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TUMBALONG LIGHTS

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 17 SEPTEMBER - 9 OCTOBER

Together, we’ll combine the wonder of light and play to deliver Vivid Sydney’s inclusive playspace, Tumbalong Lights.

 

In 2021, Tumbalong Lights is back, bigger, better and more inclusive than ever. This experience offers visitors of all abilities the opportunity to connect, share, immerse, imagine and play, at a time when many of us have experienced distance and isolation.

 

Tumbalong Lights features unique installations that will surprise and delight visitors of all ages and abilities. Share an experience, capture a selfie and work together to simulate the magic of flight at the soaring wings of Up, Up and Away, create a spectacular illuminated tornado of light at Twist It, explore the illuminated gymnasium  underneath the amazing dome, Imaginasium, , create your avatar and immerse yourself in the virtual world of Neon City Heroes, and see things differently whilst viewing Visible by Bus Stop Films - a vibrant, heartfelt and authentic three-minute exploration of how it feels to be overlooked, forgotten and excluded.

 

Using universal design principles, we have created Vivid Sydney’s ultimate inclusive play experience, aligned with a set of playground rules that safely encourage exploration and imagination in the heart of Darling Harbour.

 

Back in its third rendition, Tumbalong Lights is brought to you by a collection of brands that share a passion for inclusion in the built environment.

Imaginasium

 IMAGINASIUM 

At the heart of Tumbalong Lights lies Imaginasium, an incredible dome-shaped sculpture inspired by returning Sydney-based visual artist with a disability, Digby Webster. Imaginasium is a take on an imaginative, immersive, illuminated and playful gymnasium. As Vivid Sydney welcomes back visitors in 2021, inspiring people of all ability to come together, the artwork on the dome expresses Digby’s interpretation of together.

 

As you step or roll underneath the dome, visitors can interact with the illuminated balls to instigate colour changes. These colour changes create dynamic energy throughout Digby’s unique artwork. Imaginasium also features foot-activated light tunnels running vertically up the spine of the installation structure which allows visitors of all abilities to play and participate in this spectacular sculpture. 

 

Twist It

TWIST IT

Get swept away as you join the fun on Twist It at Tumbalong Lights. Twist It requires visitors to come together to illuminate and spin the spinning, towering 4 metre sculptural tornado centerpiece of colour and light, in this accessible light installation.

 

Twist It integrates our natural desire to play with inclusive, universal design principles to ensure that every visitor can participate and enjoy the experience. As visually appealing for onlookers as it is engaging for participants, Twist Its 4 metre tall tornado centerpiece twists and contorts in a fluid motion as the lighting within changes from the motion of visitors stepping or rolling onto the interactive pressure plates. The unique colours within the centerpiece correlate with the colours of the pressure plates, and if all pressed together, create a spectacular rainbow illumination.

Up up and away

UP, UP AND AWAY

Up, Up and Away! encourages visitors to soar to new heights as it features 3 sets of weight activated wings standing at a dazzling 6.5 metres tall.

 

Visitors can roll or step onto wheelchair friendly pressure plates to activate the magical movement of wings. To complement this motion, the light patterns within Up, Up and Away! can be activated by visitors using hand gestures to allow for an inclusive experience for all visitors to Tumbalong Lights.

 

Up, Up and Away! is equally thrilling whether you’re participating or admiring from the side.

Neon City Heroes

NEON CITY HEROES

Let’s take a trip to Neon City as we harness technology to come together and become neon heroes and teleport into this futuristic, inclusive experience. Dr Jordan Nguyen and his Psykinetic team have created a virtual world for everyone to belong.

 

Create your own cartoon avatar at the Neon City Creation Zone – take your photo to map your face onto your character and choose your outfit colours – through our Neon Hero creation stations – even using just your EYES!

 

Under the stars at Tumbalong Lights, you can then watch your own digital superhero teleport into the projected world as they embark on Neon City adventures.

Visible

VISIBLE 

Visible is a short, inclusively made film about a teenager with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) who decides to assume the persona of a superhero in order to be noticed at school.

The film is based on the short story, “Secret” written by actress and filmmaker, Audrey O’Connor. Based on Audrey’s lived experience of being excluded as a teenager. The film is a vibrant, heartfelt and authentic three-minute exploration of how it feels to be overlooked, forgotten and excluded. Created through six inclusive filmmaking workshops with six filmmakers with intellectual disability through Bus Stop Films’ Accessible Film Studies Program at AFTRS and under the guidance and facilitation of writer/director Genevieve Clay-Smith.

Tumbalong Lights 2021 is proudly sponsored by

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