Here’s what you need to know about 2021 Vivid Sydney

2021 Vivid Sydney will begin starting August 6 to August 28.  There will be more than 200 events, including 19 installations by international artists.

In 2021, five locations will showcase a kaleidoscope of light artworks: Circular Quay, The Rocks, Barangaroo, Darling Harbour and Luna Park Sydney.  The Light Walk will host the works of 59 light collaborators and 129 light artists from 19 countries, with street installations reshaping old sights and giving buildings a new sparkle in the city skyline.

The Sails of the Sydney Opera House will be transformed into a new digital rendition of an iconic Martu painting.  The new projection, Yarrkalpa – Hunting Ground, 2021by the Martu Artists and Curiious with soundtrack by Electric Fields and Martu Artists (inspired by Yarrkalpa – Always Walking Country 2014), is inspired by the vibrant collective painting, Yarrkalpa- Hunting Ground, Parnngurr Area, 2013 created by the Martu Artists of the Pilbara region, and the award-winning Yarrkalpa – Always Walking Country (2014) artwork by Martu/Wallworth/Anohni. Shard is another First Nations artwork providing a portal into a world unknown. 

Mandylighs’ Our Connected City will shine new light on the city’s landmarks, with over 200 searchlights beaming across the Harbour, CBD buildings and the Cahill Expressway, while also linking the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.  Between them, at Circular Quay, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia will morph into a kinetic, visual journey of the work of acclaimed Australian artist Helen Eager, who has collaborated with artists Rico and Julian Reinhold from H0rse, to create New York Sunday.

Produced by Atelier Sisu, the waters of Cockle Bay in Darling Harbour will come alive with a 100 m floating Light Walk incorporating the large-scale artwork Ephemeral.  Visitors will be walking under more than 200 giant, bubble-like spheres hovering eight-meters in the air.

From Hong Kong’s Treacle Media, VORAX is an epic 3D storytelling experience projected onto the heritage Customs House building in Circular Quay. Audiences will have the opportunity to watch the tale of a mischievous thief’s rise to greatness while traversing through a plethora of mind-bending and surreal environments.

Various installations from European artists will explore the wonders of our natural world. GEYSERS, created by France’s FILS de CRÉA is made entirely of recycled blue plastic bottles, visually simulating flowing water; Italy’s Corpus Celesti, is an immersive walk-through eight, bright inflatable planets of Earth’s solar system; while Bloom is an artistic representation of flowers opening and closing, created by The Netherlands’s Castor Bours. 

Symbiosis by Belgium’s Dirty Monitor, located in the heritage-listed roadway of The Argyle Cut, is a new creation specially designed for Vivid Sydney. Through animated 3D paintings and contemplative and poetic music, the work transports viewers into a universe where the human species merges with various living organisms to give birth to new forms of life.

Set on the Hickson Road Wall near the Park Hyatt, Holi will be the biggest interactive projection in Vivid Sydney’s history.  The colorful piece is created by Portugal’s OCUBO, based on the notion of sharing and of celebrating life and happiness.

This year’s Vivid Ideas Exchange will see over 60 events hosted at its new home – The Great Hall at The University of Technology Sydney – with talks, seminars, film screenings and special events designed to spark debate amongst the creative community. 

Vivid Music 2021 will have more than 50 live shows.  Highlights include the Heaps Gay: Kween’s Ball at Luna Park – a technicolor showcase of emerging and established musicians, featuring dark-pop darling Mia Rodriguez. Two stages will host over 20 acts while party people let loose on a night of fancy dress, cheeky fun and multidisciplinary art.

Hyde Park Barracks will be the atmospheric backdrop for El Gran Mono vs The Inner West Disco Machine – a day to night dance party celebrating the sounds of Latin America, the Caribbean, and the roots of sound system culture in these regions. Beamed out through two of the most incredible sound systems in the Southern Hemisphere, the dance floor will pulse as the city’s most loved DJs, MCs, dancers and live acts fly the flag for Reggae, Dancehall, Cumbia, Salsa Dura, and more.

In the city’s Eveleigh urban cultural precinct, Carriageworks will present its seventh Vivid Music program, bringing together hip-hop artists and rock/punk bands including King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard in an Australian exclusive. Akosia, Jesswar, Tropical F#ck Storm, BARKAA and ARIA Award-winning punk rock bandAmyl and the Sniffers will also enliven audiences.

Also in Eveleigh, at Blacksmiths Bay, reigning underground queen Betty Grumble will perform her adults-only cabaret show, Enemies of Grooviness Eat S*it, a funny, filthy, deeply felt exploration of pleasure. She’ll be joined by NECTAR and TEMPER, as well as an extensive line-up of DJs. 

On the neo-soul and R&B end of the musical spectrum, Papua New Guinea-born singer-songwriter Ngaiire will bring her signature sounds to Parliament House.

Curated by the Sydney Opera House’s Head of Contemporary Music Ben Marshall, Vivid LIVE will feature seven Australian exclusives, three world premieres and a performance from New Zealand’s Te Karehana Gardiner-Toi aka TEEKS.

Zambian-born singer, poet and visual artist, Sampa Tembo – better known as Sampa The Great – will debut her long-awaited new show An Afro Future, performing the four-time ARIA award-winning debut album The Return with her epic band, dancers, singers and special guests Mwanjé and KYE. 

Rising young soulful R&B superstar TEEKS, has been described as the male Adele. The 26-year-old singer-songwriter has already become a phenomenon in his homeland of New Zealand, going to #1 with his 2021 debut album Something to Feel, and is sure to dazzle Vivid LIVE audiences. An artist who is deeply proud of his Māoritanga, TEEKS leads from a Māori worldview which is integral to his work ethic and worldly output.

Multi-faceted African-Australian rock-star, rapper, singer and producer BLESSED will present Diaspora, a curated evening with appearances by B Wise, Maina Doe and Manu Crooks. ARIA Award-winning duo Flight Facilities will light up the Northern Broadwalk with a feel-good party under the stars, plus Golden Features will be joined by Australian gender-bending dance duo, Hermitude. Don’t miss legendary Sydney queer underground institution Club Kooky taking over the outdoor stage with a secret line-up. 

Vivid Live Studio Parties also return in 2021 with Future Classic, Picnic and Mad Racket. There will also be performances in the Studio from Low Life, RVG and Methyl Ethel.