Vivid Sydney is back! The biggest event of the year is returning for a stunning 23 nights from May 26 to June 17. The world’s most innovative artists, music makers and thought leaders will descend on the city to take part in more than 300 activations and events. For the first time in the festival’s history it will introduce a new pillar: Vivid Food.

Each year Vivid selects a theme that all works and installations will draw upon for inspiration. This year’s theme is: Mother Nature. And who better to have their work featured on the Sydney Opera House sails than Australia’s greatest living artist, John Olsen. 

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Lighting of the Sails: Life Enlivened (2023) will be tribute to Olsen’s illustrious career of more than 60 years. The multimedia exhibition will include Olsen’s evocative Salute to Five bells (1971–73) mural commissioned especially for the Northern Foyer of Sydney Opera House’s Concert Hall, as well as other artworks spotlighting Olsen’s fascination with Australian landscapes and nature.

The Light Walk will also be returning. Hosting the works of 100+ light collaborators and 26 international light artists from 13 countries, street installations will re-shape old sights, surprising projection sites and large-scale immersive experiences. But it doesn’t stop there. The Light Walk will expand its footprint in 2023, with a Vivid Sydney takeover of Barangaroo featuring more than 10 light installations and projections along with the Vivid Fire Kitchen.

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Following its debut in 2022, Vivid House returns – but this year bigger and better at the Cutaway in Barangaroo, activating every night of the festival with 360-degree immersive natural experiences bringing together art, light, sound and video from local and international artists. Vivid Sydney’s largest installation, The Last Ocean by US artist Jen Lewin, will dazzle at Barangaroo Reserve’s Stargazer Lawn, while at Barangaroo Headland visitors will be can get that Instagram-worthy moment with the installations Dune by Juan Fuentes and Sydney art collective Night Whisper by Amigo & Amigo.

The light show will also be taking to the sky with a drone show. Written in the Stars will feature more than 1,000 drones over six shows for what will be the biggest drone show in the Southern Hemisphere to date.

Jeanette Winterson headlines Vivid Ideas and will reflect on questions of identity, sexuality, religion and more to unpack the idea of nature in LIFE AND MARS: The Future of Human. 

 Vivid Music will spotlight First Nations and Australian voices and will celebrate the legacy of the late Archie Roach AC, as well as an incredible free Vivid Music Program at Tumbalong Park on the Vivid Sydney Light Walk featuring Yothu Yindi, cult Japanese artist, Cornelius and many more.

The Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House line-up will feature more than 40 Australian and international artists. José González, Yaeji, Ella Mai, Cat Power, Devonté Hynes and many more will take to the stages of the world-famous building in a program curated by Sydney Opera House’s Head of Contemporary Music Ben Marshall.
For more information, visit vividsydney.com

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