Sydney Harboiur to be Lit by World First Interactive Lighting

, has announced that Sydney Harbour Bridge will be the centrepiece of a new interactive light installation for Vivid Sydney, extending the Vivid Light Walk across the harbour into the North Sydney precinct for the first time.

Vivid partner, Intel Australia, has teamed up with Sydney-based lightwork innovators 32 Hundred Lighting to create a world-first immersive projection onto the bridge’s western face which will be controlled by the public from an interactive touch screen located on the Luna Park boardwalk.

From 6.00pm to midnight every night, between 24 May and 10 June, spectators will be able to choose the scene and colour of the projection beamed along the upper and lower arches and the road deck of the western face of Sydney Harbour Bridge.

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 is an exciting and ambitious expansion of Vivid Sydney in 2013.

“This year Sydney’s famous Harbour Bridge will come alive during Vivid with a spectacular display of light,” Mr Stoner said.

“In a world-first, the Harbour Bridge will become the centrepiece of an interactive light projection, allowing the public to play and interact with the bridge for the first time in its history.

“Last year Vivid attracted record crowds of more than 500,000 people. With the Sydney Harbour Bridge installation set to be visible from Balmain, North Sydney and a multitude of Harbourside vantage points on the Western side of the bridge, the event is now accessible to more people than ever before.

“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 Sydney in its best light to attract more visitors from overseas and interstate, and promote Sydney’s world-class creative industries.”

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 North Sydney and one of Australia’s most internationally recognisable 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 Harbour Bridge and showcase the amazing things that are made possible with Intel technology inside,” Ms Burleigh said.

“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.”

Intel has a history of innovative partnerships with Vivid Sydney. In 2012, Intel’s Director of Creative Innovation will.i.am visited Sydney to create a unique interactive lighting collaboration on the façade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia with Sydney artist Justene Williams.

Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase, said that in 2012 rising audience numbers demonstrated Vivid Sydney’s appeal to Sydneysiders, as well as interstate and international visitors.

“Vivid Sydney provides a truly global canvas and audience for our artistic, creative and business communities. The evolving 2013 program, including the spectacular installation announced today for Sydney Harbour Bridge with Vivid partner Intel, will be our most exciting to date,” Ms 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.”

North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson said the extension of the Vivid Light Walk into North Sydney was a coup for North Shore residents, offering new opportunities for locals to participate in one of Sydney’s largest and most spectacular public events.

“North Sydney Council is a proud supporter of this extension of the Vivid Sydney footprint. North Sydney will host an artisan and food market at Bradfield Park, directly beneath the spectacular Harbour Bridge structure,” Ms Gibson said.

“Vivid Sydney festival goers will be able to absorb some of the best views of Sydney Opera House and the city from this northside park. Other key vantage points will include Luna Park and Blues Point Reserve at McMahons Point.”

The full Vivid Sydney program is available at vividsydney.com