Set to return from May 22 to June 13 during Vivid Sydney, in 2026 VIVID Live will see more than 50 cutting-edge and legendary international and Australian artists play at Sydney Opera House.
Vivid LIVE is the yearly centrepiece of the Opera House's contemporary music program. Curated for the 11th time by the Opera House's Head of Contemporary Music Ben Marshall, the 2026 line-up spans global icons, local trailblazers and emerging voices, with world and Australian exclusives and premieres, one-off collaborations, anniversaries, studio parties and a curated cinema program alongside the spectacular Lighting of the Sails.
This year, several First Nations musicians will also take to the VIVID Live stage, including Miles Nautu, King Stingray, Beddy Rays - Unplugged, Jem Cassar-Daley, ZIPPORAH & Mi-kaisha and Drifting Clouds.
Head of First Nations programming at Sydney Opera House, Michael Hutchings, shared his excitement surrounding the diverse First Nations talent featured in VIVID Live 2026.
"The artists on the lineup demonstrate the depth and breadth of First Nations talent across genres and are from urban, regional and remote country," Hutchings told Style Up.
"We put a focus first up on exciting emerging talent that is on the verge of commercial breakthrough, including Zipporah, Jem Cassar Daley, Mi-kaisha, Miles Nautu, and Drifting Clouds, as the Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House stage will give them an important launch platform for future success.
"We also celebrate artists that are currently launching into successful music careers across Australia and the world like King Stingray and Beddy Rays.
"What excites me is that First Nations contemporary music is no longer an add-on or token inclusion. It is becoming an important and potent part of the contemporary music and cultural landscape, as it should be."
Hutchings noted music plays a key role in keeping First Nations culture and storytelling alive.
"Music has been vital to the continuation of the oral storytelling tradition that helps keep culture alive," he said.
"In times of forced institutionalised displacement from country as well as racism, poverty and abuse, music has acted as a vital lifeline to tell stories from country, create new stories, keep hope alive, tell the truth and also entertain, have a good time and dance.
"I have learnt that music acts on two levels for First Nations artists; one is that it speaks for and to First Nations communities first up, and the other is that many artists now want to take their music and stories beyond here and to the world. Both are valid and important avenues of expression."
Sydney Opera House's head of Contemporary Music and Vivid LIVE curator, Ben Marshall, said this year's VIVID Live program will spotlight and showcase a diverse range of talent.
"Vivid LIVE at Sydney Opera House is a unique moment when the gold standard of live music fills every corner of this building - itself a testament to the transformative power of art - while Vivid Sydney pulses energy through the city," he said.
"Each year, the privilege of opening this sublime space to a wide array of visionary international and local artists only deepens, as we look to share these extraordinary performances with everyone.
"From world premieres to Australian debuts, and performances coming exclusively for Vivid LIVE, this year's program celebrates the subcultural best coming overground - from Western Sydney to Detroit, from Dakar to Copenhagen - on stages designed to touch your soul, all while Yann Nguema's Opera Mundi pours its radiant brilliance over the sails."
Vivid Sydney is owned, managed and produced by the NSW Government's tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
For more fashion, arts, culture and lifestyle news subscribe for free to the Style Up newsletter.
