Featuring a boundary-pushing program for Australia’s largest festival, Vivid Sydney comes to Carriageworks from 8 – 16 June 2023.
The program features a line-up of international and local music acts, two precinct-wide takeovers by Soft Centre and Astral People, as well as the highly-anticipated return of the Carriageworks Night Market and a new First Nations dining experience, as part of Vivid Sydney’s brand-new festival pillar, Vivid Food.
Kicking off the program on Thursday 8 June, up-and-coming Australian band Floodlights will headline an intimate show, performing tracks from their just released album Painting of My Time.
Leading into the weekend, the entire precinct will come alive on Friday 9 June, starting with a showcase of First Nations talent from across the country featuring Kobie Dee, JK-47, and ten-year-old rapper INKABEE alongside his father Flewnt, before Sydney dance institution House of Mince presents a night like no other headlined by acclaimed South African multi-disciplinary artist Desire Marea.
The opening weekend continues with two precinct-wide takeovers. Astral People will present a night of far-reaching sounds led by some of today’s most daring figures, including American producer and DJ Flying Lotus set to headline, with Liv.e making her Sydney debut and Night Slugs celebrating 15 years of club culture with Bok Bok and Girl Unit.
SOFT CENTRE will return on 11 June, a multi-sensory festival experience unlike any other, with a program traversing leftfield club, noise and ambient music, dance and endurance performances, immersive A/V concerts, cutting-edge digital art and large-scale lightworks.
Starting the second week, Belarusian post-punk band Molchat Doma will perform on Monday 12 June, bringing their dark, yet danceable tracks to the precinct which have captured a global audience, selling out show after show and amassing millions of listens on YouTube and TikTok.
Expanding the line-up, internationally celebrated light artist Sam Whiteside will once again transform Carriageworks. Inspired by dystopian futurism, a tangle of steel, wire, smoke and shafts of light will weave throughout the venue.
This will be accompanied by a rotating list of Sydney’s hottest DJs and a pop-up bar by award-winning brewpub Atomic who will be serving pre-show classic urgers, loaded fries, wings and more.
As part of the brand-new festival focus Vivid Food, Carriageworks will present two events throughout the week, starting with the Warakirri Dining Experience across two nights on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 June.
The event will feature an intimate evening of First Nations food, showcasing 60,000 years of culture through a guided dining experience, entertainment, music and storytelling.
Ngemba Weilwan chef Sharon Winsor, founder of Indigiearth, will create a 5-course menu that celebrates First Nations ingredients sourced on Gadigal Land, paired with carefully selected Australian wines by winemaker Orlando.
Guests will experience a ceremonial welcome, traditional performance, and will also have exclusive after-hours access to The National 4 exhibition, featuring eleven new commissions by Australian artists. Best suited for those aged 16 years and over.
Closing out the program on 16 June, the hugely popular Carriageworks Night Market returns, this year curated by Australia’s leading sustainable chef Matt Stone. Showcasing over 50 of Sydney’s leading restaurants, bars and producers, the Night Market will feature an inspiring live program, including a series of talks that explore the future of food and celebrate those making positive change.
Hosted by media partner delicious, Matt Stone will engage in thought-provoking conversations including with ex-Fred’s chef Danielle Alvarez, who will discuss the importance of celebrating seasonality and local produce to reduce our environmental footprint.
Headlining the talks series is T Magazine’s “Disruptor of the Year,” futurist, designer and zero waste pioneer, Joost Bakker. Matt and Joost will discuss their shared journey with the Future Food System – a self-sustaining home located in Federation Square, Melbourne, designed by Joost and which Matt spent 12 months living in.
For those who want to learn more about Matt and Joost’s experience, the night will also feature a free screening of Greenhouse By Joost – a documentary film about the Future Food System project.
Vivid Sydney returns to Carriageworks from 8 – 16 June 2023. For more information and full program, visit: www.carriageworks.com.au Vivid Sydney takes place across Sydney from 26 May – 17 June 2023. For more information, visit: www.vividsydney.com for details.
Image: Flying Lotus – photo by Tim Saccenti