Sydney is about to turn into the country’s cultural hub throughout May and June, with the line-ups for both Vivid Sydney and Vivid LIVE being unveiled today.
The Sydney Opera House will be the home of Vivid LIVE for three weeks, hosting more than 50 cutting-edge international and Australian artists through a number of special events and exclusives. Most notably, Mitski is scheduled for four sold out in-the-round nights in celebration of her latest album, Nothing's About To Happen To Me.
Mogwai join the festivities as part of their 30th anniversary, while The National’s Matt Berninger, King Stingray, Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE, and kwn also add themselves to the bill. A world premiere will also be on offer, with a tribute to Gil Scott-Heron being delivered by his longtime collaborator and keyboardist Brian Jackson and acclaimed rapper and singer Yasiin Bey.
Other acts on offer include the influential Sparks, Grammy Award-winning producr Flying Lotus, post-punk outfit Dry Cleaning (along with local supergroup Station Model Violence), Cate Le Bon & Cass McCombs, Party Dozen, Beddy Rays, Alfa Mist, and much more.
“Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House is a unique moment when the gold standard of live music fills every corner of this building – itself a testament to the transformative power of art – while Vivid Sydney pulses energy through the city,” said Sydney Opera House’s Head of Contemporary Music and Vivid LIVE Curator, Ben Marshall.
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“From world premieres to Australian debuts, and performances coming exclusively for Vivid LIVE, this year’s program celebrates the subcultural best coming overground – from Western Sydney to Detroit, from Dakar to Copenhagen – on stages designed to touch your soul, all while Yann Nguema’s Opera Mundi pours its radiant brilliance over the sails.”
Alongside the Vivid LIVE program, Sydney will also be transformed thanks to the Vivid Sydney line-up, inviting visitors to rediscover the Harbour City in bold new ways.
With over 80% of the program free to attend, this year's edition of Vivid Sydney also features a selection of daytime events, ensuring the experience isn't solely relegated to the twilight hours.
One of the biggest additions to the offrings is the Vivid Light Walk, an unbroken 6.5 km journey featuring over 43 installations and projections created by acclaimed local and international artists.
Venues in and around the CBD will find themselves hosting Vivid Music, Vivid Food, and Vivid Minds events that bring the entire city into the experience. Collaborations also include a series of events with Biennale Sydney, as well as cultural institutions, venues and arts companies such 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.
This year's Vivid Light roster features the likes of British artist Chris Levine's Molecule Of Light; the 45-metre high LED installation Obstacle by Melbourne collective Reelize; and Opera Mundi, a major work by French artist Yann Nguema which illuminates the Sydney Opera House sails.
Vivid Minds offers audiences a chance to engage with stoytellers and cultural thinkers, including Academy Award–winning filmmakers Sean Baker (Anora, The Florida Project) and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Hamnet), alongside influential music commentator Zane Lowe.
Meanwhile Vivid Foods offers myriad culinary options for lovers of flavour, creativity and connection, bringing world-leading chefs and producers to the table, including Yotam Ottolenghi, who leads the new Regional Dinner Series with A Shared Table, which sees him bring together ingredients and flavours from across the state, placing regional identity, and provenance at the heart of the menu.
“No other city in the world can host Vivid, because no other city in the world has what Sydney has to offer,” said Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper. “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 full line-ups and tickets for ticketed events at Vivid Sydney and Vivid LIVE are available now via their respective websites.
