Nick Reece reveals plan to bring smaller version of Sydney’s Vivid festival to Melbourne

Lord Mayor Nick Reece has unveiled his plan to bring a smaller, more budget version of Sydney’s Vivid festival to Melbourne, vowing to adapt the popular event to suit our city’s “vibe”.

Lord Mayor Nick Reece is looking to deliver a smaller and cheaper Vivid-style festival next winter to boost the economy during a traditionally slow time of year.

The new festival, which Mr Reece promised during the election, would include lighting displays – a key part of Vivid – on heritage buildings, food offerings, arts installations such as sculptures and live music.

Mr Reece said the new festival would be adapted to suit Melbourne’s strengths.

“Melbourne shouldn’t replicate Vivid, but there are some ideas we could upscale to suit our vibe,” he said.

“Melbourne isn’t a city that hibernates – it’s a city that embraces the opportunities longer nights bring.”

“I think there is scope to elevate our existing winter offerings and there are a lot of positive conversations happening across government and industry.”

The Vivid festival lights up Sydney. Picture: Steve Christo

Art is projected on to the Sydney Opera House for Vivid. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Last month, Mr Reece and the City of Melbourne’s CEO Alison Leighton got a briefing from Chair of Destination NSW Sally Loane on Vivid Sydney while the pair visited the Harbour City on a ratepayer-funded trip.

Vivid is the Southern Hemisphere’s largest multi-art festival and includes and runs for 23 days. It includes art installations, light projections, dance performances, live music, food and seminars. It is billed as a “celebration of creativity, innovation and technology”.

It’s understood that Mr Reece is looking to the Victorian government to invest about $2.5m to deliver the new festival.

The new festival would include lighting displays on Melbourne’s heritage buildings. Picture: Mark Dadswell

The Herald Sun asked the Victorian government if it would consider financially backing Mr Reece’s proposal but it did not answer the question.

A Victorian government spokesman said: “As Australia’s major events and creative capital, we’re always working to secure major events that boost tourism and support jobs across the state.”

The last public cost estimate for putting on Vivid Sydney was from 2010 and it cost $8m.

An events industry insider said NSW was likely spending $12m to $15m to put on Vivid Sydney in 2025.

Mr Reece said the new festival would be adapted to suit Melbourne’s strengths. Picture: Jason Edwards

It’s understood the Mr Reece’s plan for a new festival – which he called the City Solstice Winter Festival during the election campaign – would run for between four and five days.

However, an existing festival delivered by the City of Melbourne may be scrapped to accommodate the mini Vivid pushed by Mr Reece.

A senior Town Hall source said Mr Reece’s proposal would not be big enough to compete with Sydney’s Vivid.

“There’s just not the funding around to deliver something comparable with Vivid Sydney but there is work being done to deliver something that attracts people and boosts the economy in winter,” the source said.

“There’s been a bit of discussion about what to call it. The Lord Mayor’s original suggestion for the name is likely to be discarded. It’s not a very good name.”

Originally published as Nick Reece reveals plan to bring smaller version of Sydney’s Vivid festival to Melbourne