VIVID SYDNEY 2024 PROGRAM INFORMATION
VIVID LIGHT
Gill Minervini, Festival Director and Curator of Vivid Light, highlights that this year’s Vivid Light Walk will offer a unique insight into the essence of humanity.
“Illuminating Sydney’s stunning harbourfront and CBD with vibrant bursts of colour, mesmerising artworks and dynamic 3D projections, Vivid Light beckons everyone to immerse themselves in a display of human creativity and experience. In 2024, we emphasise works of grand scale, interactivity and profound meaning, delving into the rich tapestry of human experience through exclusive artist collaborations only found at Vivid Sydney,” said Ms Minervini.
Global Rainbow, from US artist Yvette Mattern, showcases beams of rainbow lasers fanning out from the iconic Sydney Tower, extending for up to 40km. This universal symbol of hope and love will bask Sydney in vibrant hues as a guiding light to Vivid Sydney.
Vivid Sydney Light Walk’s signature Sydney Opera House Lighting of the Sails
One of Australia’s most-beloved artists, Reg Mombassa will reimagine the classic Aussie road trip in a takeover of Customs House. The iconic building will be transformed with retro- futuristic robots, one-eyed koalas and other strange creatures for Gumscape with Road and Creatures.
Celebrated Chinese Australian artist Guan Wei’s signature iconography will transform the Museum of Contemporary Art for Sea, Sand and Stars.New for 2024 is After The Fact, a free, nightly deep-dive into current affairs and the daily news cycle featuring a rotating panel of high-profile change-makers, analysts and experts, offering fresh perspectives on the world’s pressing issues.The critically acclaimed A THOUSAND WAYS: An Encounter from New York company 600 Highwaymen, puts you and a stranger at the centre of a private ‘performance’ that encourages participants to see each other, and themselves, in new light.
- Liesel Badorrek’s Window Dressing taps into our collective fascination of glimpsing into the windows of homes (otherwise known as cryptoscopophilia). Peek into illuminated windows to watch people living ordinary lives across eight windows of a Frank Gehry building on The Goods Line.
- Part dance performance, part art installation, Shifting Perspectives features the dancers of Restless Dance Theatre. Watch as these performers weave around the 24 mirrored plinths as light swirls and sound pulsates.
- Sex Work: A legal and social history offers an immersive look into the sex industry of Kings Cross and Darlinghurst, peeling back stereotypes for a raw, immersive dive into its rich history and modern-day challenges.
- Golden Age of Humanity spans nine nights at the Golden Age Cinema in Surry Hills, featuring nine influential Australians, including Bernard Collaery, Kylie Kwong, Kate McClymont and more, who will introduce films that resonate with their interpretation of humanity.
- Can you say my name? Not so far, say Hibaq Farah, Niamh Ní Hoireabhaird, Ranjana Srivastava and the thousands of other Australians whose names are shortened, anglicised, mispronounced or replaced. Say My Name: The Humanity of Names is a storytelling session and panel discussion that unpacks how we perceive and acknowledge names unfairly categorised as ‘tricky’, ‘unfamiliar’ or ‘foreign’.
- Comedy, calamity and contemplation come together at Parliament House, Sydney for AI Will Destroy Humanity: A Future Science Debate, diving deep into the controversy of artificial intelligence.
VIVID FOOD
- Festival Director and Vivid Food curator Gill Minervini says Vivid Food returns to Vivid Sydney in 2024 in a celebration of the rich diversity of Sydney and NSW’s culinary scene.
- “In its second year, the festival’s newest pillar Vivid Food explores how food is often at the core of the human experience, acting as both a vibrant expression of diversity and a powerful connecter. Blending internationally celebrated cuisine with authentic local food experiences, Vivid Sydney 2024 presents renowned and culturally diverse food cultures in Sydney to the world,” said Ms Minervini.
- 2024 will see the return of the popular Vivid Fire Kitchen, taking up its new position at The Goods Line every night of the festival for a celebration of the universal language of barbecue.
- A Culinary Canvas by Danielle Alvarez invites guests to the iconic Yallamundi Rooms, on the Northern Boardwalk of the Sydney Opera House, for a celebration of women in Australian gastronomy and winemaking.
- Our Shared Humanity presents a series of exclusive dinners at Refettorio OzHarvest. Every night of the series will see the state’s best chefs, including Christine Manfield, Darren Robertson, Mitch Orr and more plate up their unique take on a three-course vegetarian menu, made using rescued NSW produce.
- A special 10-course degustation will offer an unparalleled opportunity to experience the authenticity and abundance of a Ukrainian family table at Kyiv Social for Plates with Purpose: A Taste of Ukraine.
- In the tradition of lively night food markets, Sydney Place and Bulletin Place laneways in the Uptown District will be transformed into a pedestrianised, culinary hub and will feature over 20 of Australia’s top chefs, restaurateurs and bartenders just a short walk from the Opera House
- 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.
- Horizon, by Spanish artists Playmodes, offers a hypnotic, full-body experience where trance- like sound and strobing lights challenge your perception of space, inviting you to see beyond the ordinary.
- 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.
- 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.
- The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney will come alive for Lightscape, returning to amaze with a re-imagined multisensory journey of light, colour and sound, showcasing breathtaking works from acclaimed international and local artists.
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VIVID MUSIC
- Vivid Music Curator Julian Ramundi says Vivid Music in 2024 will transform Sydney into a dynamic stage, in a city-wide celebration that shines a light on both established and emerging artists.
- “Vivid Music in 2024 elevates artist stories and connects audiences in a diverse range of spaces, from cultural institutions and theatres to free and accessible spaces across the Vivid Light Walk. Hear music in new parts of our city and gather to celebrate voices from all around the world, artists who remind us that songs vibrate at the centre of our shared humanity,” said Mr Ramundi.
- Tumbalong Nights makes a return with 12 nights of free performances in Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, featuring international sounds, diverse languages, interactive sing-a-longs and First Nations perspectives. Highlights include the pop brilliance of Brisbane’s Mallrat, Western Sydney’s rising star grentperez and Australia’s chart-topping Budjerah. An Australian-exclusive performance by Korean Indie luminaries sunwoojunga and Silica Gel, and an exclusive album launch from First Nations supergroup 3%, are just some of the acts that make up an unforgettable line-up.
- In a first for Vivid Sydney, the spectacular Machine Hall Precinct emerges as the new home of Vivid Music. Audiences can catch international headliners and parties within the surrounds of a reimagined 100-year-old heritage substation, right in the heart of Sydney and only recently opened to the public. The program features US indie rockers Deerhoof and hyperpop artist Underscores, along with shows from Jen Cloher, legendary First Nations band No Fixed Address and Arnhem Land song man Ngulmiya, and parties from Trackwork, The Huxleys and CLUB 4A. Vivid Sydney at Machine Hall is presented with the support of both Machine Hall Precinct and the City of Sydney.
- The Vivid Sydney Supper Club returns to Mary’s Underground with new curators Rhys Nicholson and Georgia Mooney delivering a packed list of talent across music, theatre and television, including Mo’Ju, Montaigne, Luke McGregor, Annabel Crabb, Julia Zemiro and Ewen Leslie, with Rhys and Georgia hosting each night of the program.
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VIVID IDEAS
- Vivid Ideas Curator Rachel Healy says Vivid Ideas 2024 has transformed from talking heads to interactive experiences, serving as a platform for inspiration that challenges and redefines traditional views of the world.“The Vivid Ideas program of 2024 offers the panel discussions, conferences and talks for which it is renowned, but this year we’ve broadened the program to include events that express ideas in less traditional formats. Think performance, walking tours, a one-on-one experience with a stranger, meditations and cryptoscopophilia!”
VIVID LIVE AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
As part of Vivid Music, the Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House line-up will feature more than 50 Australian and international artists. Air, Arca, Underworld, Fever Ray, Sky Ferreira, Devonté Hynes and many more will break new ground on the stages of the world-famous building in a program curated by Sydney Opera House’s Head of Contemporary Music, Ben Marshall.
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- French cult favourites Air will celebrate their critically acclaimed debut album Moon Safari (1998).
- Venezuelan electronic artist Arca will make her long-awaited Australian debut in the Concert Hall in an Australian exclusive for Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House.
- Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Devonté Hynes will perform a suite of his classical compositions accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra with UK conductor Matthew Lynch.
- American enigma Sky Ferreira will return to Australia for the first time in a decade, playing her iconic tracks and teasing her highly anticipated new album.
- In an Australian exclusive, UK’s techno legends Underworld will bring their unmatched blend of dance music’s past and present, performing over three euphoric nights in the Concert Hall.
- Swedish iconoclast of avant-garde pop Fever Ray and the next generation of soul, Snoh Aalegra, will make their Australian debuts in the Concert Hall.
- Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House Studio Parties also return to celebrate the best in local club culture, featuring parties from House of Mince, Mad Racket, Astral People and many more.
CARRIAGEWORKS
The Vivid Sydney at Carriageworks 2024 program will span across 13 nights and will feature international and local music acts and immersive dining experiences.
- One of the most influential figures in hip hop culture, musician, actor and activist Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) joins Vivid Sydney at Carriageworks for a two-night exploration of his back catalogue and artistic influences.
- British singer-songwriter Tirzah will take to the stage for an intimate night of enchanting, boundary-pushing music.
- Experimental American musician and alt-rock star Yves Tumor will make their Australian debut, performing an explosive, genre-bending set.
- Dance music duo X CLUB. is set to up the tempo with a frenetic set where techno collides with drum & bass.
- Australian electronic dance duo Electric Fields will treat audiences to their high-octane dancefloor sound, which is grounded in ancient melodies and sung in Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and English.
- As part of Vivid Food, Coyoacán Social will take up residence at Carriageworks throughout the festival, serving up authentic Mexican street food with a purpose.
- The Warakirri Dining Experience will also return to Carriageworks over two nights for an intimate First Nations dining experience led by Ngemba Weilwan woman and chef Sharon Winsor that fuses modern cooking techniques with traditional methods, alongside storytelling, dance and music.
