edition of the event, newly appointed Vivid Sydney Festival Director, Gill Minervini stated "each year we are working to revitalize and give Vivid Sydney a new energy, made possible with the world's best technology and innovation.

“We rely on the most experienced technical collaborators such as TDC to make Vivid Sydney a unique visual spectacular. We can't wait to show everyone the results of all the hard work from our entire team working behind-the-scenes."

With the return of Vivid being of massive significance to the Sydney-based company, TDC founder and Managing Director, Michael Hassett added "the Australian events industry in particular was hard hit by Covid and it's great to see it start up again with new exciting technical achievements only to be seen at this year's Vivid Sydney.

“We are now seeing a trend where technology is shaping the future of Festivals in using brighter, extreme-scale visuals, combined with mind-blowing content. This is pushing artists and content creators to think beyond the traditional canvas to communicate, imagine and share experiences.”

Image: Sydney's Custom House illuminated for Vivid 2022. Credit; Vivid/Destination NSW.