The original architect of Vivid Sydney and its current day creative supremo will share a stage next week in an open discussion about the annual festival of lights and ideas, in what’s sure to a highlight of the Place Branding Australia Conference, June 12-13.

With the Vivid festival now in full swing, the discussion between ex-Events NSW chief Geoff Parmenter and current Vivid Sydney director Gill Minervini promises to provide a fascinating insiders’ perspective on how the festival began 15 years ago, how it’s evolved, and the drivers that continue to shape it.

Speaking to Government News recently, Parmenter said anyone wanting an example of how an event can be a powerful driver of place brand need look no further than Vivid.

“You can run advertising  to tell people what your place is about, and I’m not saying that it’s not a good idea to run advertising,” he said.

“But actually hosting an event that reaches the right people is a particularly authentic, and therefore effective and impactful way of demonstrating what your place is about.”

Read the full story here.

In other conference highlights, attendees will hear how a group of NSW Northern Rivers councils are driving the economy, sense of place and community cohesion via a regional identity project , while the head of Brand Tasmania Todd Babiak will share some of the secrets of the government branding agency’s extraordinary success.

See the full Place Branding Australia conference line up here.

The premise of the Place Branding Conference is that in a time of rapid change, it’s never been more important for nations, cities, and towns to have a clearly defined identity and narrative to take to the world.

Place Branding Australia 2024 provides an opportunity start unearthing the unique narrative of a place and fuel its economic and social development.

Tickets are still available for Place Branding Australia, which will be held at the Kimpton Margot Sydney over June 12-13.