See Southport transform into a kaleidoscopic cocoon of colour in July
One of our favourite Christmas pastimes is driving through the streets, hunting for the best light submissions suburbia has to offer. Something about the dazzling display of creativity ignites a spark in our brain, fostering a sense of communal wonder at the sea of colour before us. While Christmas is still half a year away, BIG CITY LIGHTS* invites you to ignite that same feeling of rainbow-inspired joy. Delivered by Placemakers* Gold Coast, this inaugural festival will transform Southport into an immersive audio-visual wonderland from July 7 to 10.
Over four mesmerising nights, Gold Coast locals are encouraged to explore Southport’s CBD on the hunt for breathtaking displays of light and colour that seamlessly blend technology and creativity. Split across five incredible ‘art zones’, the program boasts stunning immersive audio-visual experiences, large-scale digital works, 3D mapping and unexpected projection sites. Each installation has been brought to life by renowned artists in the fields of light, installation, architecture and digital design, layering lights and technology with deeper creative meaning. Whether it’s Jacob Leary’s fusion of sculpture, video and painting in the technicolour Excesssssscape, Michaela Gleaves’ electrical glitch loop reminiscent of an abandoned theme park known as Fear Eats The Soul, or the Buchan Group’s Dancing Particles that use infrared sensors to scan audience members and project them onto buildings, there is bound to be a piece of artwork that enraptures your imagination.
This unique melting pot of technology, kaleidoscopic light displays, and eclectic music is completely free for you to enjoy. The art zones will be split across rooftops, building facades, alleyways, car parks and shopfronts on Nerang Street, Scarborough Street, Young Street, Regent Lane and Davison Lane. Some of the city’s most popular bars and venues like Mr P.P.’s Deli & Rooftop, Vinnie’s Dive Bar and Last Night on Earth will also play a part in hosting key installations and a vibrant line-up of live music. While the thought of trekking out at night in the middle of winter may be daunting, we are confident the cold will quickly be replaced by imagination and eagerness to see what’s around the corner at this glorious celebration of creativity on the Gold Coast.
Big City Lights will take over from July 7–10 – check out the whole program of events and plan your route today.
This article was created in partnership with our friends at BIG CITY LIGHTS*.
Image credits: 1. IKONIX, 2. Kirsten Baade, 3. IKONIX, 4. Buchan, 5.Peter Thiedeke
To find out more about what’s on in the Gold Coast, head to our Event Guide.
