Vivid Sydney, Australia’s biggest art and innovation event, is returning for 2026 with a stellar line-up that features some of the most celebrated local and international artists, musicians, thinkers and culinary experts.
Now in its 16th year, Vivid Sydney spans across 23 days and nights and will feature a wide range of activations and programming across the CBD, and beyond. Running from May 22 through June 13, the festival will boast some new art and culture moments this year, including the largest Vivid Light program in the festival’s history and a curated selection of daytime events, including dramatic art installations and celebrity performances.
Vivid Light is pushing its boundaries with Molecule of Light, the festival’s tallest 75 feet installation and Obstacle, one of the longest‑ever displays stretching 147 feet along the harbor.
Elsewhere in the Vivid Light program, Sāmoan-Australian artist Angela Tiatia will light up façade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia with Vaiola, a new large-scale light projection, and French multimedia artist Yann Nguema’s Opera Mundi will see a unique fusion of science, music and computer programming projected onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House.
A rendering of “Obstacle”.
Vivid Sydney/Destination New South Wales
The Vivid LIVE music lineup features performances from U.S. powerhouses including Mitski in residency, solo shows by Matt Berninger, hip-hop icons Lil’ Kim and Yasiin Bey, and visionary sets from Flying Lotus and Earl Sweatshirt.
For a deeper conversation with some of entertainment’s key players, Vivid Minds offers talks with the likes of Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao, filmmaker Sean Baker, author Roxane Gay, broadcaster Zane Lowe and art critic Jerry Saltz.
Celebrating the culinary delights of Australia and beyond, the Vivid Food program will dish up a Regional Dinner Series headlined by global icon Yotam Ottolenghi. Additional culinary programming includes a New South Wales food and wine party that will bring together more than 30 winemakers and importers from across the state, and a tuna dinner hosted by seafood authority John Susman AO and Good Food Chef of the Year nominee Toshihiko Oe of Sushi Oe.
“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,” said Brett Sheehy AO, Festival Director at Vivid Sydney. “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.”
A rendering of “Electric Dandelions” at Vivid Light Walk.
Vivid Sydney/Destination New South Wales
Another standout feature of the festival is the Vivid Light walk, a four-plus mile unbroken journey that is free to the public and features over 43 installations and projections created by acclaimed local and international artists. The walk stretches across Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, with stunning views of some of Sydney’s most famous sites, including the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Last year, Vivid Sydney partnered with more than 400 local businesses, enriching a global cultural celebration that draws millions of visitors to the city and strengthens New South Wales’ visitor and night‑time economies.
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