Overview
With the impact of COVID-19 continuing to be felt worldwide — including in Australia, where mass gatherings of over 500 people will be banned from Monday, March 16 — everyone could use a little light in their lives at present. It won't be coming from the usually radiant Vivid Sydney, however, with with luminous annual festival cancelling its 2020 event.
In a short statement, the festival advised that "unfortunately, Vivid Sydney 2020 has been cancelled on the recommendations of the Australian Government and health authorities regarding non-essential, organised gatherings of more than 500 people".
On Facebook, it provided further details, explaining that "the decision to cancel was not taken lightly. Vivid Sydney must follow the advice of health officials to ensure the health and safety of attendees and everyone involved with the event".
The 2020 event was slated to take place from Friday, May 22–Saturday, June 13, and had already announced its first headliner for the year: US neo-soul singer and poet Jill Scott. Vivid was due to release its full lineup of gigs, installations, light shows and other cultural events this month.
Last year, the event attracted more than two million attendees, so its cancellation in the current circumstances doesn't come as a surprise — especially as other events are doing the same both locally and globally. Vivid joins a growing list of scrapped events and closed venues, with large swathes of cinemas shutting across Asia, the Middle East and Europe, and theme parks doing the same in Asia, Europe and the US as well. We've also seen the cancellation of Texan music and film festival South by Southwest and postponement of Coachella. More locally, both the Grand Prix in Melbourne and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Tasmania's Dark Mofo and the Sydney Royal Easter Show have all been cancelled.
Vivid Live 2020 will no longer take place from Friday, May 22–Saturday, June 13. For more information, visit the event's website.
To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website.
Top image: Hamilton Lund.