- The 23-day event runs from Friday, May 22 to Saturday, June 13
- More than 80 per cent of the festival is free, and it now has events during the day.
- Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour join additional CBD venues
Lights, camera, action! The 2026 Vivid Festival schedule has officially been released, and Sydney Travel Guide has scoured the program to highlight the absolute best of the fest for your entertainment.
Vivid has fast become the golden highlight of Australia’s annual festival schedule. It’s a dazzling spectacle of interactive exhibitions and events that captivates locals and visitors of all ages.
Now, 2026 will see a major extension of the program to day events.
What’s new and notable in 2026
- Festival dates: Friday 22 May – Saturday 13 June 2026 (23 days/nights)
- Over 80% of the program and 100% of Vivid Light Walk remain free to enjoy
- It’s a 6.5 km Light Walk with 43 installations across an unbroken route.
- In a festival first, Vivid Sydney offers a selection of daytime events, installations, talks and performances.
- The Stargazer Lawn at Barangaroo is the new home for the beloved Vivid Fire Kitchen.
- Vivid Sydney features four pillars: Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Food and Vivid Minds – a reimagining of Vivid Ideas encompassing live performance and experiential art alongside keynote talks, panel discussions and more.
This year, Vivid Sydney will feature collaborations for a series of events, in collaboration with Biennale Sydney, as well 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.
Most interesting is the addition of daytime events to the schedule for the very first time. In doing so, the festival takes its first steps into a new era with a selection of installations, talks, and food experiences, while the city still transforms each night again into its signature night time glow.
The 23 day program runs this year from Friday 22 May to Saturday 13 June, and 2026 combines a program across Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Minds and Vivid Food. What does this mean exactly? We break down the categories below for a full list of highlights across exhibitions, food, music and interactive installations.
In other news, more than 80 per cent of the festival remains free to visitors, including 100% of the entire Vivid Light Walk, which is an unbroken walk of 6.5 kilometres. The remaining event is 80% free to enjoy for all visitors. Click on the following link to purchase tickets for the priced events.
The Vivid Light Walk has also expanded its footprint. As usual, it stretches across Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour and for the first time, additional venues in and around the CBD will be hosting Vivid Music, Vivid Food and Vivid Minds events that bring the entire city into the experience. This new branch of Vivid Minds is a reimagining of Vivid Ideas, encompassing live performance and experiential art alongside keynote talks, panel discussions and more.
- For the official First Timer’s Guide to Vivid Sydney click here.
- For the full program to the Vivid 2026 Festival click here.
Your complete guide to Vivid:
1. Vivid Light
The centrepiece of the festival is about light. This focus named Vivid Light returns in 2026 with a bold new sense of scale and ambition, with two landmark centrepieces. Molecule of Light is the tallest installation, measuring 23 metres, and Obstacle is one of the longest‑ever works, stretching 45 metres across the harbour.
What to watch out for
Molecule of Light
This year’s key installation is brought to Sydney by British artist Chris Levine with his internationally acclaimed work Molecule of Light. Appearing at Barangaroo Reserve, the laser and sound installation fuses single‑frequency beams, geometric light patterns and a solfeggio soundscape inspired by ancient healing frequencies, creating a meditative atmosphere.
Obstacle
Another key work to look forward to is Obstacle by Melbourne collective Reelize . This work ignites Wulugul Walk with a 45-metre high‑res LED installation that creates a pulsing corridor of colour and movement after dark.
Vaiola
The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) transforms into a canvas for Vaiola, a powerful projection‑mapping work by Sāmoan‑Australian artist Angela Tiatia, whose practice explores gender, neo‑colonialism and performance. The projection reflects on “vaiola,” the life‑giving and healing force of water, weaving restorative symbolism with Tiatia’s deep connection to her ancestral home.
Opera Mundi
Just over the water, renowned French artist Yann Nguema debuts a major new work, Opera Mundi, illuminating the iconic Sydney Opera House sails. This original commission reflects on ‘the transformations found in nature and the elemental forces’ that inspired original Opera House architect Jørn Utzon.
Laser Lightfall
Cockle Bay will be transformed for it’s 16th year For its 16th year, with a nightly laser show called 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.
Starbound
Cockle Bay will also see the return of Vivid Sydney’s hugely popular drone experience, debuting under its new name, Star‑Bound: Vivid Sydney Drone Show. Making its comeback appearance since 2024, the refreshed show will light up the sky with 22 stellar performances across 11 sparkling nights.
2. Vivid Minds
Vivid Minds is one of the four pillars of the Vivid festival, offering a reimagining of Vivid Ideas. It encompasses live performance and experiential art alongside keynote talks and panel discussions. As the name suggests, Vivid Minds invites audiences to engage with leading storytellers and cultural thinkers to expand their thinking.
The 2026 program features keynote talks that unpack creative practice, cultural shifts and the forces shaping today’s artistic landscape. Feature speakers include:
- Academy Award–winning filmmaker Sean Baker (Anora, The Florida Project)
- Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Hamnet)
- Influential music industry tastemaker and broadcaster Zane Lowe
- Pulitzer Prize–winning art critic Jerry Saltz
- Bestselling author Roxane Gay
The program also welcomes Cristal Palace to the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, a new age 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 designed especially fore kids and families – it runs for the whole festival, including the daytime.
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.
3. Vivid Food
Vivid Food returns with a flourish of flavours and spices in 2026, with a host of world class chefs and producers to unite the NSW dining scene and share the feast of stories behind every dish.
The main course for the event is the new Regional Dinner Series, A Shared Table with Yotam Ottolenghi. The world‑renowned chef brings together ingredients and flavours from across the region of NSW, bringing his passion to the table.
Ottolenghi says of this collaboration: “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.
“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.”
While Ottolenghi’s headline event is the main course for the wider Regional Dinner Series, a handful of world class chefs will accompany the event, bringing a smattering of regional excellence through their collaborations.
Standout ingredients and artisans from across the state include pairings such as:
- Mindy Woods with Danielle Alvarez at the Sydney Opera House
- Ben Devlin with Lennox Hastie at Firedoor
- Christine Manfield with Sander Nooij at Yellow
Vivid Fire Kitchen
With a new home in 2026 for Vivid Fire Kitchen at Barangaroo Reserve, this 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.
This year leading Australian chefs, including Mark Best, Luke Mangan, Sharon Salloum and Annita Potter, will for the first time expand to showcase celebrated food innovators and culinary personalities such as Julie Goodwin, Adriano Zumbo, Declan Cleary and Karima Hazim, with more to be announced.
Most of Sydney’s acclaimed restaurants join the party this year with 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.
4. Vivid Music
Vivid Music has a perfected program of artists from around the world, creating sounds alongside special events, interactive experiences and performances. Here’s the list of what not to miss this year.
Tumbalong Nights
- Tumbalong Nights returns with 23 nights of free live music and DJs, including a special closing night performance from Matt Corby
- 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
Over two intimate nights, City Recital Hall will host a series of world class performers.
- British poet, writer and musician Kae Tempest
- 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
- At Oxford Art Factory, UK soul / hip-hop artist RUBII and indie darlings Chanel Beads perform headline shows
White Bay Power Station
Vivid Sydney also hosts a program of events as part of Biennale of Sydney’s Art After Dark series at White Bay Power Station. Headline shows from UK soul singer anaiis and American ambient electronic trio Purelink will light up the night sounds, and a special free closing night party is in the wings with a soon-to-be announced line up.
Vivid at The Sydney Opera House
Vivid LIVE will wow the Sydney Opera House again this year with more than 50 cutting-edge and legendary international and Australian artists, including awe-inspiring singer-songwriter Mitski. Scottish post-rock pioneers Mogwai will also feature, and Detroit techno icon Jeff Mills revisits 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
- Rap pioneer Gil Scott-Heron, led by Brian Jackson featuring Yasiin Bey
- A rare double bill from Welsh art-pop visionary Cate Le Bon and US indie troubadour Cass McCombs.
Aussie homegrown favourites include Beddy Rays, Jem Cassar-Daley, Party Dozen, party collectives DUNJ and Mad Racket, and tastemakers Astral People. Also taking over the iconic harbourside venue will be a curated cinema program and the spectacular Lighting of the Sails, plus Inner-west dive bar The Midnight Special popping up in the Northern Foyer, bringing a slice of Enmore Road with DJs, snacks and drinks.
Vivid at Carriageworks
Festival-goers spreading out beyond the CBD can head to at Carriageworks, for an electrifying mix of music, performance and dining across three dynamic weekends. The trendy industrial site will host major takeovers by the following world-class artists
- Led by hip hop icon Lil’ Kim, celebrating milestones for Hard Core and The Notorious K.I.M.
- 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
- free, and for all ages, Awesome Black Block Party celebrating First Nations music and community.
Beyond music, Warakirri Dining Experience returns under renowned Weilwan chef Sharon Winsor. In performance, 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.
What Vivid brings to Sydney
Vivid is more than just an enjoyable event for visitors, it is now recognised as a key economic boost for the city of Sydney. Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper says this year, Vivid Sydney will be a major boost for local businesses, delivering real economic and social benefits across the state.
Kamper says, “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.
“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.
“The NSW Government has an ambitious target of growing the state’s visitor economy to $91 billion over the next decade, and major events such as Vivid Sydney play a key role in driving domestic and international visitation, supporting jobs and delivering real economic and social benefits across the state.”
In 2025, Vivid Sydney partnered with more than 400 local businesses, drawing millions of visitors to the city and strengthening NSW’s visitor and night‑time economies. Local businesses can now submit expressions of interest for the 2026 Vivid Sydney Local Business Program. The submissions close on 3 April 2026.
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. Mr Sheehy said this year’s program represents a bold new horizon for the event.
“For 2026, we are expanding our program into new art forms, 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.
“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.
- For the official First Timer’s Guide to Vivid Sydney click here.
- For the full program to the Vivid 2026 Festival click here.
