Light Up - Nature Into Art (LUNA)

Form: Business Case

Collaborators: Yarra Ranges Tourism

Creative processes: Community consultation, site scoping, projection design, projection testing, documentation

Participants: Coree Thorpe (Yorta Yorta, Gunditjmara, Gunai, Wurundjeri), The Lanternist, community members of the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges

What is it?

The Light-Up Nature into Art (LUNA) project provides an opportunity to develop a new and exciting night-time tourism experience within the Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges (YV&DR) Tourism region. This new series of events will assist in the dispersal of daytrip visitors to off-peak and overnight visitation, generate additional length of stay and higher visitor expenditure, and upgrade and activate important community assets.

LUNA is designed to bridge the product and experiential space between tourism, nature, art, food, and wine. LUNA is different. It prioritises First Nations led curatorial principles, environmental and sustainable practices immersed in nature, and local creative engagement.

What are the project objectives?

The key project objectives are:

• Drive additional overnight visitation and bed-nights to the region and grow average visitor expenditure.

• Focus on driving visitation to the region in off-peak periods, mid-week, and increase visitor dispersal across the region.

• Create new night-time experiences that are economically sustainable, leverage existing assets and enhance the region's art and cultural offerings, including First Nation’s experiences.

• Encourage repeat visitation, ensuring experiences are contemporary (up-to-date), immersive, sympathetic with their unique environments and engaging.

What might LUNA look like?

In April 2023 Little Projector Company undertook site feasibility testing, with test projections utilising imagery by Wurundjeri artist Coree Thorpe, LPC and the Lanternist.

Watch the 90 second concept video below.

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