No Images? Click here VIVID LIGHT WALK SHINES BRIGHTER THAN EVERVivid Sydney has kicked off its 10th anniversary celebrations in style, with more than 330,000 Vivid Light Walk attendees turning out for the opening weekend (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas. Weekends are by far the busiest time to see the lights and people are reminded that from tonight through until Sunday night there will be a one-way walking route in place on the Light Walk, so it’s important to plan ahead and be patient. The one-way walking route will be in place on the Light Walk on all Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, as well as Queen’s Birthday Monday, to manage crowd flow. For those who wish to avoid the crowds and the one-way route on the Light Walk, visiting on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is encouraged. Since launching the 2018 festival program, VividSydney.com has had more than a million visitors, the app has been downloaded almost 30,000 times and visitors are spreading the joy on social media. More than 13,000 people have already used the VividSydney hashtag and over 10,000 have shared incredible images and videos from the festival across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For more information on Vivid Sydney, visit www.vividsydney.com. NEW MAJOR EVENT FOR WESTERN SYDNEYFollowing the success of Vivid Sydney over the past decade, Western Sydney is set to get its own unique cultural festival from next year. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said, “Having successfully grown Vivid Sydney from very humble origins to what it is today I am confident we will be able to create a world class event for Western Sydney. “There are a number of ideas under active consideration ranging from laneway festivals, night markets and music festivals. “We want this Western Sydney event to replicate the success of Vivid which has provided entertainment, at the same time as creating jobs and boosting the State’s visitor economy.” NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the NSW Government will create the event in consultation with business, community groups and local government. “This event will need to be unique to Western Sydney, appeal to all ages and attract visitors at an historically quiet time for local hotels, restaurants and businesses,” Mr Marshall said. The new event will deliver a key recommendation from the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Visitor Economy Strategy which aims to grow the overnight visitor economy through nine strategic directions. $7.6 MILLION FOR STATE OF THE ART GALLERY IN CLARENCE VALLEYNSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro and Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis this week announced a $7.6 million grant to revitalise Grafton Regional Gallery to attract a new wave of art lovers to the Clarence Valley and keep long-time fans coming back. Mr Barilaro said the expansion will include a national standard main gallery, new workshops and exhibition spaces, a new café and better storage to protect its valuable collections from floods. “This project marks a new phase for arts in the Clarence Valley and will create a vibrant cultural hub both for locals and new visitors to enjoy,” Mr Barilaro said. NSW Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said regional NSW has a rich history when it comes to arts and culture and the Regional Cultural Fund will help to ensure a strong future. “This funding represents an opportunity to attract new tourists but it also offers educational benefits, gives raw talent a creative outlet, and may even inspire the younger generation into a new arts career,” Mr Harwin said. For further information on the Regional Cultural Fund, click here. NSW WELCOMES CORPORATE RECORD BREAKERSNSW will reap the benefits of over 6,500 delegates from around Asia flying to Sydney for Jeunesse Global’s six-day 2018 Lifestyle Rewards event. “This group is officially the largest corporate incentive group ever to visit during our Vivid Sydney festival and will generate about $40 million to the State’s economy,” Mr Marshall said. “Whilst in Sydney, the group will complete a record-breaking climb of Sydney Harbour Bridge with all 6,500 to scale the Bridge over six days, making it the largest corporate group to achieve this feat. “And the records don’t stop in Sydney. The success of this event will also reach into regional NSW with delegates set to become the biggest corporate group to visit Port Stephens. “The group’s visit will create significant exposure to the key Asian market for local businesses, and provide a vital economic boon for regional NSW,” he said. TICKETS ON SALE FOR BLEDISLOE CUPTickets are on sale now for The Rugby Championship, with the first game of the series being the highly anticipated Bledisloe Cup clash between the Wallabies and All Blacks on 18 August. The Australian women's team, the Wallaroos, will share the limelight with the Wallabies for the first time as they prepare to face off with the Black Ferns in a historic double-header. NSW Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said, “A highlight of the Rugby Championship is undoubtedly the first match of the Bledisloe Cup between the Wallabies and
the All Blacks at ANZ Stadium. To secure your Bledisloe Cup seats, click here. NEW DINING DESTINATION FOR CENTRAL COASTSaddles, a new eatery and country bakehouse from the investors behind award-winning Pretty Beach House in Killcare, has opened in Mount White. Designed by Cameron Cansdell, Saddles offers a la carte dining and bakehouse menus that highlight in-season produce and heirloom varieties cultivated from the onsite kitchen garden. Click here for more. TAFE NSW LAUNCHES SKILLS FOR BUSINESS INITIATIVEAs a part of the NSW Small Business Strategy, the NSW Government has recently launched Skills for Business in partnership with TAFE NSW. Designed to grow small businesses, the fully subsidised training is a convenient online training module, which covers digital awareness, financial literacy, taxation and access to capital. The training is open to NSW businesses with fewer than 200 employees. To find out more, click here. VIVID SYDNEY TEAMS UP WITH AMAZON ALEXADestination NSW has teamed up with Amazon to bring Alexa, the company’s rapidly growing voice service, to Vivid Sydney. Destination NSW is the first State Tourism Organisation to utilise this technology for a major event and Australian’s can get started by simply saying “Alexa, open Vivid Sydney.” For more information on how to use Amazon Alexa to enhance your Vivid Sydney experience, click here. SAILS PORT MACQUARIE UNVEILS NEW SPACEPort Macquarie is set to welcome more visitors thanks to the recent opening of a new multi-million conference and event venue at Sails Port Macquarie by Rydges. Each detail from room design, selection of resort landscaping to furniture and tableware has been orchestrated to create a Hamptons coastal feel. For further information on the new space, click here. SYDNEY 7S MOVES TO WESTERN SYDNEYThe HSBC Sydney 7s will move to a new home at Sydney Olympic Park in Western Sydney early next year. NSW Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres said, “Beyond all the on-field action, the event will also boost the local visitor economy, with hotels, restaurants and attractions set to be buzzing with visitors from around Australia and the world.” Entry to the first day of action on 1 February will be free for all fans. Early bird sales start 23 July via Ticketek. PITCH PERFECT FUNDING FOR MID NORTH COASTAlmost $100,000 is now available for arts and cultural organisations on the Mid North Coast, thanks to the NSW Government. The funding is part of the first round of grants from the new $100 million Regional Cultural Fund and will go towards three projects, including $23,000 for the Wauchope Community Arts Hall auditorium, $32,500 for the Historical Bowraville Theatre, and $40,500 for the Nambucca Community and Arts Centre. |