Lights, music, ideas and food – the 15th Vivid Sydney is about to get under way with Dream as its theme and some surprising guests coming to help the city celebrate.
From 23 May to Saturday 14 June the Harbor City will be the place to be and well worth a visit as it becomes awash with colour and light and cultural experiences of the musical and culinary.
And those appearing this year include comedy’s coolest couple, Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally – who will appear on stage and in-conversation together for the very first time in Australia at the International Convention Centre, Sydney on Saturday, 14 June. While for the culinary-minded, watch out for events curated by Nigella Lawson, while there is a plethora of musical acts to suit all tastes.
For its 15th year, the festival footprint has been redesigned to present five zones: Circular Quay and The Rocks; Barangaroo; Martin Place and CBD (for the first time since 2018); Darling Harbour; and The Goods Line and Inner City.
Each connected zone will feature events from each of the festival pillars: Light, Music, Ideas and Food.
And the nice thing about Vivid is that more than 75 per cent of the program and 100 per cent of Vivid Light Walk is free to enjoy as the city lights up major buildings and landmarks in fun and surprising ways.
Showcasing Sydney’s creative pulse during winter, Vivid Sydney will feature exclusive collaborations for a series of events with Sydney Writers’ Festival and Sydney Film Festival, as well as cultural institutions, venues and arts companies Art Gallery of NSW, Australian Museum, Bangarra Dance Theatre, City Recital Hall, State Library of NSW, and Sydney Theatre Company.
“Vivid Sydney continues to find exciting new ways and places to bring colour, creativity and fun to our city,” NSW Minister for Tourism, Arts, Music and the Night-time Economy, John Graham enthused.
“From surprising outdoor dining experiences, to artistic light projections on our most famous landmarks and big free live shows in Tumbalong Park – Vivid Sydney has something for everyone, whether you’re a visitor or a local.
“This year’s festival is helping people face the cost-of-living crisis by increasing the number of free events, which is great news if you want a good night out without blowing the budget.”
Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini said the festival’s Dream theme is something that we all experience, and it can be interpreted in a myriad of ways.
“Dreaming is as old as time and as universal as life itself. Dreams can be prophetic, life-changing and inspirational, as well as trivial, hilarious or terrifying,” Gill said.
“These interactions are evident in every aspect of Vivid Sydney’s program this year.
“Captivating light installations and 3D projections for everyone, thought-provoking and enlightening experiences, awe-inspiring performances from the world’s best musicians, along with cutting-edge culinary collaborations and dinners in unexpected places, it can all be found at Vivid Sydney.”
The late Australian visionary, David McDiarmid’s bold and unapologetic work will be showcased on the Sydney Opera House for Lighting of the Sails, entitled Kiss of Light (2025).
Vincent Namatjira will present King Dingo on the facade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia while the team behind Sydney fashion label, Romance Was Born will debut House of Romance on Customs House.
This year festivalgoers can interact with installations and 3D projections across the Vivid Light Walk, including voice-activated animation, suspended swings, whimsical seesaws, a tennis match with light, and self-portraits turned into 3D projections by world-renowned entertainment studio, Moment Factory.
Free Vivid Ideas events include the weekly Firetalk series at Barangaroo Reserve, bringing together First Nations storytellers, and Endling, a major new physical theatre work performed nightly by Sydney’s Legs On The Wall.
Stranger Things: The Experience will debut at Luna Park Sydney.
Vivid Food has never been more enticing. In a festival exclusive, internationally renowned food writer and TV cook, Nigella Lawson will curate three Vivid Sydney Dinners in the recently opened pedestrian tunnel Muru Giligu in Martin Place.
Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House boasts more than 50 cutting-edge and legendary international and Australian artists, including British singer and spellbinding performer Anohni and The Johnsons, Beth Gibbons from Portishead, Sigur Róswith the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, indie pop darlings Japanese Breakfast, soulful indie-folk crooner Marlon Williams, neo-soul artist Ravyn Lenae, plus homegrown trailblazers Miss Kaninna, SAHXL and more.
And all that is just the start. Check out www.vividsydney.com for much much more.
