How to explore Vivid Sydney in 2024

Vivid Sydney has unveiled its 2024 program which promises 23 nights of unforgettable experiences, exploring the theme of ‘Humanity’ through Light, Music, Ideas and Food.

This year the Southern Hemisphere’s largest multi-artform festival will take place from May 24  to June 15, and will transform Sydney with dozens of mesmerising light installations and 3D projections from Circular Quay to The Goods Line.

There will also be a range of genre-spanning music performances and creative showcases plus a formidable Vivid Ideas program featuring everything from mind-blowing experiences to mouth-watering Vivid Food program.

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini said this year’s festival looks at how creativity fuels our interconnected world.

“Humanity is at the core of everything we do, and this year Vivid Sydney is diving deep into what makes us uniquely human,” Ms Minervini said.

“We have curated a diverse program that explores the human spirit, designed to foster connections, spark imagination and showcase the multitude of ways creativity enriches our lives. Everyone is invited to be part of this global event in the world’s most beautiful city to connect, create and celebrate.”

Staged across Sydney, Vivid Sydney festival locations and venues include Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, State Library of New South Wales, Walsh Bay, Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, University of Technology Sydney, The Goods Line, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Carriageworks, and more. 

Vivid Sydney 2024 will engage audiences across four pillars: Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Ideas and Vivid Food. Vivid Light will dazzle with large-scale projections, immersive experiences and interactive artworks.

Sydney’s skyline will transform for Our Connected City, uniting the city with kaleidoscopic colour and sophisticated lighting design across Sydney Harbour Bridge and through The Rocks, Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House and buildings in Sydney’s CBD.

With love, kindness, compassion and creativity a theme across the interactive experiences and events that make up the 23-day program, feature include 40km-long laser beams to be projected from the Sydney Tower, the city’s tallest structure, 2023 Archibald Prize winner, Julia Gutman, adorning the Sydney Opera House sails for Lighting of the Sails: Echo (2024).

Among other features will be artists Reg Mombassa, Guan Wei, Leila Jeffreys and many more join the line-up, transforming the city into a dynamic open-air art gallery.

Family-friendly displays include Stateless, by NSW artist Sinclair Park, features 4,000 solar-powered LED candles along Barangaroo Reserve’s sandstone blocks, each representing the growing number of stateless people globally, prompting reflection on their resilience and struggles.

The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney will come alive for Lightscape, returning to amaze with a re-imagined multi-sensory journey of light, colour and sound, showcasing breathtaking works from acclaimed international and local artists.

Nest, a collaboration between Leila Jeffreys and Melvin J. Montalban, features a large-scale circular projection at the Stargazer Lawn in Barangaroo, spotlighting the ritualistic mating dance of the brolga and humanity’s connection with nature.

Vivid Fire Kitchen returns in a brand-new space, The Goods Line. The Culinary Canvas will be created by Danielle Alvarez (ex Merivale) and will showcase women in Australian gastronomy. 

Meanwhile, Plates with Purpose offers a taste of Ukraine at Kyiv Social. You can explore more than 20 top chefs and restaurateurs at the VividPlace Food Trail or indulge in a bespoke bar snack and cocktail experience at Aurorae at Bennelong Bar.

Budjerah, Mos Def and Air to headline Vivid Music while there is also an exploration into sex work in Kings Cross, Australia’s notorious red-light district.

Tickets go on sale on March 11. For more information on how to explore Vivid Sydney, go to vividsydney.com