The Sydney harbour and CBD has once again been reimagined as a vibrant city in colour as Vivid Sydney kicks off its 16^th year. In a festival-first, there is no theme for artists and creators to work within, so visitors can expect to see unparalleled creativity across curated Light, Minds, Music, and Food events and experiences this year.

From today, festival-goers can experience more than 200 events over 23 nights that will ignite the senses, stimulate their minds, and tap into unexplored wonder, giving both locals and visitors a unique opportunity to experience Sydney in a whole new light.

This year’s program is home to more than 80% free events across both daytime and evening, a condensed 6.5km light walk with 43 installations, projections and large-scale public artworks, as well as the eagerly-awaited return of the drone show – this year, shining bright over Cockle Bay across 22 performances.

Additionally, the well-loved Vivid Fire Kitchen has a new home in Barangaroo reserve and boasts a significant lineup of culinary heavyweights, while Vivid Minds (formally Ideas) delivers world-class conversations and performances from some of the leading creative minds globally.

Headlining the exceptional list of talent this year are some of Australia’s most-beloved homegrown talent from Matt Corby and Mallrat, through to Mark Best, and Julie Goodwin. Joining them, we have global creative trailblazers Chloé Zhao, Sean Baker, and Zane Lowe, to renowned Light artists Chris Levine, Yann Nguema, and David Moraton.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said:

“Tonight, Sydney becomes the canvas for one of the world’s greatest arts festivals, as Vivid Sydney once again transforms our city through Light, Music, Minds and Food.

“The Minns Labor Government is proud to deliver a bold new creative direction in 2026 — an immersive, accessible program spanning 23 unforgettable nights, with more than 80 per cent of events free to attend.

“From the iconic Light Walk and the festival’s biggest-ever drone show to world-class music, food and cultural conversations, this year’s program gives locals and visitors more reasons than ever to experience Sydney in completely new ways.”

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO said, “This year marks the start of an exciting evolution of Vivid Sydney. We’ve expanded the program across all pillars and have opened up the brief for artists and removed the creative limitations of needing to centre around one key theme.

“Visitors can expect a more immersive and interactive experience that will encourage them to explore new locations, unexpected installations, and spend more time enjoying the festival – both after dark and during the day.

“We’ve gone back to the core of what Vivid Sydney is all about which is tapping into creativity, and through this, there’s this incredible platform to showcase leading Australian talent as well as a chance to bring legendary international talent to the Sydney landscape too.”

Vivid Sydney runs from Friday, 22 May to Saturday 13 June. For more information visit www.vividsydney.com.

Vivid Sydney 2026 Highlights

Vivid Light reawakens with a stellar combination of local talent and international artists bringing their acclaimed projections and installations to Sydney for the first time.

• Acclaimed UK artist Chris Levine showcases Vivid Sydney’s tallest artwork, Molecule of Light.

• Projected on the Sydney Opera House is Yann Nguema’s Opera Mundi for the Lighting of the Sails.

• The drone shows make an eagerly-awaited return to Vivid Sydney with Star Bound, proudly sponsored by IREN, which sees Cockle Bay transform with 22 showstopping displays across the festival. Alongside this, Laser Lightfall will light up Darling Harbour with free laser light shows each night.

• Our Connected City transforms into Your Connected City, showcasing a select number of lighting combinations submitted by over 400 applicants across Australia and internationally which will be displayed on 24 landmark buildings and locations in the city.

• First Nations-inspired artworks are brought to life with installations and projections including Brian Robinson’s Mythical Mashup: The Graphic Worlds of Brian Robinson with Cosmic Chase – a projection on the rooftop of the Australian National Maritime Museum and Floating Realm – an on-water LED installation, and Darrell Sibosado’s Manawan.

Vivid Minds expands its program this year with daytime programming, as well as the inclusion of performances, building on its existing credentials of thought-provoking sessions.

• In the Creative Trailblazers series, Chloé Zhao, Sean Baker, Zane Lowe, Roxane Gay and Jerry Saltz lead conversations about their creative processes and thinking, offering unrivalled insights into their careers in events exclusive to Sydney.

• As a new addition to the Minds program, Midweek Minds sessions are based around a theme that defines creativity today.

• Aerial performers and musicians reach new heights in Cristal Palace, a free nightly performance on the Sydney Opera House forecourt over the June long weekend, with a gigantic chandelier serving as both the focal point and home to the orchestra.
• Patch Theatre brings its family-friendly, interactive light experience, Wonderverse, to Vivid Sydney with sessions across the duration of the festival.

Vivid Music amplifies our collective dreams through sound and song, with a specially curated program of artists from around the globe.

• Tumbalong Nights focuses on free music in diaspora communities and First Nations artists, featuring Matt Corby, Mallrat, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Gut Health, in addition to acclaimed international artists Seun Kuti & Egypt80, SHAUN, and The Congos. 

• Oxford Art Factory showcases UK R&B sensation RUBII and NYC-based Chanel Beads.  Metro Theatre will host Xaviersobasesd and Clara La San, while City Recital Hall will host Soft Centre, UK rapper and poet Kae Tempest, and Daniel Avery for a live performance.

• Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House boasts a strong line up of contemporary and legendary artists, including Mitski, Gil Scott-Heron by Brian Jackson & Yasiin Bey, and prolific DJ and composer, Jeff Mills.
• Carriageworks will have performances by the iconic Lil’ Kim, Awesome Black Block Party, Sydney’s own Alison Wonderland, and Grammy Award-winner Ella Mai.

Vivid Food, in its fourth year as part of the festival and is bigger than ever before.

• The one and only Yotam Ottolenghi headlines the Regional Dinner Series with both a dinner and lunch event that heroes the best of NSW produce.

• The Regional Dinner Series also showcases top regional culinary talent partnering with renowned Sydney restaurants including The Tweed with Ben Devlin & Lennox Hastie; Southern Highlands with Stephen Santucci & Scott McComas-Williams; and Riverina with Luke Piccolo & Giovanni Pilu.

• Vivid Fire Kitchen makes its debut at Stargazer Lawn in Barangaroo Reserve, and debuts a brand new Fire Kitchen programming with 2 new focal points of the Fire Pit and Food for Thought Stage presented by Dine Out with Uber Eats and features more than 60 culinary across the program.

• In a Vivid Food-first, The International will celebrate NSW wine in its food and wine party Cult & Classic, complete with more than 30 winemakers and importers from across the state, with DJ sets to keep the party happening throughout the day.

• An Evening at Parliament House, Dining with History will celebrate NSW’s political history through food, Dream Feast will deliver an immersive experience and take diners through historical dishes with a modern flair, while Aster’s The Golden Age will host an evening of glamourous food and drinks inspired by Old Hollywood, all with a stunning view over the harbour.

• A Taste of HQ: Street Eats Edition takes over Surry Hills’s streets with a free-to-enter alfresco day-to-night festival of live music, performers, pop-up bars and elevated street-food from some of Sydney’s top chefs.

Vivid Sydney Partners

Returning as Major Partners for 2026 are Kia and Samsung Electronics Australia.

Kia returns in its 5^th consecutive year as a Major Partner and will display Kia Refraction in Bligh & Barney Reserve.

Samsung will activate with an immersive and interactive sculptural installation, Sky Portal Studio in First Fleet Park for its 5^th year as a partner.

Joining the Major Partners for 2026 is IREN – proud sponsor of ‘Star-Bound: Vivid Sydney Drone Show’.

Joining as an Official Partner for 2026 is Lilly Australia. Celebrating its 150th Anniversary, Lilly will be presenting a panel as part of Vivid Minds titled A New Horizon of Health.

Uber also joins them as an Official Partner with dedicated pickup and dropoff zones across the footprint. Dine Out with Uber Eats will also be the presenting partner of the Food for Thought Stage in the Vivid Fire Kitchen.

The festival’s Charity Partner for 2026 is Foodbank NSW & ACT who will be at Tumbalong Park with their interactive installation called Foodbank Truck Packer.

Vivid Sydney Supporting Partners include, City of Sydney, Dexus, Event Engineering, Kennards Hire, Mandylights, Port Authority of NSW, Technical Direction Company, The P.A. People, and Transdev.

Vivid Sydney’s program partners are joined by Carriageworks, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Opera House. Location partners include Australian Maritime Museum, City Recital Hall, Cockle Bay Wharf, Placemaking NSW, and State Library of New South Wales.