The best light installations at Vivid Sydney 2025

Take a look at this complete list of the best light installations at Vivid Sydney 2025 to plan your ideal Light Walk experience.

The Light Walk is totally free this year, so you don’t need to follow the complete route to get your money’s worth — though we’d recommend you do, even if you do it in stages over the next few weeks. From interactive installations to mesmerising performances using light beams, moving bodies and flames, the Light Walk illuminates your way through the city from 6pm every night and is the must-do Vivid activity every year. Don’t miss out.

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1. Colour The City

The quirky ASN Clock Tower is transformed into an interactive canvas, illuminated by artworks selected from public submissions and creations by the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation. The result is a tapestry of works that celebrate creativity and freedom of expression. It’s one of the installations by Dutch design team, Mr.Beam Studio.

Where: ASN Clock Tower, The Rocks

2. Lighting of the Sails: Kiss of Light by David McDiarmid

The display at Sydney Opera House is always one of the most popular, for obvious reasons. Lighting up the landmark this year is an ode to a defining voice of late-20th century counterculture, David McDiarmid. During his career, he fused art, fashion and nightlife with unapologetic self-expression. Thirty years after his death, his life’s work has been transformed into an animation that will be projected on to the famous sails. His Bedsheet Paintings, Disco Qwilts, Kiss of Light and Rainbow Aphorisms all appear in a slow dance of texture, colour and punk feeling. The seven-minute show reveals McDiarmid’s use of irony and humour to celebrate diverse gender and sexual identities too.

Where: Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000.

3. Neon Dreams

A retro roller rink and diner have sprung up in the ruins of a 1979 mail place that’s landed in Darling Harbour. Dive into a dreamscape of vinyl beats, rollerskates and foraged botanical cocktails, donning your skates and going for a whirl around the rink before heading to Shannon Martinez’s plant-based American diner. Trolley’d bar is serving cocktails made with native botanicals and retro milkshakes.

You’ll need a ticket for the roller rink but you can just rock up to the diner to get your fill of plant-based food.

Where: Tumbalong Boulevard, Pier St Underpass, Sydney NSW 2000.

4. King Dingo

First Nations artist Vincent Namatjira has created a bold and striking show that fuses humour and music to reflect on Australia’s colonial history through the eyes of the dingo, a protector totem and symbol of Indigenous power. From the gates of Buckingham Palace to the raw energy of a rock concert, empires dissolve and First Nations culture, leadership and Country are fully recognised. Accompanied by an original score by Jeremy Whiskey, it commands attention in the harbour. View it up close outside the MCA or head over to the Opera House for a full-perspective view.

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, The Rocks NSW 2000.

READ MORE: Vincent Namatjira turns the MCA into a subversive rock concert

5. Samsung Space to Dream

Three iridescent waterfalls rise from Darling Harbour, transforming water into art. This huge interactive display, inspired by Samsung’s Galaxy AI, uses cutting-edge technology to blur the line between reality and illusion leaving you asking, is this real or just a mirage? Step into the Dream Generator to become a part of the world, walking on water and getting up close to the towering structures as the dream unfolds around you.

Where: Cockle Bay, 201 Sussex St, Sydney NSW 2000.

6. Trispheric Garden

Reelize Studio’s installation comes with a warning: it contains “intense” lighting so those with light-sensitive conditions should give this one a miss. As you step into a surreal garden of light, shape and sound, six towering obelisks surround you by the Sea Wall in Barangaroo. Forms and light patterns shift as you wander through the audio-visual playground.

Where: Sea Wall Lawn, Barangaroo NSW 2000.

7. Symphony of the Dreaming

In First Nations culture, The Dreaming refers to a time in the ancestral past when mythical beings shaped the land, their energies forever embedded in Country. Outside the Museum of Australia, illuminated poles, light and sound react to your movement and the ambient sound around you. It’s a meditation on the stories of the past becoming part of our shared present.

Where: Museum of Sydney, corner of Bridge St and Phillip St, Sydney NSW 2000.

8. Error

Standing tall at Hickson Road Reserve, a totally sci-fi structure swirls and pulses with light in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge. Error is inspired by questions about human error and artificial intelligence. The pulsing lights mirror the chaos of technical glitches and unpredictable dreams. Aside from that, it’s a mesmerising structure set against the backdrop of the Harbour Bridge at night.

Where: Hickson Road Reserve, Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000.

9. The Lucid Dream Collective

Where do our dreams go when we sleep? World-renowned immersive experience creators Moment Factory explore this question in their Vivid Sydney debut. They have recreated a hazy pool where all our dreams collect in a mosaic of light and faces, representing our shared unconscious. Lighting up Martin Place, it’s an interactive projection — step into the AI photo booth to have your photo taken, and transform it with a “dream treatment” of your choosing. You can then decide whether you add it to the public projection or share it on social media.

Where: Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000.

10. Bon{d}fire

Starting with a spark, bonfires have long been a place to gather and share stories. 27JUNE Studio have reimagined the traditional setting with an eight meter towering LED structure, styled to look like flames. Storytelling stations setup around the “fire” invite visitors to share their tales, memories and reflections into a microphone. These contributions are then transformed into rhythms and colours that flicker through the bonfire.

Firetalk will take place here every WEdnesday from 6:30pm-7pm. Created in partnership with Sydney Writers’ Festival, it’s a free storytelling session that will bring together First Nation writers, poets and songwriters.

Where: Walumil Lawns, Barangaroo Reserve NSW 2000.

11. Alchemy of Atmospheres

Explore the connection between Venus and Earth at Solvenian light artist Janez Grošeklj’s installation in Barangaroo. Light, sound and fog transform Nawi Garden into an alien world. Flashing lights and crackling sounds create the otherworldly setting that acts as a reminder that Venus was once like our own but it now uninhabitable.

Where: Nawi Cove, Hickson Road, Barangaroo NSW 2000.

12. Fly to the Moon

A giant inflatable moon stands on Walumil Lawns, with a swing positioned in front of it. As you gently swing, you become the “man in the moon”. It’s a simple moment of whimsy and play.

Where: Walumil Lawns, Barangaroo Reserve NSW 2000.

13. SomniUs

Look up to a sea of a thousand suspended rods, rippling with waves of light and sound as you move beneath it. Responding to movement, viewers will create undulations as they wander beneath the canopy. More than six kilometres of LED make up the installation which acts as a giant feedback loop. The surface is always in flux.

Where: Stargazer Lawn, 27 Hickson Rd, Barangaroo NSW 2000.

14. Stem

Another offering from Mr.Beam Studio (see also Colour The City), there is a nuance to Stem that is somewhat lost in translation. At Cadmans Cottage, viewers are encouraged to step up to the flower microphone and watch as their voice activates a sprawling animated tree before your eyes. That nuance we mentioned? “Stem” means voice in Dutch. What a gorgeously neat concept — and it’s fun too.

Where: Cadmans Cottage, Circular Quay West Road, Sydney NSW 2000.

15. Elysian Collection

Iridescent, tubular halls combine art, architecture and play at this whimsical playground. Inspired by Ancient Greek mythology, the large, inflatable and glowing display offers a playful escape from life’s chaos. Take a moment to pause, reflect and explore.

Where: Tumbalong Park, 11 Harbour St, Sydney NSW 2000.

16. Emergence

This Is Loop artists Harriet Lumby and Alan Hayes first presented their creation at Winter Lights in London in 2023. The touring artwork comprises a mirrored, tunnel-like space that’s interwoven with thousands of LED lights. The pavilion has multiple entry points and comes alive with a soundscape composed by NYX Electronic Drone Choir. It’s a mesmerising experience.

Where: First Fleet Park, The Rocks NSW 2000.

17. Fantasmagoria

Taking inspiration from the world of books, watch as the pages of a fantastical story come alive in front of your eyes. A little girl is drawn into a swirling vortex at the heart of a book and her adventure unfolds across lush forests, vast desserts and glittering, icy landscapes as she encounters creatures along the way. It’s surrealism at its finest.

Where: Bond Building, 52 Hickson Rd, Millers Point NSW 2000.

18. Tunku and Ngaadi

Valleys, plants, animals and waterways transform the rooftop of the Australian National Maritime Museum as the connection between moon and earth is explored. The timeless Dreaming story comes from the South Coast of NSW and has been passed down through generations.

Where: Australian National Maritime Museum, 2 Murray Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

READ MORE: Take a kayak tour of Vivid Sydney at the Maritime Museum this year

19. Our Connected City

Proving you don’t need millions of coloured lights to impress, this synchronised display features 150 searchlights that slice across the skyline, tracing patterns in the sky while the water reflects them. From Luna Park to Shangri-La Sydney, buildings across the CBD are taking part in the project. The sight from outside the MCA or Sydney Opera House is quite spectacular.

Where: best viewed from the harbour at Circular Quay and The Rocks.

20. Eye of the Beholder

Did you know that the word ‘window’ originates from the Old Norse ‘vindauga’, meaning ‘wind-eye’? Taking inspiration from this, the windows of the Frank Gehry building will be taken over by projections of larger-than-life eyes, each blinking and darting around. It’s a Surrealist dream, also inspired by the Salvador Dalí sequence in Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound.

Where: Dr Chau Chak Wing Building (Frank Gehry), UTS Building CB08, Platform , 14/28 Ultimo Rd, Ultimo NSW 2007.

21. Curiosity

Six surreal see-saws inspired by the style of artist Joan Miró will leave you feeling a little off-kilter. Each featuring an eye-shaped sculpture, they gaze out at the world and seem to watch you as you rock. The rides also produce unique sounds when in motion, creating a symphony of light and sound when all six are moving.

Where: Tumbalong Park, 11 Harbour St, Sydney NSW 2000.

22. Sound Walk

Angel Place is about to get a makeover. For one-night-only, Australian illumination specialists Mandylights will transform the Pitt St end of the laneway with light, sound and roving entertainment. Start your night with a bite to eat at a nearby bar or eatery before continuing your Light Walk through Angel Place towards Martin Place.

Where: City Recital Hall, 2 Angel Place, Sydney NSW 2000.
When: Saturday, June 7.

23. Symphony of Light

ONGA Artful Light, led by Thai artist Dutchanee Ongarjsiri, was inspired by the classic slinky toy. Capturing the joy and spontaneity of childhood, the larger-that-life arc of neon spirals dances and twists before your eyes, mimicking the gravitational pull of a real slinky. Touch sensors, responsive LED systems and sound combine to create a playful, ever-shifting experience.

Where: IMAX forecourt – Tumbalong Boulevard, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW 2000.

24. Endling

Ever wondered what the end of human history might look like? Alone in a display case, the last human being plays out mankind’s fate. Combining projections, sound, narration, aerial and physical theatre, this solo performance is moving, thought-provoking, and, at times, deeply unsettling. The question is, can we change our fate or are we the architects of our own extinction?

Where: Walumil Lawns, Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000.

25. Vivid Light on Sydney Harbour

Ferries and boats get in on the Vivid action every year, setting the water aglow as they become floating beacons. The fleet of light reflect on the water and carries the displays across the harbour — literally. Captain Cook Cruises, Fantasea, Tribal Warrior and many other vessels take part.

Where: Sydney Harbour, best viewed from Circular Quay and The Rocks.

26. An Act of Being

This evocative projection blends contemporary dance, physical theatre and cutting-edge technology to expore the ongoing impact of government policies on First Nations communities. Created by Bangarra Dance Theatre, it marks 25 years of the People’s Walk for Reconciliation across the Harbour Bridge.

Where: Walumil Lawns, Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000.

27. Dream Scene

Take a seat and drawn your own dream, inspired by the digital canvas that surrounds you, showcasing the wondrous imaginations of young patient ambassadors from Sydney Children’s Hostpitals Foundation. Add your drawing to the evolving mural or influence the dreamscape via the on-site QR code.

Where: Tumbalong Park, 11 Harbour St, Sydney NSW 2000.

28. Glyph

Look out for glowing white LED sculptures that bend into abstract forms like floating coat hangers or hieroglyphs, lighting your path from one Vivid Sydney activation to another. They’ve been planted across the CBD, seamlessly guiding you from one experience to the next, leading you around the magic of the festival.

Where: City CBD and surrounds.

29. Bloom

Argyle Cut tunnel is a heritage-listed roadway, usually used as convenient passageway between The Rocks and Barangaroo that you don’t give much thought to otherwise. During Vivid Sydney 2025, however, its rooftop will burst with life, from stars and fungi to soaring birds and firefly. It’s paired with a soundscape created using recordings of water droplets, exploding spores and other amplified sounds of nature too.

Where: Argyle Cut, Argyle St, The Rocks NSW 2000.

30. Kickit Team Tennis

Step on to a court like you’ve never experienced. The fluorescent yellow ball is replaced by a steak of pulsing light, volleying back and forth across an orb-studded field. Step up to one of the interactive footpads to serve a pulse of light back to the opposing team. Players work together to score points, becoming a celebration of teamwork and community — it’s more than just a game.

Where: Darling Quarter Village Green, 25 Harbour Street, Darling Harbour NSW 2000.

31. The Dream Herd

A cute glowing cloud of fluffy sheep stands overhead, illuminated against the night sky. Counting sheep has long been lauded as the key to falling asleep and The Dream Herd is a homage to that nightly ritual. Reflecting on the fact that some people dream in black-and-white while others dream in technicolour, vibrant colours and unexpected bursts of light play across the illuminated flock. Interactive touchpoints trigger these flights of colour, transforming the sheep into a shifting paddock of dreaming.

Where: Cockle Bay Wharf, 201 Sussex St, Sydney NSW 2000.

32. House of Romance: Dreams Collide

Iconic Australian fashion duo, Romance Was Born, makes its Vivid Sydney debut with a vibrant celebration of their 20th anniversary. They’ve redefined Australian fashion with their wild imagination and collaborations, and now, their magical work bursts free from catwalks and on to the façade of Customs House. From crochet to an underwater reef, the sensory experience, with its bespoke soundtrack, is an explosion of artistry and colour.

Where: Customs House, 31 Alfred Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

READ MORE: ‘House of Romance’ is a true spectacle

33. Cygnus

Twelve animatronic swans glide across the mirrored water of Nawi Cove, weaving and piriouetting gracefully in a hypnotic display. Swans have appeared in myths and folklore across cultures for centuries. Pulsing with light, the colours of these installations shift in rhythm to the haunting soundtrack by Anil Sebastian. It’s impressed audiences in Lodnon, Berlin and Paris, but will take on special resonance in Australia, home to the world’s only black swans.

Where: Nawi Cove, Hickson Rd, Barangaroo NSW 2000.

34. The Cloud Swing

A cluster of clouds, first exhibited at Burning Man in 2019, appear as if floating in Darling Quarter Village Green. Drift over to experience escapism as you take a seat on a swing below a large, fantastical puff of white. When still, the clouds remain soft and white, but as they move, they burst into colour.

Where: Darling Quarter Village Green, 25 Harbour Street, Darling Harbour NSW 2000.

35. Starscape Tunnel

Walk through a 40-metre tunnel illuminated by a galaxy of glowing stars. Paying homage to the night sky and the glow-in-the-dark decorations that sparked so many childhood dreams, you’re invited to get lost in space beneath more than 700 stars.

Where: Hay Street, Darling Harbour NSW 2000.

36. Telephone

Tapping into the nostalgia of dreams, several retro UK telephone booths invite you to step away from your mobile to reconnect with a slower form of communication. Dial the dream line and leave a message, prompted by a recording. You’ll have 30 seconds to share a dream, intention or simply leave an earnest message for someone special. These portals into the past will display collected dreams on screens across Vivid Sydney.

Where: Chinese Garden of Friendship forecourt, Pier Street, Cnr Harbour St, Darling Harbour NSW 2000.

37. Entwine

Dreams are where our past, present and future converge. Bringing this idea to life are three suspended, glowing circles that are interlinked to symbolise the power of our imaginations. Each disc features more than 170 meticulously arranged LED tubes pulsing with gentle glimmers or sudden bursts of light. Shifting patterns mirror the unpredictability of dreams and the hidden depths of human emotion.

Where: Tumbalong Boulevard, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW 2000.

38. Chasing Dreams Tunnel by Chas Clarkson

Travel through time and space as you step into an immersive passageway of fairy lights, created by renowned Bundjalung artist Dr Bronwyn Bancroft. Collaborating with Chas Clarkson, Dr Bancroft’s bold and expressive style in brought to life, inspired by her personal experiences and dreams.

Where: Martin Place East, Martin Place, Sydney NSW 2000.

39. Flowers’ Power

Enormous cartoon-like flowers will sprout mid-way up the buildings of Martin Place, reflecting the surrounding business district into a surreal garden of light. Shining with shifting beams, coloured mirror shards scatter reflections and shadows across the garden while soft music harmonises around you.

Where: Martin Place between Elizabeth Street and Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

40. Drawn in Light

Children’s hanging mobiles were the inspiration for this piece, as becomes clear when you see the floating display. Simple, hand-drawn objects float overhead in this dynamic chandelier that sways and rotates gently in the breeze. A key, a car and a house are among the recognisable symbols that reflect the charm of childhood imagination.

Where: Darling Harbour Reflection Ponds, Sydney NSW 2000.

41. While You Were Dreaming

Back for their second year as an official partner of Vivid Sydney, Estée Lauder unveils a bold new installation fusing science, beauty and imagination. A five-metre-high sculptural face stands at its centre. From the outside, it rests in sleepy stillness; step closer to uncover a world alive with light and movement, just beneath the surface. Revealing the unseen renewal that unfolds each night beneath the surface of the skin, it’s an ode to Estée Lauder’s expertise in nighttime skincare.

Where: 35 Tumbalong Bvd, Haymarket NSW 2000.

42. BioDream

Loss is both an ending and a beginning — a moment for reflection, renewal and transformation. BioDream is a psychedelic dreamscape that explores the space between our subconscious and waking life. Inspired by the disorienting experience of grief, the natural world and the symbolic power of water, this perspective-shifting projection is an ode to the cycle of life. It reminds us that while loss is inevitable, so too is growth and rebirth.

Where: CTA Building, MLC Centre, 19/29 Martin Pl, Sydney NSW 2000.

43. Soleil Nuit

Gaze upwards and ponder the beauty of the ever-changing sky while you marvel at the brilliance of the sun and the mystery of the night with this impressionist painting-like installation. Two mirror-encrusted discs — one representing the Sun and the other night — capture the duality of human experience, oscillating with the wind and casting out thousands of reflections. By day it glimmers, by night it becomes a galaxy of stars illuminated by LED spotlights.

Where: Alfred St, Sydney NSW 2000.

44. Fireplaces

Popping up in a few different locations, including Ultimo, Barangaroo and Tumbalong Park, you’ll spot the giant fire pits, captivating fire sculptures and daring flame throwers and fire barrels from a mile away. They’re great for all ages as kids will be mesmerised by the incredible flame-fuelled artistry performed right before their eyes.

Where: The Goods Line and Inner City, Barangaroo, Vivid Fire Kitchen & Tumbalong Park.

READ MORE: Best kids-friendly Vivid Sydney events in 2025

45. Lumina Dream

A garden of six teardrop-shaped sculptures will leave you wondering whether the forms are raindrops, and what causes their shifting patterns. Spoiler alert: the organic forms respond in real-time to meteorological data. From tip to base, each sculpture transforms weather data into an ever-changing display of colours and light patterns.

Where: Pennywinkle Lawn, Barangaroo NSW 2000.

46. QUASAR

A donut-like structure looms before you, illuminated by a hypnotic swirl of light that continuously cycles inward on one side and outward on the other. At its centre lies a black mirror that seems to absorb light, yet you see your reflection drawn in its dark surface. The central “coin” symbolises a black hole and your place in the universe. A metaphor for dreaming, it reflects how light, and dark coexist, and how dreams craft brilliance from nothing.

Where: The Goods Line, Ultimo NSW 2000.

47. Sweet Dreams

Spinifex Group are lighting up a Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons with projections of shiny gumballs, pastel macarons and freshly-made popcorn in this super sweet show. Catch a ferry to see this kaleidoscope of lollies come to life from the middle of the harbour.

Where: Sydney Harbour Bridge Pylons, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Rocks NSW 2000.