The search is on for bold ideas and the brightest creative talent to help shape next year’s Vivid Sydney just days after the lights dimmed on 2026.
Expressions of Interest (EOI) now open for one of the world’s leading multi-artform festivals for Vivid Sydney 2027, set to take place from Friday 28 May to Saturday 19 June. The program shifting slightly from previous years to better align with the timing of the June public holiday.
The opening of EOIs follows another successful year for the festival, with Vivid Sydney 2026 delivering a strong program across the city, featuring 217 events and more than 2,200 sessions across 89 locations.
But there were hurdles. The return of the much-anticipated Star-Bound drone show, which was supposed to transform Cockle Bay every Sunday to Wednesday night across 22 shows and 11 nights, was cancelled.
Organisers pulled the pin on UK company Sky Magic’s drone show when 89 of its 1000 drones fell into Darling Harbour after dropping out of formation. All remaining drone performances were cancelled and replaced with fireworks displays.
But the new-look Fire Kitchen at Barangaroo proved to be highly successful with more than 250,000 dishes and drinks sold, highlighting the strong appetite for unforgettable culinary experiences.
More than 15,000 visitors also experienced Cristal Palace at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt, the festival’s first major outdoor spectacle, while Vivid LIVE recorded its strongest box office result since COVID-19, with nearly 40,000 tickets sold.
From spectacular light installations and immersive experiences to live music, thought-provoking conversations and innovative dining experiences, successful applicants will have the opportunity to showcase their work to millions of visitors across the festival’s four pillars: Light, Music, Minds and Food.
The Vivid Sydney EOI process invites submissions from artists, designers and creative industry professionals, as well as architects, engineers, promoters, restaurants, event companies, chefs, producers and educational institutions. Submissions are sought for innovative ideas, concepts and collaborations for inclusion in the 2027 program.
EOIs for Light will close on Monday 27 July 2026 with Music, Minds and Food closing on Friday 25 September 2026.
Since 2009, Vivid Sydney has grown to become Sydney’s vibrant cultural showpiece, cementing the state’s reputation as a world-leading destination for major events and powering NSW’s visitor and night-time economies.
With a target of growing NSW’s visitor economy to $91 billion, the NSW Government’s Visitor Economy Strategy 2035 relies on major events like Vivid Sydney to deliver economic, social and cultural benefits across the state.
Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.
