Creative Direction 2026

Go beyond in 2026 with Vivid Sydney, as we expand our horizons with new artistic genres and forms, in an arts program full of invigorating festival firsts.

Expect the bold, the fearlessly creative, the fun, and the beautiful – all quintessentially Sydney qualities, renewed and refreshed.

In 2026, Vivid Sydney propels itself into being the most attended comprehensive arts festival in the world, a landmark achievement in the history of Australian festivals. 

It’s also my first year as Vivid Sydney’s Festival Director, and a creative homecoming to Sydney after some twenty years. In that time, the city’s evolved. It’s brighter, more adventurous and diverse, and I want to celebrate Sydney’s gorgeous growth with an invitation to discover, see and feel more. Step outside your everyday with Vivid Sydney 2026, and towards curiosity, joy and connection. 

Embrace true creative abandon. This year, Vivid Sydney has boldly thrown out the previous guardrails of a set festival theme. 

I believe that if artists are given complete freedom without any creative straitjackets, their work brings forward its own themes, unencumbered. These are often impossible to anticipate but prove surprisingly vital and prescient, shaped directly by the contemporary creative zeitgeist. 

That freedom necessitates embracing festival-first artforms and experiences, and even our first forays into daylight, with a series of daytime installations, sculptures, talks, performances and Food events.

And at night? Think extravagant outdoor performances, cutting-edge laser shows and young people’s theatre across the Vivid Light Walk. And there are plenty more surprises across our pillars of Light, Music, Food, and Minds – a reimagining of Ideas, where innovative Ideas, Art and Performance collide.

On a personal note, I’ve been fortunate to direct international festivals for 25 years, including Sydney Festival, Adelaide Festival and Melbourne Festival, and now Vivid Sydney – a blue-ribbon blueprint for city-wide artistic celebrations across the globe.

It’s been a delight to curate, working alongside a deeply passionate, meticulous team and inspiring culture-shaping artists. Yes, we have been ambitious. Yes, we have taken some daunting artistic risks. And yes, our reach has almost (but not quite!) exceeded our grasp. But 2026 will strengthen Vivid Sydney’s essential place in the international arts and culture calendar.

Across my career, I’ve always been driven to ensure that audiences have the best possible experience with art that is inviting, surprising, beautiful and bold, Vivid Sydney 2026 offers all that and more. I think you’ll find it irresistible.

Brett Sheehy AO
Festival Director, Vivid Sydney