The event returns this January!
Image: Supplied.
Sydney Festival is set to return bigger and better than ever! The first first event helmed by artistic director Olivia Ansell, the festival has announced its incredible 2022 line up, traversing music, visual art, comedy, theatre and performance.
Across 22 nights, Sydney will host a number of events, with a new 1000 seat, pop-up space appearing in the heart of central Sydney, dubbed Speakers Corner. Taking to the stage will be beloved local acts Amyl and The Sniffers, Gordi, King Stingray, Jaguar Jonze, B Wise and Friends, Emma Pask Big Band, Cash Savage & The Last Drinks, Tropical Fuck Storm, WASHINGTON, The Beths, Hope D, Future Classic Warm Up, Barkaa, Sydney Yungins, Good Morning, Kelly Lee Owens, James Morrison & William Barton, Jade Macrae, Radiohead for Solo Piano by Josh Cohen and many more. The ultimate finale of the festival will see The Cat Empire take over Parramatta Park, marking the band’s final Sydney performance with their original line-up.
Speaking of the event, Minister for the Arts Don Harwin shares: “As Sydney reopens, the community is eager to get out once again and make the most of the summer. It is fitting that we launch the year with the inaugural Sydney Festival program from Director Olivia Ansell, who will bring her incredible breadth of experience and passion to the Festival." He continues, “The NSW Government has been a proud supporter of Sydney Festival since 1977 and we look forward to the program of new and contemporary Australian and international works. Get your tickets quickly!”
Other festival highlights include THAW from the renowned, Legs On The Wall. Featuring a 2.7 tonne, intricately sculpted block of ice hoisted 20 metres above the harbour from the foot of Sydney Opera House and a daring, solitary performer, THAW addresses humankind’s impact on the planet in a durational performance that’s part art installation, part slow-drip suspense thriller. The Vigil: Songs for Tomorrow will once again take place at the festival, providing an intimate night of contemporary ceremony, song and fire led by the new generation of First Nations artists.
Bangarra Dance Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company will host 17 dancers, four musicians and five actors who will take over the venues to share dance, poetry and song, with Wudjang: Not the Past revealing the power of messages that speak to us through the generations. Sydney Symphony Under the Stars will return to Parramatta Park with conductor Benjamin Northey once again at the helm, whilst Bob Dylan's music is brought to life in Girl From the North Country.
City of Sydney CEO, Monica Barone of the festival, “Sydney Festival is a vital part of our city’s cultural fabric and we’re proud to once again partner with the festival. The festival contributes every year to the variety and scope of international and local productions, giving new and established artists opportunities to realise their visions and find new audiences. The program for 2022 is no exception – through its various new and existing available channels, Sydney Festival 2022 will continue to inspire and entertain. I encourage Sydneysiders to get out and about, soak up the summer, support local business and immerse themselves in experiences that we’ve all been missing – culture, food, fun and the incredible backdrop of our amazing city.”
SYDNEY FESTIVAL 2022
6 – 30 January