NEW EVENTS ANNOUNCED & FULL SPEAKER LINE-UP REVEALED:
AACTA Presents Hollywood Director Jocelyn Moorhouse In Conversation;
1st Ever Women In Electronic Music Symposium In Sydney;
Robowars Bring ‘Deathroll Crocodile’ In Australia For 1st Time &
Tickets Selling Fast To Game-Changers Talks: Spike Jonze, Jenji Kohan, Beau Willimon & Margaret Zhang
Vivid Ideas today finalised its 2016 program with more than 180 events & over 400 speakers from across the world. Launching its official event guide in Sydney today, Vivid Ideas unveiled several major new events & an expanded list of world class speakers to the line-up, confirming the 2016 program as the most ambitious yet.
Destination New South Wales (NSW) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Executive Producer – Vivid Sydney, Sandra Chipchase, said “The 2016 Vivid Ideas program is a dynamic showcase of art, creativity & innovation. It will bring to life inspiring success stories & spark important debates around the business of creativity. Showcasing Sydney at its cutting-edge best, it is a reminder that our city is a global world leader in creative innovation & ingenuity.”
Vivid Ideas will feature for the 1st time a special event presented by the Australian Academy Of Cinema & Television Arts (AACTA). Internationally acclaimed director of The Dressmaker, Jocelyn Moorhouse, will hold an In Conversation event on Thursday the 16th of June. In 30 years as writer-producer-director, Moorhouse has worked with many of the biggest names in film from Kate Winslet to Winona Ryder & Hugo Weaving to Colin Firth. Moorhouse will share her experiences of directing all-star casts & creating Australian cinematic masterpieces including The Dressmaker (5 AACTA Awards) & Proof (6 Australian Film Institute Awards).
In another 1st, Vivid Ideas will host a Women In Electronic Music Symposium on Saturday the 18th of June. Presented by Music NSW, it will bring together some of this generation’s trailblazing female dance music artists, disc jokeys & emerging producers for Australia’s very 1st Women In Electronic Music Symposium. Aimed at supporting, inspiring & promoting the brightest female artists in electronic music, this Sydney-exclusive will include a 3 day master-class series, debate panel & a 1-night-only showcase of female talent at the Vivid Ideas Exchange.
Vivid Ideas is also pleased to add 2016 NSW Woman Of The Year, Jen Armstrong. Jen is the founder of the Beauty Bank, a charity collecting unwanted toiletries & beauty products for women in need, particularly those experiencing domestic violence. It has helped over 3,000 women & men since 2013. A survivor of domestic violence, Jen is a passionate speaker about the effects of domestic violence & the power of resilience. She will share insights into promoting a culture of innovation by learning from our mistakes at Mistakability on the 7th of June.
Robot lovers will be pleased to hear the hugely popular Robowars have announced the Australian Premiere Rumble of their crocodile ‘Deathroll’ robot, fresh from the Los Angeles set of the Battlebots television (TV) show. Weighing in at 150 kilograms, this is a robot not to be messed with. Robowars returns to Vivid Ideas on the 5th of June for another epic showdown. Robots big and small & built by hand from metal, power tools and toy parts, battle it out in this 1 day event.
Yahoo & General Assembly will present one of the largest learning events ever staged in Sydney: Code in the Park on Saturday the 18th of June & it offers an introduction to coding for all ages and abilities. The event is designed to transform thinkers of today into creators of tomorrow. Expect an afternoon of inspirational digital speakers & interactive demonstrations by Australia’s tech innovators.
Technology will also be in focus at another new event, Creating Cut-Through Content on the 3rd of June. The average person consumes more than 10,000 pieces of digital content per day. With every brand out there becoming a publisher, how can you create content that cuts through the noise? Learn from the editors & publishers behind popular publications including Georgia Frances King (Editor, Kinfolk Magazine), Nick Shelton (Founder, Broadsheet) & Joanne Gray (Editor, Australian Financial Review’s BOSS Magazine).
The Media Architecture Biennale 2016 (MAB16) is also pleased to confirm global design leader, Carlo Ratti, as keynote speaker for its closing ceremony on June the 4th. Professor Ratti is an architect, engineer, inventor and educator at Boston’s prestigious Massachusetts Institute Of Technology & director of the SENSEable City Lab. He is at the forefront of connecting technology & the built environment. His Digital Water Pavilion at the 2008 World Expo was hailed by Time Magazine as “One of the best inventions of the year”. He has been included in Esquire Magazine’s ‘Best & Brightest List’, in Blueprint Magazine’s ‘25 People Who Will Change The World Of Design’ & in Forbes Magazine’s ‘People You Need To Know’ in 2011.
Tickets continue to sell quickly for the Vivid Ideas highlight Game-Changers talks featuring legendary filmmaker Spike Jonze, House Of Cards creator Beau Willimon, Orange Is The New Black writer and creator Jenji Kohan & Australian global fashion influencer Margaret Zhang. This series provides rare, behind-the-scenes insights into the creative workings of these cutting-edge cultural icons at the height of their industries. Early bird tickets to the Game-Changers Talk Series ends 22 April so book today to avoid missing out.
Running from the 27th of May to the 18th of June, Vivid Ideas is part of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music & ideas. Speakers & subjects span the creative industries including technology, start-up smarts, film, storytelling, design, architecture, visual arts & communication. At Vivid Ideas, makers, thinkers, pioneers & businesses come together for professional development, updates on relevant industries, market opportunities & world class innovation. The program builds engagement between the creative industries & the broader economy, exploring trends, movements & opportunities that shape society & business globally.
Vivid Sydney is owned, managed & produced by the NSW Government’s tourism & major events agency, Destination NSW. For more information about Vivid Ideas, visit www.vividsydney.com/ideas.
VIVID IDEAS HIGHLIGHTS BACKGROUNDER
GAME-CHANGERS TALKS HIGHLIGHTS
4 global icons of creativity will share their insights & experiences in shaping the creative landscape during the Game-Changers Talk Series.
BEAU WILLIMON (USA)
Screenwriter & producer, Beau Willimon, created House Of Cards, one of the most highly-acclaimed streaming series on screen today. Willimon offers insights into crafting drama, sharing his approach to collaboration & explaining the business behind producing quality content.
28th of May | Sydney Town Hall
MARGARET ZHANG (AUS)
Margaret Zhang is one of Australia’s most influential new creatives. She has built a global fanbase for her work as a stylist, photographer & creative director. On stage at Vivid Ideas, Margaret shares the journey of her career to this point, explains her approaches to collaborations and working with brands & takes your questions.
28th of May | Sydney Town Hall
SPIKE JONZE (USA)
Spike Jonze is a director, producer, writer & photographer. Recognised for his feature films (Her, Adaptation, Being John Malkovich), Jonze’s body of work is varied including music videos, commercials, TV & theatre. He is the co-creator and producer of the Jackass TV shows and films & currently is co-President of Vice’s new TV channel, Viceland.
5th of June | Sydney Town Hall
JENJI KOHAN (USA)
Writer & show creator, Jenji Kohan, creates unforgettable, complex & diverse characters and stories: The stunning success of Orange Is The New Black, now entering its 4th season, is proof of that. Kohan comes to Sydney to share with us her creative approach to storytelling & adapting to new models of TV.
10th of June | Sydney Town Hall
VIVID IDEAS HIGHLIGHT EVENTS
SEMI PERMANENT [Vivid Ideas Theme: Creating + Making]
Semi Permanent is an unique, live experience that brings together internationally renowned artists & creative icons to explore the power & future of design. Through a series of talks, panel discussions, exhibitions, workshops, installations & events, Semi Permanent is an opportunity to connect & collaborate. It is a hands-on, immersive experience that opens the doors to new relationships & new ways of thinking.
26th to the 28th of May | Carriageworks, Redfern
GOOD DESIGN FESTIVAL [Vivid Ideas Theme: Creating + Making]
Celebrating cutting-edge design & innovation, the 2016 Good Design Festival showcases the very best of design in Australia. For the 1st time ever, contenders for the prestigious Good Design Awards will be on display to the general public. See the latest innovations in product design, architectural design, digital design, communication design, service design & breakthroughs in social innovation and business design.
27th to the 29th of May | Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney
THE SUNRISE 2016: Australia’s Most Successful Founders Tell Their Stories [Vivid Ideas Theme: Leadership + Entrepreneurship]
Driven by Australia’s start-up success, The Sunrise delves deeper into the future of technology, business & fostering an innovative start-up ecosystem. It brings together a host of Australia’s most successful founders sharing the lessons & stories of how their companies were born & scaled.
30th of May | Carriageworks, Redfern
MAB16 [Vivid Ideas Theme: Built Environment]
In Sydney for the very 1st time, the MAB will bring together cutting-edge artists, civic leaders & academics to explore how technology & digital media can lead to more exciting, liveable city environments. The 4-day event includes a conference, series of exhibitions, symposia, workshops & an award ceremony.
1st to the 4th of June | The Concourse, Chatswood
REMIX SYDNEY – CULTURE, TECH, ENTREPRENEURSHIP [Vivid Ideas Theme: Communications + Audience Development]
Be inspired by 75 creative pioneers over 2 days exploring the future of culture, cities & the creative economy. Discover the latest trends at the intersection of culture, tech and entrepreneurship & meet potential collaborators across a diverse range of talks, panels, masterclasses, workshops and networking receptions.
2nd to the 3rd of June | Sydney Town Hall
MAKE NICE [Vivid Ideas Theme: Creating + Making]
The 1st of its kind in Australia, Make Nice is an event for, by & about creative women with an exclusive line-up of international & home-grown industry luminaries in an intimate un-conference format. Make Nice is about sharing knowledge between pioneering creative women during round-table discussions & forming genuine relationships with other attendees during programmed social events.
2nd to the 4th of June | Cake Wines Cellar Door & aMBUSH Gallery
DO GOOD, BE GOOD [Vivid Ideas Theme: Community + Social Impact]
Can art do good & be good? Are artistic excellence & social impact mutually exclusive ends? Explore these ideas with artist Steve Lambert (USA) alongside academics, cultural programmers, activists & artists focused on strategies for social change.
3rd of June | Seymour Centre
ETSY SYDNEY MADE MARKET [Vivid Ideas Theme: Creating + Making]
Celebrate all things handmade & meet local crafters, collectors, artisans and designers from etsy.com at the Etsy Sydney Made Market. Evoke your own passion for making & soak up the creative atmosphere.
4th of June | Pier 2/3, Walsh Bay
CONSCIOUS CHANGE MAKERS [Vivid Ideas Theme: Leadership + Entrepreneurship]
This dynamic summit explores the stories & statistics behind better business practices. It appeals to the innovators who care, the entrepreneurs who give back & the CEOs and board members who lead authentically because it’s who they are. It’s for anyone in business who wants the statistics & stories to validate their instincts, which tell them that ‘good business’ is good for everyone.
7th of June | Ivy Ballroom, Ivy Hotel
SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL [Vivid Ideas Theme: Storytelling]
Sydney Film Festival is one of the longest running film festivals in the world & is a major event on the NSW cultural calendar. Each year, the Festival brings the best new films from around the world to audiences right here in Sydney. The 63rd Sydney Film Festival runs from Wednesday the 8th to Sunday the 19th of June 2016 with 300+ screenings of 180+ films from 50+ countries, talks, questions & answers, parties, red carpets, special events & more!
8th to the 19th of June | Sydney Venues – Various
INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CREATIVE, ENTREPRENEURIAL & DIGITAL WOMEN [Vivid Ideas Theme: STEM + STEAM]
Less than a quarter of scientists, technologists, engineers, artists & mathematicians (STE(A)M) are women – and yet jobs that require these skills are the fastest growing & amongst the most highly paid. Hear from a panel of experts, teachers, industry leaders & girls themselves, about what is stopping girls from embracing STE(A)M & how we can help to inspire the next generation of young women to become innovators and entrepreneurs.
11th of June| Vivid Ideas Exchange
Media Release: Vivid Sydney
Sydney Spectaculars 