Folks in Sydney have yet another thing to complain about after an area of the city that was previously free to explore during Vivid experienced a price hike. Oh, but I’m sure the beaches are LOVELY. Good city!
The Lightscape exhibit in The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney promises a “multi-sensory experience of light, colour and sound [that] is set to wow visitors” but also promises a hefty entry ticket fee.
Depending on which night you choose to attend (Mondays and Tuesdays are cheaper), a full-price adult ticket will set you back either $30 or $40 and a child’s will cost between $18 and $28.
A family of four can enter after coughing up between $88 and $128.
In a TikTok that has since copped nearly one million views, creator Sonny-Joe Flanagan called out the price hike.
“When everyone gets to Vivid this year, they charge $116 to get in and look at the lights and stuff. Everyone’s so cranky,” he said.
“GUYS, it costs money to get into Vivid this year. Keep going!”
Commenters on the upload were similarly peeved, with one writing “Vivid was supposed to be an event for everyone to enjoy and for a chance to have families enjoy a night out that wouldn’t be costly. So disappointed.”
Although it does feel rude to expect punters to pay those sorts of entry fees to the big exhibits, the prices are sadly in line with what’s charged at similar events across Australia.
Adelaide’s Illuminate festival returns to South Australia in July and will charge patrons between $40 and $42 for entry into its premier exhibit “Resonate” at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.
Although on the lower end of the spectrum, Melbourne’s Rising festival activation “The Wilds” at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl last year cost between $12 and $22 for basic entry. Extras such as ice skating and drinks were added on top of that.
On top of that, Sydney’s Botanical Gardens have had a massive upgrade this year.
In 2023 it’s filled by a bunch of different exhibits by various artists in the biggest glow-up since Neville Longbottom. Maybe we should think of it as a curated, moving exhibit that you’d pay for like at any other gallery or museum?
Yes, it’s true that art should indeed be accessible for all but it’s also true that Vivid is an extremely expensive event to put on and would only be getting a limited number of dollars from the NSW Government to foot its bills.
Like, just the electricity bills alone are enough to stress me the fuck out.
Sadly, two things can be true and arts funding has never been Australian Governments’ strong suit…
But don’t despair just yet!
There are still a bunch of free installations at Vivid this year.
Thank God, lol.
