In 2026, Vivid Sydney invites visitors to rediscover the Harbour City in bold, bright and inquisitive new ways. This year, the festival takes its first steps into a new era with its expansion into daytime activities with a selection of installations, talks, and food experiences, before the city transforms again each night into its signature glow.
Running from Friday 22 May to Saturday 13 June, the 23‑day program brings together the full breadth of the city’s creative identity across Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Minds and Vivid Food. More than 80 per cent of the festival remains free, including the entire Vivid Light Walk, an unbroken 6.5‑kilometre journey featuring over 43 installations and projections created by acclaimed local and international artists.
The Vivid Light Walk stretches across Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, with additional venues in and around the CBD hosting Vivid Music, Vivid Food and Vivid Minds events that bring the entire city into the experience.
Showcasing Sydney’s creative pulse during winter, Vivid Sydney will feature collaborations for a series of events with Biennale Sydney, as well as cultural institutions, venues and arts companies such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Australian National Maritime Museum, City Recital Hall, The Mint, Carriageworks, State Library of NSW, Sydney Opera House and more.
Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said Vivid Sydney will be bigger and better than ever before. “No other city in the world can host Vivid, because no other city in the world has what Sydney has to offer. Vivid Sydney 2026 will redefine how we experience our city, delivering a bigger and bolder event program that will come to life both day and night,” he said.
“With more than 80 per cent of the program free to attend, Vivid Sydney is focused on making world-leading cultural experiences accessible to everyone. Whether it’s the entire 6.5km Vivid Light Walk, free live music at Tumbalong Nights or dynamic daytime programming, this year’s festival will bring colour and creativity to the city while delivering a significant boost to local businesses,” said Minister Kamper.
Vivid Sydney 2026 marks Brett Sheehy AO’s first year as Festival Director; a creative homecoming after two decades leading major festivals and arts companies across Australia. Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO said this year’s program represents a bold new horizon for the event.
“For 2026 we are expanding our program into new artforms including aerial performance, daytime public art, theatre and dance. These join our vast Vivid Minds, Light, Music and Food offerings to now make your Vivid Sydney one of the great comprehensive arts festivals of the world,” said Mr Sheehy.
“This year we invite you to go beyond your previous expectations of Vivid Sydney into a bold new festival designed to surprise, delight, challenge, entertain, and fill you with joy.”
“Whether you encounter Vivid Sydney as a happy observer, an eager participant, or someone keen to engage with one of our dozens of interactive opportunities, we can promise you a festival of a lifetime,” said Mr Sheehy.
Vivid Light returns with a bold new sense of scale and ambition, anchored by two landmark centrepieces. Molecule of Light, the festival’s tallest installation at 23 metres, and Obstacle, is one of the longest‑ever work stretching 45 metres along the harbour.
British artist Chris Levine brings his internationally acclaimed work Molecule of Light to Barangaroo Reserve, a laser and sound installation that fuses single‑frequency beams, geometric light patterns and a solfeggio soundscape inspired by ancient healing frequencies, creating a meditative atmosphere.
Obstacle by Melbourne collective Reelize ignites Wulugul Walk with a 45‑metres of high‑resolution LED installation to create a pulsing corridor of colour and movement after dark.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia becomes a canvas for Vaiola – a powerful projection‑mapping work by Sāmoan‑Australian artist Angela Tiatia, whose practice explores gender, neo‑colonialism and performance. The piece reflects on “vaiola,” the life‑giving and healing force of water, weaving restorative symbolism with Tiatia’s deep connection to her ancestral home.
Across the harbour, renowned French artist Yann Nguema unveils a major new work, Opera Mundi, illuminating the Sydney Opera House sails. This breathtaking original commission reflects on the transformations found in nature and the elemental forces that inspired Opera House architect Jørn Utzon.
For its 16th year, Vivid Sydney will transform Cockle Bay with a nightly laser show, Laser Lightfall, set to music, sending choreographed beams of light sweeping across the harbour sky. Running continuously throughout the evening, the presentation features four shows each hour, marking it the most ambitious free laser show ever staged in Australia.
Cockle Bay will also see the return of Vivid Sydney’s much‑loved drone experience, debuting under its new name, Star‑Bound: Vivid Sydney Drone Show. Making its first appearance since 2024, the refreshed show will light up the sky with 22 performances across 11 nights.
Vivid Minds invites audiences to engage with leading storytellers and cultural thinkers. This year’s program features Academy Award–winning filmmakers Sean Baker (Anora, The Florida Project) and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Hamnet), alongside influential music industry tastemaker and broadcaster Zane Lowe, Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz and bestselling author Roxane Gay. Together, their conversations will unpack creative practice, cultural shifts and the forces shaping today’s artistic landscape.
The program also welcomes Cristal Palace to the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, a sweeping aerial and circus‑style performance staged outdoors and free to attend over the June long weekend. Wonderverse by Patch Theatre is an indoor immersive light and sound experience created specifically for children and their families runs for the entirety of the festival, including daytime sessions.
Midweek Minds is a weekly series of rapid-fire keynote talks and discussions that showcase contemporary creative practice, featuring architect Dong-Ping Wong, designer and researcher Mindy Seu, The New Yorker creative director Nicholas Blechman, and filmmakers Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs.
And stay tuned for a special announcement of another Vivid Sydney first, a spectacular outdoor performance on the Sydney Opera House Forecourt over the June long weekend.
Vivid Food returns with a feast of flavour, creativity and connection, uniting world‑leading chefs and producers to celebrate the extraordinary breadth of NSW dining and the stories behind every dish.
At the heart of the new Regional Dinner Series is A Shared Table with Yotam Ottolenghi, where the world‑renowned chef will bring together ingredients and flavours from across the state, placing regional identity and provenance at the heart of the menu.
“I have a very good reason to be happy! I’m coming back to Australia to be part of Vivid Sydney at such a dynamic moment in the city’s cultural calendar,” said Yotam Ottolenghi. “More than anything, it’s a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the outstanding produce and beverages of New South Wales and to share the kind of food that I love and that also tells the story of the region’s creativity and generosity.”
His headline event sets the tone for the wider Regional Dinner Series, which brings regional excellence to Sydney through a series of chef collaborations. These dining experiences champion standout ingredients and artisans from across the state, including pairings such as Mindy Woods with Danielle Alvarez at the Sydney Opera House, Ben Devlin with Lennox Hastie at Firedoor, and Christine Manfield with Sander Nooij at Yellow.
At its new home in Barangaroo Reserve, Vivid Fire Kitchen brings global and local chefs together for open‑fire cooking, demonstrations, tastings and conversations, creating a free nightly hub of bold flavours and shared stories.
In 2026, the program features leading Australian chefs including Mark Best, Luke Mangan, Sharon Salloum and Annita Potter, and for the first time expands to showcase celebrated food innovators and culinary personalities such as Julie Goodwin, Adriano Zumbo, Declan Cleary and Karima Hazim, with more to be announced.
Across the city, visitors can discover pop‑up dining experiences at Parliament House, The Mint and other unexpected venues, alongside custom menus and special events at Aster Bar, The International, Shell House, Infinity and more of Sydney’s most acclaimed restaurants.
Vivid Music has a specially curated program of artists from around the globe, alongside special events, interactive experiences and performances. Tumbalong Nights returns with 23 nights of free live music and DJs, including a special closing night performance from Matt Corby.
The program also features performances from Nigerian afrobeat royalty Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, KPop singer SHAUN, Jamaican reggae legends The Congos, Chinese rap sensations Billionhappy + SEBii with Korean producer Kimj, plus shows from Mallrat, Skeleten, Coterie, and Moonlight Opera, a special concert presented by Opera Australia’s Young Artists Program.
City Recital Hall will host British poet, writer and musician Kae Tempest for two intimate nights, Palestinian-French heartthrob Saint Levant and electronic music producer Daniel Avery will perform live, alongside a special late-night party presented by Soft Centre. The Metro Theatre will host UK RnB singer Clara La San while at Oxford Art Factory, UK soul / hip-hop artist RUBII and indie darlings Chanel Beads perform headline shows.
Also, Vivid Sydney curates a program of events as part of Biennale of Sydney’s Art After Dark series at White Bay Power Station, including headline shows from UK soul singer anaiis and American ambient electronic trio Purelink, and a special free closing night party with a soon-to-be announced line-up.
Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House will welcome more than 50 cutting-edge and legendary international and Australian artists in 2026, including awe-inspiring singer-songwriter Mitski (sold out), 30th anniversary performances from Scottish post-rock pioneers Mogwai and Detroit techno icon Jeff Mills revisiting his legendary Liquid Room set.
The program also features Arnhem Land Yolŋu surf-rockers King Stingray, Danish-Portuguese pop-R&B sensation Erika de Casier, 1970’s cult California art-pop band Sparks, a powerful tribute to jazz poet and rap pioneer Gil Scott-Heron led by Brian Jackson featuring Yasiin Bey, plus a rare double bill from Welsh art-pop visionary Cate Le Bon and US indie troubadour Cass McCombs.
Homegrown favourites including Beddy Rays, Jem Cassar-Daley, Party Dozen, party collectives DUNJ and Mad Racket, and tastemakers Astral People will also take over the iconic harbourside venue, alongside a curated cinema program and the spectacular Lighting of the Sails. Inner-west dive bar The Midnight Special will pop up in the Northern Foyer, bringing a slice of Enmore Road with DJs, bites and drinks open to all.
Festivalgoers at Carriageworks can expect an electrifying mix of music, performance and dining across three dynamic weekends. The industrial bays will host major takeovers led by hip hop icon Lil’ Kim, celebrating milestones for Hard Core and The Notorious K.I.M., a rare chance to see a defining force of rap live in Sydney. Ella Mai, the Grammy‑winning R&B star, returns after a sold‑out global tour for an intimate night of expressive, era‑shaping songwriting.
Electronic music steps into the spotlight as Skin on Skin presents his high‑voltage series FOR YOUR SAFE KEEPING, while Alison Wonderland revives her cult Wonderland Warehouse Project. Porter Robinson brings his acclaimed DJ show, joined by Golden Features, alongside hard‑hitting techno from TELETECH 09, and a free, all‑ages Awesome Black Block Party celebrating First Nations music and community.
Beyond music, Warakirri Dining Experience returns under renowned Weilwan chef Sharon Winsor, and U>N>I>T>E>D by Chunky Move delivers a thunderous fusion of movement, machine and mysticism in a bold contemporary work led by a cast of exceptional dancers.
Vivid Sydney runs Friday 22 May to Saturday 13 June 2026. For more information and full program, visit: www.vividsydney.com for details.
Images: Lighting of the Sails: Opera Mundi by Yann Nguema (render) | OBSTACLE (render) | Vaiola at MCA (render) | Cristal Palace – photo by Juan Robert | Saint Levant (supplied) | Chunky Move presents U>N>I>T>E>D – photo by Gianna Rizzo