When Vivid launched in 2009, the concept of an Australian festival exclusively focused on large-scale light installations was a novel one. A decade and a half later, they’re everywhere.
This year’s Vivid festival attracted well over a million visitors and there is now a year-round calendar of similar festivals, exhibitions and installations in every state. Illuminate festival in Adelaide launched last year, but its co-artistic director, Lee Cumberlidge, says light festivalsare nothing new, citing examples from the ancient celebration of Diwali to the Fête des Lumières in Lyon, France, which has been running for more than 100 years.
