From 24 May to 15 June, the Southern Hemisphere’s largest multi-artform festival will comprise 23 nights of unforgettable experiences, exploring the theme of ‘Humanity’.
Vivid Sydney, the Southern Hemisphere’s premier multi-artform festival, has unveiled an enthralling program for 2024, promising 23 nights of unforgettable experiences from 24 May to 15 June. With a theme centered around ‘Humanity’, the festival will showcase the essence of human existence through Light, Music, Ideas, and Food.
Spanning across iconic locations in Sydney, including Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, and more, Vivid Sydney 2024 aims to celebrate what makes us uniquely human – love, kindness, compassion, and creativity.
Vivid Sydney 2024 highlights:
- 40km-long laser beams to be projected from the city’s tallest structure, Sydney Tower
- 2023 Archibald Prize winner to transform Sydney Opera House for Lighting of the Sails
- Vivid Fire Kitchen returns in a brand-new space
- Budjerah, Mos Def and Air to headline Vivid Music
- An exploration into sex work in Australia’s notorious red-light district
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John Graham, Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, expressed excitement about the 14th edition of Vivid Sydney, highlighting its significance as a celebration of light, music, ideas, and food. Last year’s festival saw record attendance and visitor expenditure, showcasing its popularity and economic impact.
“It’s an important event every year that Sydneysiders and visitors alike have come to love. It’s not just a light show, it’s a celebration of light, music, ideas and food – a program full of rich cultural experiences that resonate with locals and visitors alike. Vivid Sydney brings together important parts of Sydney’s culture – Light, Music, Ideas and Food. It celebrates what’s great and unique about our city, and our state and creates a uniquely Sydney experience. That’s why it’s been so popular over so many years.
“This year’s festival will have a variety of free and cost-effective events on offer to provide many opportunities for people to come together and celebrate. Last year, the festival achieved the biggest attendance on record and the largest visitor expenditure in its history, with more than 3.48 million attendees generating more than $206 million in visitor expenditure.”
Vivid Sydney Festival Director Gill Minervini emphasised the festival’s focus on exploring the human spirit. The diverse program aims to foster connections, spark imagination, and showcase the multitude of ways creativity enriches our lives.
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. Witness a 40km stretch of rainbow lasers emanating from the Sydney Tower, a universal symbol of hope by US artist Yvette Mattern. Immerse yourself in the captivating display of the 2023 Archibald Prize winner, Julia Gutman, adorning the Sydney Opera House sails for Lighting of the Sails: Echo (2024). Reg Mombassa, Guan Wei, Leila Jeffreys and many more join the line-up, transforming the city into a dynamic open-air art gallery.
Vivid Music ignites the city with a curated program of live performances, concerts and DJ sets across diverse venues. Tumbalong Nights returns with a free program, featuring established and emerging artists including Budjerah, grentperez and Mallrat, while the newly opened Machine Hall Precinct pulsates with headliners like Deerhoof, Jen Cloher and No Fixed Address.
Vivid Ideas, a cornerstone of the festival, sparks curiosity with new ways to experience ideas – theatre, installations and engaging discussions are just the beginning. Engage in After The Fact, nightly discussions on current affairs, or peek into someone else’s window at Window Dressing and discover a universal human trait. Participate in unique experiences like A THOUSAND WAYS: An Encounter, which fosters connections with strangers; experience the immersive dance and art installation of Shifting Perspectives; or join influential Australians at the Golden Age of Humanity film screenings and discussions at Golden Age Cinema.
Vivid Food celebrates the diverse culinary landscape of Sydney and NSW. Vivid Fire Kitchen returns with delectable offerings at its new location, The Goods Line. A Culinary Canvas by Danielle Alvarez showcases women in Australian gastronomy, while Plates with Purpose offers a taste of Ukraine at Kyiv Social. Explore over 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.
Tickets for Vivid Sydney 2024 are on sale now, offering an opportunity to experience Sydney at its most creative and vibrant.
