Queensland’s HOTA upgrades with Elation
Queensland’s HOTA upgrades with Elation
Australia's Home of the Arts (HOTA) has completed a major lighting upgrade at its main theatre, replacing its entire moving light inventory with a new Elation Professional system designed to support an increasingly diverse programme of touring productions and live events.
Located on Queensland's Gold Coast, HOTA is one of Australia's celebrated cultural destinations, hosting theatre, dance, opera, comedy, live music and visual arts across its 17-hectare precinct. The venue's previous moving light system, which included ageing discharge-based spot fixtures and older LED wash luminaires, had reached the end of its operational life and no longer met the technical expectations of contemporary productions.
The upgrade saw the installation of 16 Paragon M profile luminaires and 16 Proteus Rayzor 760 wash/effects fixtures, supplied by ULA Group and procured through Krank'd Productions. The project was led by HOTA’s head of lighting Luke Farrow.
According to HOTA precinct general manager Chris Dignan, the investment was driven by the venue's long-term ambitions. “As the demands of live performance continue to evolve in the industry, it is essential that our technical infrastructure evolves with them,” he said. “This upgrade gives HOTA a future ready lighting solution that meets the expectations of today's world-class touring productions, while supporting our long-term ambition to attract bigger, more ambitious shows.”
The Paragon M fixtures were selected following a competitive shootout and now form the backbone of the theatre's profile lighting system. Eight units are installed in the overhead rig, while a further eight are positioned on FOH lighting bridges. The fixtures provide beam, framing and gobo capabilities, while interchangeable lens options allow them to operate as wash fixtures when required.
Farrow commented on the Paragon M’s capabilities: “Its brightness and beam quality have significantly enhanced the visual impact of our productions, ensuring the rig can compete with the increasingly powerful lighting packages that touring shows bring into the venue.”
Complementing the profiles are 16 Proteus Rayzor 760 IP65-rated fixtures, which combine wash coverage with pixel-mapping and effects capabilities. The luminaires feature Elation's SparkLED technology and are used across a variety of productions ranging from theatrical performances to contemporary live music events.
Supporting the installation are two Netron EN12i Ethernet-to-DMX gateways and Obsidian Control Systems BS10 button panels, providing control and distribution for the venue's house lighting infrastructure.
