Vivid Sydney 2026 will present the breadth of Sydney, Australia’s creative identity over 23 days, through events spanning light, music and food, most of which will be free to visitors.

Vivid Sydney festival director Brett Sheehy said this year’s programme represents a “bold new horizon” for the event.

“For 2026, we are expanding our programme into new artforms 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.”

A highlight is the 6.5km Vivid Light Walk, featuring more than 43 installations and projections by local and international artists. The free attraction stretches across Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour, with additional venues across the CBD hosting related events.

Vivid Sydney 2026 will include collaborations with Biennale Sydney and cultural institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Australian National Maritime Museum, City Recital Hall, The Mint, Carriageworks, State Library of NSW and Sydney Opera House.

The Vivid Light programme will be anchored by two centrepieces: Molecule of Light, the festival’s tallest installation at 23m, and Obstacle, one of the longest works stretching 45m along the harbour.

Vivid Minds will feature leading storytellers and cultural figures including Academy Award-winning filmmakers Sean Baker and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland, Hamnet), music broadcaster Zane Lowe, Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz and author Roxane Gay.

The series also includes weekly keynote talks showcasing 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.

Vivid Food will bring together chefs and producers to showcase dining across New South Wales, including the debut of the Regional Dinner Series. Its centrepiece, A Shared Table with Yotam Ottolenghi, aims to “celebrate the outstanding produce and beverages of New South Wales and share the kind of food that I love and that also tells the story of the region’s creativity and generosity”.

Additional dining experiences will be available at Vivid Fire Kitchen at Barangaroo Reserve and through pop-ups across the city.

Vivid Music will present a curated programme of international and local artists, alongside special events and performances.

As part of the Biennale of Sydney’s Art After Dark series at White Bay Power Station, the programme will include headline shows from UK soul singer anaiis and American ambient electronic trio Purelink, as well as a free closing night party with a line-up to be announced.

Vivid Sydney 2026 will also extend to the Sydney Opera House, where more than 50 international and Australian artists will contribute content, and to Carriageworks, which will host music, performance and dining across three weekends.

Minister for jobs and tourism Steve Kamper said: “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 programme that will come to life both day and night.

“With more than 80 per cent of the programme free to attend, Vivid Sydney is focused on making world-leading cultural experiences accessible to everyone… this year’s festival will bring colour and creativity to the city while delivering a significant boost to local businesses.”

Kamper added that the New South Wales government aims to grow the state’s visitor economy to A$91 billion (US$63.6 billion) over the next decade, with major events such as Vivid Sydney playing a key role in driving domestic and international visitation as well as supporting jobs and delivering real economic and social benefits across the state.