Trans-Tasman
Vivid Sydney 2021 is set to put on its most spectacular show yet.
Guide to Vivid Sydney 2021
On any night the sails of Sydney Opera House are magical to behold but from August 6 the wow-factor will be dialled up. That’s when the lights for Vivid Sydney 2021 go on and the Opera House becomes the backdrop for a digital rendition of an iconic Martu painting celebrating Australia’s indigenous culture.
The animated artwork, Yarrkalpa – Hunting Ground, 2021 by Martu artists, will be accompanied by a soundtrack and represents an intimate connection with country, cataloguing the seasons, traditional burning practices, cycles of regrowth, and ancestral stories.
The festival runs for 23 days and nights across five locations – Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and Luna Park
– all showcasing a mesmerising landscape of light artworks.
Resilience is the theme for this year’s free Light Walk, which will host the works of 59 light collaborators and 129 light artists from 19 countries with street installations reshaping old sights and giving never-before-lit buildings a new sparkle.
In Darling Harbour, a 100-metre floating Light Walk titled Ephemeral by Sydney artist Atelier Sisu will invite visitors to walk under more than 200 giant, bubble-like spheres hovering eight metres in the air, which Vivid Sydney festival director Gill Minervini imagines will be like “walking through a glass of Champagne”.
Vivid Sydney is more than just a light show. There are also 150 ticketed events for talks as well as underground music acts in unique venues and locations across the CBD. Topics for Vivid Ideas
Game Changers talks at the Sydney Town Hall include resilience, mental health and the role of nature and the arts in healing, and body politics.
In an exclusive live-streamed talk, British “feminist-in-progress”, actor and writer Jameela Jamil will talk body politics with author and political commentator, Jamila Rizvi. Jamil will discuss the importance of healthy self-image and the need for greater representation of diversity on stage and screens, as well as tackling the conforming nature of social media.
Māori soul singer Teeks will also be giving a performance during the festival, which also includes three light installations by New Zealand artists.
“Vivid Sydney is all about pushing the boundaries and transporting festivalgoers to our playground of the unexpected,” says Minervini. “It casts light on our lives through the creativity of artists, musicians and thinkers at a time when it’s really most needed. It’s encouraging us to come out and come together to celebrate the pure joy of a collective experience and appreciate the things that we once took for granted.”
Shining bright
Vivid Sydney runs from August 6 to 28 and is a Covid-safe event. Light walks around the city will move in one direction with marshals on hand to help with QR code check-ins.
When in Sydney
Home away from home, the Crystalbrook Albion in Surry Hills is a cosy and convenient base. It’s an easy stroll to Crown St, for great eateries including The Winery, and a short cab ride to the CBD. Help yourself to the honesty bar in the foyer and enjoy the rooftop garden, which overlooks the Former Primitive Church. The hotel itself is a former convent.
The décor is luxurious yet homely. Historical portraits of notable Surry Hills characters by Ann Cape decorate the walls beside a sculptured staircase. There are even pet-friendly rooms on the ground floor.
Responsible luxury is part of the mantra at Crystalbrook Albion, which has said no to plastic bottles and its coat hangers are made from 100 per cent pressed cardboard. It’s also removed 90 per cent of paper found in typical 5-star hotels by having in-room iPads. The Albion is also an ongoing partner of the Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef – a social movement designed to change consumer understanding of how everyday actions have an impact on the reef. Wi-fi is fast and free. crystalbrookcollection.com/albion
Relax and unwind
After shopping in the CBD we suggest stopping in at spaQ Sydney (49 Market St) at the QT Hotel for a soul-soothing spaQ Mastery Massage designed especially for you. Your body will thank you! qthotels.com/Sydney-cbd/spaq
Where to eat
Opera Kitchen on the waterfront beside the Sydney Opera House has recently been taken over by renowned chef Matt Moran. Enjoy a glass of prosecco with a poke bowl and watch out for the local dog patrol policing the local gang of seagulls. Prior to Seagull Patrol it was not unusual to see a steak literally fly off the plate here. operakitchen.com.au
The Grounds of the City in the CBD (500 George St) is nestled between The Strand Arcade and State Theatre. This Parisian-style bistro is buzzing day and night so it’s worth booking ahead. The menu has something for everyone. It’s hard to go past the house-made pastries and cakes. thegrounds.com.au
Continental Deli in Newtown offers a unique dining experience where much of the menu is served from tin cans including the cocktails. Try a Mar-Tinny, Cosmopoli-Tin or Can-Hattan with a selection of deli tinned fish options including La Belle Iloise Sardines or a three-cheese toasted sandwich. continentaldelicatessen.com.au
Broadway show
Sydney Lyric Theatre is currently the only place in the world where you get to see Broadway show Hamilton live. This spectacular show features an all-star cast including Kiwi Matu Ngaropo who plays George Washington. It tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, America’s most unlikely founding father, through hip-hop, jazz and R&B. If you’re not already a fan, you will be after seeing it. Hamilton is playing at the Lyric until November. hamiltonmusical.com.au