A Citywide Celebration of Creativity, Day and Night: Vivid Sydney 2026 Program Revealed

SYDNEY, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Running from Friday 22 May to Saturday 13 June, the 23‑day program brings together the full breadth of the city's creative identity across Vivid Light, Vivid Music, Vivid Minds and Vivid Food. More than 80 per cent of the festival remains free, including the entire Vivid Light Walk, an unbroken 6.5‑kilometre journey featuring over 43 installations and projections created by acclaimed local and international artists.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said Vivid Sydney will be bigger and better than ever before.  

"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 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."  

Vivid Sydney 2026 marks Brett Sheehy AO's first year as Festival Director; a creative homecoming after two decades leading major festivals and arts companies across Australia.

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO said this year's program represents a bold new horizon for the event.

"For 2026 we are expanding our program 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. 

"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.

"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," said Mr Sheehy.

Vivid Sydney Partners

Kia returns as a Major Partner for the fifth consecutive year in 2026, with a new installation set to feature along the Vivid Sydney Light Walk. Vivid Sydney's Supporting Partners include City of Sydney,Event Engineering, Kennards Hire, Mandylights, The P.A. People, Technical Direction Company and Transdev.

Vivid Sydney's Program Partners include Carriageworks, Sydney Opera House and Museum of Contemporary Art. Vivid Sydney's Location Partners include Australian Maritime Museum, Cockle Bay Wharf, Placemaking NSW, Port Authority of New South Wales, and State Library of New South Wales.

Tickets for Vivid Sydney are on sale now. For more information and for a full list of events, go to vividsydney.com