2019 marks Vivid Sydney’s 11th anniversary and it’s set to be the biggest and brightest yet, with three weeks of impressive light displays and art installations planned. Festival-goer favourites like the projections on the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and Customs House will be running from 24 May to 15 June, as will a plethora of new displays, concerts and events dotted throughout the city.
Not sure where to start? Here are our top picks for things to see and do at Vivid Sydney 2019.
The Lighting of the Sails
It wouldn’t be Vivid without the iconic sails of the Sydney Opera House lit up in brilliant colours, and this year is set to be a special one. Chinese-American artist Andrew Thomas Huang will transform the sails in 2019 with Austral Flora Ballet – a lush and visceral projected artwork of dancing digital sculptures inspired by Australia’s native flora.
Keen to beat the crowds and get a perfect view of the display? Book a table at 6 Head and enjoy uninterrupted views of the Opera House right from your table.
Let Me Down
Just around the corner from 6 Head at the MCA, you’re in for a treat with artist Claudia Nicholson’s Let Me Down. Colombian-born Nicholson is best known for her contemporary takes on Colombian traditions, creating traditional carpet-like artworks using sawdust, glitter and pigment. Let Me Down will feature four of these artworks adapted for a large-scale animation and projected on to the MCA.
Curve Ball
Located in ultra-hip Carriageworks in Eveleigh, Curve Ball is the warehouse party of the year, starring artists like Hayden James, Mallrat, Touch Sensitive , Set Mo, Young Franco, Cassian and more. As part of Vivid Sydney, Curve Ball will return on 8 June to unite quality dance music with stunning visuals in an oh-so-trendy industrial setting.
Lights for the Wild
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Taronga Zoo will be taking part in Vivid Sydney this year with Lights for the Wild, featuring illuminated sculptures of Sumatran tigers and their cubs, marine turtles, a family of gorillas and a swarm of bees, all within the zoo’s grounds. The display comes with a message of environmental conservation and a 270-degree cinema experience – perfect for families with younger kids.
Tumbalong Lights: Inclusive Playspace
Adjacent to Darling Harbour is festival favourite Tumbalong Lights, a playground accessible to people of all ages and abilities, designed to celebrate inclusivity and the art of play. This year, there’s a space theme across the installations and glowing games, so stop by and say hello to some aliens, take a trip to the moon and back, hear Indigenous dreaming stories about the Milky Way, and watch stop-motion animation of the moon landing.
Eora: Broken Spear
This year the southern pylon of the Harbour Bridge will be home to Eora: Broken Spear, a projection work that pays tribute to Australia’s original custodians, designed by Sydney Opera House’s head of Indigenous programming, Rhoda Roberts. The title is an homage to the peace-seeking members of the Indigenous community responding to first contact with Europeans and western invasion. Check out Eora: Broken Spear and the lighting up of the bridge from your vantage point at 6 Head.
See Vivid Sydney in all its brilliance as you sit back, relax and enjoy an exceptional dining experience at 6 Head. Book online today.
