Exciting Immersive Art Experiences to Sink Into In and Around Sydney

Since the arrival of Western art in Australia by the first European settlers, art has evolved in contemporary culture, depicting many styles and genres. Australian art is known for its diversity, with artists coming from around the world to create art in Australia. By exploring our contemporary Australian art, you can discover the abundance of contemporary art from artists around the world embracing the natural Australian landscape as their own. “For 2026, we are expanding our program into new art forms, including aerial performance, daytime public art, theatre and dance. These join our vast Vivid Minds, Light, Music and Food offerings to now make your Vivid Sydney one of the great comprehensive arts festivals of the world. As usual, it stretches across Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo and Darling Harbour and for the first time, additional venues in and around the CBD will be hosting Vivid Music, Vivid Food and Vivid Minds events that bring the entire city into the experience.
Set to open to the public in December 2025, DigiPark is opening on level five of Westfield Sydney – near the newly reopened Sydney Tower Eye Observation Deck – with 11 incredible interactive environments and a mind-blowing naked-eye 3D experience. Based on the viral Space & Time Cube seen in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Manila, and taking inspiration from Japan’s famous TeamLabs exhibitions, DigiPark is designed to engage all five senses in multi-sensory spaces that will amaze both the young and young at heart. Whether you’re wandering through glowing galaxies, getting lost in mirror mazes or creating your own digital art, interactive digital art sydney it’s an adventure the whole family will love these school holidays. Open Monday to Sunday, 10am to 10pm (last entry 9pm), DigiPark is a great weekend or school holiday activity for families or friends, and all ages are welcome – though children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. “Vivid Sydney is our city’s living legacy and come 6pm tonight, the world’s focus will once again be on our beautiful Harbour City as it’s transformed into a canvas of innovative light installations, immersive experiences and cutting-edge artistry.

Although Vivid Sydney organisers copped some heat in previous years for charging an admission price for the bigger, more unique light installations, the Vivid Light Walk will be completely free for all this year. Every light installation that makes up the 8km Vivid Light Walk is free to view, to interact with, and to take photos of. “This year we invite you to go beyond your previous expectations of Vivid Sydney into a bold new festival designed to surprise, delight, challenge, entertain, and fill you with joy.
Vincent later transitioned into journalism, writing for the Independent Weekly in Adelaide and holding editorial roles at the University of South Australia and Flinders University. He went on to serve as Managing Director of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for nine years. Following that role, he was appointed Head of Philanthropy and Enterprise at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA), where he led the gallery’s philanthropic, development, and membership programs.
Margo’s impact on the arts sector is evident in her tenure as Co-Director and Manager of Hill Smith Art Advisory for over 20 years where she has restructured and rebranded the business, emphasising a personalised art advisory service. Her dedication to nurturing relationships with artists, clients, and organisations has significantly shaped the local arts landscape, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to the enrichment of community through the arts. At the Sydney Opera House, Vivid LIVE will welcome more than 50 international and Australian artists, including singer-songwriter Mitski, Scottish post-rock pioneers Mogwai and Detroit techno icon Jeff Mills revisiting his legendary Liquid Room set. Vivid Music will once again energise the city after dark, with Tumbalong Nights returning for free live performances celebrating the diverse musical cultures that shape Sydney. Creativity and conversation will come together through a reimagined Vivid Minds program, designed to place bold ideas and world-leading cultural voices at the centre of the festival. This year’s line-up includes Academy Award-winning filmmakers Sean Baker and Chloé Zhao, influential music commentator Zane Lowe, Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz and bestselling author Roxane Gay.

This carefully curated market brings together emerging and established designers, artists, and makers in a unique heritage setting. In addition, an ongoing curated program ensures visitors to The Star can experience the works of local and international artists in this extraordinary and compelling environment. Using light as the harmonising feature, Ramus designed an impressive 25m, 8k resolution, crescent-shaped digital canvas to showcase the light and movement of Sydney as well as the digital works of local and international artists, animators and cinematographers. The blockbuster experience is one of the first large-scale arts events to open with COVIDaware considerations that exceed government public health guidelines. Controlled visitor capacities (that allow for more than the recommended four-square metres per person) and managed visitor flow mean visitors can easily respect social-distancing advice. After the biggest party of the year, Field Day offers grassy knolls and a variety of sounds on the first day of the new year at the Domain.
Now in its eighth year, the nine-day festival explores the theme Trace. Leading scientists, academics and researchers explore the marks humanity makes in a curated program of free and ticketed events including talks, workshops and activities. Sydney’s museums offer a window into Australia’s past, present, and future through their diverse range of exhibitions. From ancient artifacts to cutting-edge contemporary art, the city’s cultural institutions provide enriching experiences for visitors of all ages and interests. Whether  you’re a local or a tourist, these current exhibitions in Sydney museums offer opportunities to learn, reflect, and be inspired.

Originally hailing from Sydney, James is a hospitality veteran, previously working at various highly acclaimed restaurants around the country including New South Wales Rockpool as a Sommelier. Millions of people are expected to visit the city over the next three weeks, providing a major boost for local businesses, restaurants, bars and hotels during the winter months while continuing to drive growth in the NSW visitor economy. More than 80 per cent of Vivid Sydney is free to enjoy, including the iconic 6.5-kilometre Light Walk stretching from Circular Quay to Darling Harbour, featuring more than 40 spectacular light installations along the route. Some of the ticketed events may be 18+, but the Vivid Light Walk, which is the centrepiece of Vivid Sydney, is both kid-friendly and completely free.
Top viewing locations include North Head Lookout, Watsons Bay, and Cape Solander in Kamay Botany Bay National Park. Award-winning Australian circus company Gravity & Other Myths bring their new production to the Joan Sutherland Theatre for its Australian premiere. Eight acrobats perform alongside a 22-piece ensemble from The Metropolitan Orchestra in a work that combines modern acrobatics with orchestral music. Led by artistic director Paul Dyer, the concert features works by Vivaldi, Corelli, Porpora, Caldara, and others, performed on period instruments.
You can explore the winning works and discover the stories behind the artists, subjects and portraits here. Discover mysterious and unique Viking-age treasures at this fascinating exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum. This display offers a rare glimpse into the Galloway Hoard, a collection of Viking-age objects buried around AD 900. Containing over five kilograms of silver, gold and other materials, this exhibition explores who buried the hoard, their stories, the world of Viking-age Europe, and the cutting-edge conservation and research now revealing its secrets. Back for a strictly limited season, this iconic tribal rock musical brings the vibrant counterculture of New York’s hippie movement to life on stage.

Ellaslist is a trusted local guide for families across Sydney and NSW, written by parents, carers and family lifestyle editors who understand what makes an outing with kids genuinely work. Our team researches and curates the best family-friendly events, attractions, playgrounds, restaurants and school holiday activities, with practical details on age suitability, accessibility, parking, public transport, facilities and family-friendly tips. Drink a shrinking potion and follow the white rabbit, go back in time to prevent Chernobyl, or play detective inside the mind of a madman. Anything is possible inside the metaverse at Entermission, where the escape room concept takes on virtual reality. It’s a completely immersive experience, with virtual reality headsets and sensors tracking your hand movements as you work as a team to solve the puzzles.
It opens at the State Theatre on June 3 and runs across the city until this Sunday. The FIFA World Cup may be taking place on the other side of the world, but soccer fans will be able to catch all the action around Sydney, with the NSW government set to announce live sites across the city. Follow the Socceroos as they chase glory in North America at Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour, where all of three of their group stage games will be screened. Whether you’re looking for cinema, sport, food, music or culture, here are the best things to do in Sydney this weekend.

The 1913 building is aesthetically and spatially ideal for presenting the digital journey into the life and work of the post-Impressionist fin-de-siecle artist Van Gogh. For a transformative experience, Lost Paradise throws a mini-version of its tropical electronica festival at the rooftop venue each Sunday. In Darlinghurst, basement bunker Club 77 offers a heavy-hitting mix of industrial, techno and house. In Western Sydney, Albion Hotel in Parramatta transforms from a relaxed pub into a raucous nightclub come Friday and Saturday nights. Part art show, part science experiment, and part sensory reset, Mind Games – Art Alive!
Local Australian artist Fiona Craig communicates her love and adoration for the nature and fauna of the Blue Mountains, where she grew up with her floral artworks. There are also amazing outback figurative depictions by Colin Parker, abstract works by Conchita Carambano, James Shand and Rob Forlani, or figurative pieces by Sandro Nocentini. See the brilliant surreal works of Nick Fedaeff and feast your eyes on the most spectacular shimmering ocean in a seascape by Falk Kautzner. The 2026 Vivid Festival schedule has officially been released, and Sydney Travel Guide has scoured the program to highlight the absolute best of the fest for your entertainment. Take a sneak peek at the very best Western Sydney has to offer, from delicious authentic street food to a line-up of epic thrills. Head to popular eat street along Church Street and Wigram Road to find relaxed restaurants and cafes, serving an assortment of cuisines, from Asian and Italian to everything in between.