Vivid Sydney Reveals Program Highlights for 2024

Vivid Sydney Reveals Program Highlights for 2024
Contributor: Stephanie Nuzzo and Lauren Rouse

Sydney is a thriving hub of bars and restaurants, as well as festivals, but one of the events that excites Sydney-siders the most is Vivid, and we have some details on how it’s going to look in 2024.

If you’re planning to take advantage of this stellar event, here’s everything you need to know.

When is Vivid Sydney 2024?

Vivid Sydney 2015, Media Preview at Customs House 21/5/2015. Photo Credit – James Horan/Destination NSW

VIVID 2023 is running over 23 nights from Friday, May 24 to Saturday, June 15. You’ll have a solid chunk of time to check it all out, so start planning ahead.

What is scheduled for Vivid in 2024?

vivid sydney 2023
Image supplied

Vivid Sydney for 2024 is inspired by all things ‘Humanity’ and will explore this concept through light, music, ideas and food.

Some of the standout events this year include a 40km-long laser beam projected from Sydney Tower and stars Budjerah, Mos Def and Air headlining the Vivid Music festival.

Locations for Vivid this year 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.  

Here are some of the other highlights in each category at Vivid Sydney 2024.

Vivid Light

The lights are one of the main draws of Vivid Sydney, with dozens of installations set up across the city offering a variety of light and colour-based experiences.

This year some of the highlights are:

  • 40km stretch of rainbow lasers emanating from Sydney Tower (designed by US artist Yvette Mattern)
  • Lighting of the Sails: Echo – Display of the 2023 Archibald Prize winner, Julia Gutman, adorning the Opera House sails
  • Reg Mombassa will reimagine the classic Aussie road trip in a takeover of Customs House with Gumscape with Road and Creatures.
  • Chinese Australian artist Guan Wei’s signature iconography will transform the Museum of Contemporary Art
  • Leila Jeffres and Melvin J. Montalban collaborate on Nest, a large-scale circular projection at the Stargazer lawn in Barangaroo.
  • Horizon features Spanish artists Playmodes and offers a hypnotic full-body experience where trance-like sound and strobing lights challenge your perception of space.
  • Stateless features 4,000 solar-powered LED candles along the Barangaroo Reserve’s sandstone blocks, designed by Sinclair Park.

As always, Sydney’s skyline will be transformed by a kaleidoscope of colour, and the Royal Botanical Gardens will come alive for Lightscape.

Music

Vivid’s Music lineup is completely stacked this year with tickets on sale now for many of the major acts. Tumbalong Nights is returning to Tumbalong park, with a free program featuring established and emerging artists including: Budjerah, grentperez and Mallrat. The newly opened Machine Hall Precinct will play host to Deerhoof, Jen Cloher and No Fixed Address.

Some other headliners include Sky Ferreira (returning 10 years after her last Australian shows), Thelma Plum, Air, Underworld, Yasiin Bay, Fever Ray, Arca and Snoh Aalegra.

Vivid Ideas

Vivid Ideas’ session has brought us incredible sessions from the likes of Mike White and Jennifer Coolidge, and Aaron Sorkin, so what’s in store this time?

In 2024 Vivid Ideas’ program includes a series named After the Fact, which is a nightly discussion of current affairs, or ‘Window Dressing’ which Vivid describes as ‘peeking into someone else’s window’.

There are unique experiences like A Thousand Ways: An Encounter, which fosters connections with strangers, or Shifting Perspectives, an art installation paired with immersive dance. Golden Age Cinema will also be hosting film screenings for the Golden Age of Humanity run.

Food

In 2023, Vivid Sydney introduced an additional pillar: Vivid Food. In its sophomore year, this program will celebrate the diverse landscape of food in Sydney. A Culinary Canvas by Danielle Alvarez will explore women in Australian gastronomy, Plates and Purpose offers a taste of Ukraine and 20 top chefs will exhibit at VividPlace Food Trail.

The Vivid Residence and Vivid Chef Series will also return, with announcements on chefs and venues coming soon.


There’s all this and much (MUCH) more going on at Vivid Sydney this year. Make sure to head on down and check it out if you can to support our local artists and the city’s culture.

This article has been updated since its original publish date. 

Lead Image Credit: Vivid Sydney (Supplied)


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

Here are the cheapest plans available for Australia’s most popular NBN speed tier.

At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

Comments


Leave a Reply