Cathedrals in Sydney and Melbourne exploded into Christmas celebratory facades of light displays from this week when Australian event company agbevents, headed by veteran creator and producer Anthony Bastic, turned their magic lights on for the festive season.

Bastic, who helped create and secure the Vivid Sydney festival and created the Macquarie Anniversary light show in 2010 and the National Gallery of Australia light display, has contributed to the emergence of digital projection technology for public events in Australia in recent years.

Light displays in both Sydney and Melbourne celebrated the holiday season.

For Christmas 2011, his agbevents team have created a 12 minute show under the theme Peace at Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral, complimented by live choir performances from December 8 up until Christmas night. Opening with the dove motif, the beautifully rendered light images will see gardens grow and creatures virtually come to life on the vast stone façade and include extraordinary images from the National Gallery of Australia’s current Renaissance art exhibition.

The event is presented by the State Government and is in its second year after proving a huge crowd pleaser last year.

In Melbourne agbevents have electrified St Paul’s Cathedral and the State Library of Victoria, presenting a family friendly Christmas light show including colourfully animated projections of the most enchanting Christmas story the Nutcracker, and making every child’s dream come true as the story travels in light to the Kingdom of Sweets with the Sugar Plum fairy.

Melbourne’s light projections included colourfully animated projections of the enchanting Christmas story, the Nutcracker

The Melbourne show, presented by the City of Melbourne, continues into the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations with a light show titled Hopes for the Future showcasing life and times of the city and emotive images and ideas from local and world leaders.

Bastic is creative adviser for the Gold Melbourne New Year’s Eve event concept that will follow from the four week light showcase created by his in-house art department.

“We are traditional storytellers at the heart of the events, but its the incredible digital technology available to us, couple with creative skills that can bring these stories to such huge audiences and with such magnificent impact and rendering,” Bastic said.

Projections on Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral.

He compared the traditional campfire storytelling of old with the importance of passing on and sharing community ideas and celebrations through events that enable people to gather together and enjoy special occasions.

Bastic has worked on events for virtually every major celebration in the country including the Sydney Olympic Games, Melbourne Commonwealth Games, the Millennium celebrations at the Sydney Opera House, Australia’s Centenary of Federation, The Rugby World Cup, and for public celebrations ranging from Australia Day to Vivid Sydney.

agbevents are event creators with specialist in-house art design technology for digital light shows.