VIVID SYDNEY RETURNS FOR 2026 WITH A STACKED MUSIC PROGRAM FEAT. SAINT LEVANT, LIL KIM, MITSKI, KAE TEMPEST, MALLRAT + MORE

Image: Supplied.

Each winter, Sydney flips a switch. Streets glow, music spills out of venues, and the harbour becomes a naval for ideas and creativity. In 2026, Vivid Sydney leans further into that spirit of discovery, inviting locals and visitors to experience the city in was that extend beyond the familiar after-dark spectacle. 

Running from May 22 - June 13, the 23-day festival unfolds across four pillars - Light, Music, Minds and Food - bringing together artists, thinkers and chefs from around the world. This year marks a subtle but significant shift: Vivid begins earlier in the day, introducing daytime installations, talks and food experiences before the city transitions into its luminous nightscape. 

The festivals visual centrepiece remains the iconic Vivid Light Walk, a 6.5-kilometre trail stretching through Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour. With more than 43 installations and projections by both international and local creatives, it continues to be one of the worlds largest free outdoor art experiences, and part of a program where more than eighty percent of events remain free to attend. 

But it’s the music program that gives Vivid its pulse. In 2026, Vivid music brings together an expensive mid of international stars and rising Australian artists, reflecting the diverse sounds shaping the global music scene right now. From K-pop and electronic music to Afrobeats, hip-hop and indie-pop, the program turns venues across Sydney into stages for a month-long sonic journey. 

Across the city, venues such as City Recital Hall, Oxford Art Factory, Metro Theatre, Carriageworks and the Sydney Opera house will host a curated lineup of performances and special events. British poet-musician Kae Tempest will deliver two intimate evenings at City Recital Hall, while electronic producer Daniel Avery and a late-night celebration hosted by Soft Centre bring a different energy to the same space. The Metro Theatre welcomes UK R&B singer Clara La San, and Oxford Art Factory plays host to genre-blending artists RUBII and Chanel Beads.

Among the most anticipated appearances is Palestinian-French artist Saint Levant, whose genre-fluid sound and poetic lyricism have earned him a rapidly growing global following. His performance at City Recital Hall promises to be one of the festivals standout moments, blending Middle Eastern influences, hip-hop and pop with the charismatic storytelling that has made him a defining voice within the new generation of artists.

Image: Supplied.

Vivid Music also shines a spotlight on emerging and established talent from across the globe. Nigerian Afrobeat icon Seun Juti & Egypt 80 bring politically charged grooves, whilst Chinese rap collective Billionhappy team up with Korean producer Kimj for a high-energy cross-cultural collaboration. Australian favourites Mallard and Coterie also join the bill, alongside Moonlight Opera - a special performance from Opera Australia’s Young Artists Program. 

Tumbling Nights returns to Darling Harbour for twenty three evenings of free live music and DJ sets. The open-air series has become one of the festivals highlights throughout the years, offering everything from dancefloor-ready beats to family-friendly shows. 

Beyond the music, Vivid Sydney continues to showcase the city’s cultural ecosystem through collaborations with major institutions and creative partners. Events will unfold across venues including the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Australian National Maritime Museum, City Recital Hall, The Mint, Carriageworks, State Library of NSW and The Mint, alongside partnerships with Biennale Sydney and other arts organisations. 

The expanded program positions Vivid Sydney not just as a nighttime spectacle, but as a full-day celebration of creativity. Whether visitors come for the glowing harbour views, the conversations shaping tomorrows ideas, or the sounds echoing from stages across the city, the 2026 festival invites them to experience Sydney at its most curious, collaborative and alive. 

View the full music program below.

VIVID MUSIC

Tickets and more information

VIVID MUSIC

TICKETED MUSIC EVENTS

Saint Levant

Location: City Recital Hall

Date: Sat 6 June

Cost: $79.90 / $89.90

French-Palestinian heartthrob Saint Levant brings his trilingual love songs to Sydney for the first time,

serenading audiences at City Recital Hall.

Kae Tempest

Location: City Recital Hall

Date: Tues 9 + Wed 10 June

Cost: $75 / $95

One of the most vital voices in contemporary music and literature, Kae Tempest will return to Australia this

June. The music presents nods to rave culture, hip hop’s golden eras and alternative soul, yet the pulse is

unmistakably Kae - urgent, poetic and fearless.

Daniel Avery

Location: City Recital Hall

Date: Thurs 11 June

Cost: $89.90

Clara La San

Location: Metro Theatre

Date: 11 June

Cost: $69.90

Hailing from Manchester, Clara La San is known for her RnB and contemporary rap tracks. From starting

on SoundCloud to having her song ‘In This Darkness’ go viral on TikTok, she’s been a recent global

phenomenon with sellout US and UK tours.

Chanel Beads

Location: Oxford Art Factory

Date: Friday 5 June

Cost: $73.90

New York-based experimental pop musician Shane Lavers has amassed a cult following with his project

Chanel Beads. Popular amongst younger generations, Chanel Beads blends lo-fi bedroom pop with 80s

inspired synth.

Rubii

Location: Oxford Art Factory

Date: Thursday 4 June

Cost: $59.90

UK singer Rubii brings her new wave of UK soul to Australia for the first time. Having recently graced the

stage at Glastonbury and Great Escape, she’s garnered a global fanbase with Sydney being her third

largest market.

Tumbalong Nights

Location: Tumbalong Park

Cost: Free

Crowd favourite Tumbalong Nights returns with 23 evenings of free live music and DJs, transforming

Tumbalong Park into Sydney’s ultimate open‑air winter music hub. This year’s series spans pop, R&B,

K‑pop and more. Thursday nights spotlight rising Australian talent, while weekends turn up the heat with globally

recognised acts. Families can also enjoy free kids’ shows every Saturday from 5pm, before the mainstage comes alive

with headline sets from 7.30pm.

Friday 22 May: Mallrat + Lyric

Saturday 23 May: Coterie + Velvet Bloom

Thursday 28 May: Gut Health / These New South Whales + Mulga Bore Hard Rock

Friday 29 May: Billionhappy + Sebii + KimJ + CLAIR

Saturday 30 May: SHAUN

Thursday 4 June: Boy Soda + That Gurl Bella

Friday 5 June: Hot Opera Nights

Saturday 6 June: Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

Friday 12 June: Ali Sethi

VIVID LIVE AT SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE

Location: Sydney Opera House

Date: Various

Cost: Various

Details: 35 music events + 12 film screenings

Curated by Ben Marshall, Sydney Opera House Vivid Live will feature Australian premieres and Sydney

exclusive performances including more than 50 global headliners, emerging voices and Australia's hottest

emerging artists.

Events will be held across Concert Hall, Joan SutherlandTheatre, Drama Theatre, Utzon Room and The

Studio.

ARTISTS: Mitski, Mogwai, Jeff Mills, King Stingray, Erika de Casier, Sparks, Gil Scott-Heron led by Brian Jackson featuring Yasiin Bey, Cate Le Bon, Cass McCombs, Beddy Rays, Jem Cassar-Daley, Party Dozen, DUNJ, Mad Racket, Astral People.

VIVID SYDNEY AT CARRIAGEWORKS

Location: Carriageworks

Date: Various

Cost: Various

Carriageworks will celebrate Vivid Sydney with a program that creates diverse, immersive, and multi-

sensory experiences with nine different events.

ARTISTS: Lil' Kim, Ella Mai, Skin on Skin, Alison Wonderland, Porter Robinson, Golden Features, TELETECH 09, all‑ages Awesome Black Block Party celebrating First Nations music and community.

KIDS

Saturday 23 May: The Mik Maks

Saturday 30 May: Benny Time

Saturday 6 June: Jay Laga’aia

Saturday 13 June: Angie Who