Sydney Festival acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which the Festival takes place.
We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and recognise the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities.
“The Sydney Festival is a reminder of how art can heal and processional, interactive work can make community.”
CASSIE TONGUE, THE SATURDAY PAPER
This year’s Festival felt like a celebration and a healing, and what a joy to mark our 50th anniversary with the city at the heart of everything we do. As Festival Director, I was so proud to watch Sydney come alive, with theatres crackling with surprise and our cityscape interrupted by joyful ruptures of performance. Reaching this golden milestone reminded us of the effervescent, generous power of culture to keep a city curious and kind and the role Sydney Festival has played for decades as a source of inspiration and connection for our audiences.
The Festival arrived at a fragile moment after the Bondi attacks, and yet works like Efectos Especiales and Joel Bray’s Garabari on the Sydney Opera House Northern Broadwalk did more than perform for audiences, they pierced the heaviness in the air, brought people together, and shifted the mood, together. Those brave, participatory moments felt like collective medicine and helped the city breathe again.
We celebrated international voices while investing deeply in Australian artists. The program’s major themes, threaded through everything we commissioned and presented: ceremony as common ground, the city as stage, intergenerational exchange, challenging the status quo, and rooted local practice. That mix made our 50th feel both celebratory and grounded in the communities that made it possible; an edition connected to the rest of the planet and rooted in home.
Central to that feeling of home was how leadership from First Nations artists carried the Festival. Jacob Nash’s final Blak Out was moving, defiant, and joyous, with First Nations programming illuminating
“Sydney Festival’s 2026 program blends celebration and renewal to build a playground of imagination”
JASON BLAKE, LIMELIGHT
A Night of Rock and Roll with Bogan Villea
Ben Graetz
An afternoon with Lonnie Holley hosted by Kelly Lovemonster
asses.masses
Patrick Blenkarn & Milton Lim
Bad Hand
Natalie Abbott
Bigmouth Strikes Again (The Smiths Show)
Salty Brine
Blacktown Garage Party
Edith Amituanai, Salote Tawale & Sione Monu
BURGERZ
Travis Alabanza
CHAII
Conflictorium
Conflictorium After Hours:
What We Inherit
Conflictorium & Kerfew
Dear Son
Thomas Mayo, Isaac Drandic & John Harvey
Death By PowerPoint
Harriet Gillies, Xanthe Dobbie, Victoria Spence & Thom Smyth
Disco Never Dies
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Echo Mapping
Azzam Mohamed & Jack Prest
Emma Donovan: Take Me to the River
Enji
EXXY
Dan Daw
Festival Commons
Sydney Festival
Film Screening: A Sound Democracy Conflictorium
Film Screening: Sabarmati and Its Lovers Conflictorium
Garabari
Joel Bray
Garden of Sound Voxstep
Garrigarrang Badu
Peta Strachan & Jannawi Dance Clan
HELD
Lucy Simpson
Hot Chip: Joy In Repetition
Kankawa Nagarra
LACRIMA
Caroline Guiela Nguyen
Live On Hickson Road: Efectos Especiales
Luciana Acuña & Alejo Moguillansky
Live On Hickson Road: The Kick On
Lonnie Holley
Lonnie Holley with Kankawa Nagarra
Lonnie Holley with Yasmina Sadiki
Mama Does Derby
Clare Watson & Virginia Gay
Mare Advertencia & INKABEE
Masterclass: Cabaret is Crafting
Salty Brine
Milan Ring: the sound of rain on dust
Nooriyah & DJ Habibeats
Nowhere
Khalid Abdalla I Fuel
Observer, Observed
Julia Phillips
Opera for the Dead 祭歌
Mindy Meng Wang & Monica Lim
Paris Paloma
Post-Orientalist Express
Eun-Me Ahn
Raf-Saperra
Redfern Renaissance
Angeline Penrith
Rothar
Miquel Barceló & Moisés Mas García
Save the Last Dance for Me Alessandro Sciarroni
SEARCHERS: Graffiti and Contemporary Art
National Art School
Sisa-Sisa
Murtala | Alfira O’Sullivan
Sydney Symphony Under the Stars: 50 Years of Music and Pictures
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Tenzin Choegyal with Wytchings: Between Two Realms
Tenzin Choegyal with Tenzin Kunsang: Whispering Sky
Tenzin Choeygal and guest artist
Tenzin Kunsang: Stories and Songs Musicians’ Workshop
The Bogong’s Song: A Call to Country Yolande Brown & Chenoa Deemal
The Censor
Cassandra Fumi & Vidya Rajan
Turandot
Opera Australia & the Opera Conference
Undercurrent: Subterranean Vibes Drizzz, Nabio, Mamira, That Gurl Bella & Odyssey
Undercurrent: Moana Underground JUBAHLEE, Ma’ata & NAISA
Undercurrent: Glow Tide
Joseph Vuicakau, RIAH & Zion Garcia
Workshop: Complaint as Collective Labour Conflictorium & Donnalyn Xu
Workshop: Conflicts Inside-Out Conflictorium
Workshop: Cooperative Play for The Gameful Revolution
Milton Lim & Laurel Green
Workshop: Do You Mean It? Conflictorium
Workshop: Save the Last Dance for Me
Gianmaria Borzillo & Giovanfrancesco Giannini
The Festival explored big questions about who holds power and how stories are told, all with a sense of play.
Post-Orientalist Express, Eun-Me Ahn blended critique and imagination in a dazzling display of contemporary Asian dance, while Julia Phillips’ Observer, Observed turned Darling Harbour sightseers into the spectacle itself.
Travis Alabanza transformed a personal attack into triumph in BURGERZ, and Dan Daw’s EXXY brought together dancers with disability to examine the costs and rewards of success.
From Ben Graetz’s rock-and-roll drag show A Night of Rock and Roll with Bogan Villea to the epic seven-hour, audience-driven video game asses. masses, these performances proved that power and play can combine to create experiences that are both challenging and transformative.
Sydney became a stage for stories from around the world. Audiences explored the Egyptian revolution in Khalid Abdalla’s anti-memoir Nowhere
The city itself became a stage in its own right. Streets, parks and public spaces were transformed into places of imagination, celebration and connection.
Generations came together both on stage and in the audience this summer in Sydney. Legendary musician Lonnie Holley collaborated with peers
“Sydney Festival 2026 celebrates 50 years of helping shape the city’s culture.”
RICHARD WATTS, ARTSHUB
In 2026, the Festival’s 50th anniversary year, we reaffirmed our role as Australia’s leading international arts festival and Sydney’s longest running summer cultural event. For five decades, the Festival has shaped the city’s cultural identity, commissioning new work, platforming bold ideas and creating moments that define Sydney’s summer.
The 2026 program featured 15 world premieres, including Mama Does Derby at Sydney Town Hall, Garrigarrang Badu at the Sydney Opera House, WansolMoana Lunar Assembly at McIver’s Ladies Baths, Ursula Yovich Sings Nina Simone and Milan Ring’s the sound of rain on dust at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct, and a residency by acclaimed artist Lonnie Holley. These sat alongside 11 new Australian works, reinforcing Sydney Festival’s role as a generator of contemporary practice.
Internationally, the program presented 19 Australian exclusives and 11 Australian premieres, including major international works such as LACRIMA, Post-Orientalist Express and Nowhere. Across the program, 1,268 artists and arts workers were engaged from 12 countries, reflecting the Festival’s global reach and its role as a platform for both international exchange and Australian artistic leadership.
This global exchange positions Sydney within leading international festival networks, strengthens touring pathways for Australian artists, and reinforces the city’s role as a gateway for contemporary practice across the Asia-Pacific region.
Critical and media response confirmed this standing. The 2026 Festival generated 4,977 media placements with a total potential reach of 63.8 million. Media attendance resulted in 160 published reviews, with 25 productions receiving four and five star ratings, including multiple 4½ and five star responses from major mastheads.
As Sydney’s longest running summer arts festival, longevity is itself a mark of artistic leadership. Sustained excellence over 50 years signals institutional resilience, cultural relevance and enduring audience trust. In a competitive global landscape, this legacy – combined with ambitious premieres and international collaborations – ensures Sydney Festival remains a defining platform for contemporary culture.
In 2026, artistic excellence was not only presented – it was commissioned, premiered and recognised at scale.
“Post-Orientalist Express is not so much a dance piece as an entire world, breathtaking in its panoramic energy.”
CHANTAL NGUYEN, THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
“Guiela Nguyen turns craft, ambition and injustice into a sprawling, fascinating drama that never loses its grip.”
DEBORAH JONES, THE AUSTRALIAN
“[Abdalla] is hugely engaging, performing with warmth and intimacy.”
JOYCE MORGAN, THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
In 2026, First Nations leadership was visible across major stages, public spaces and civic moments across the city. The program presented 13 First Nations events, engaging 105 First Nations artists and arts workers across theatre, dance, music, ceremony and public art.
Artistic excellence was central to this leadership. Jannawi Dance Clan premiered Garrigarrang Badu at the Sydney Opera House – a major new work celebrating Dharug Country and the role of women in carrying culture. The premiere marked a significant mainstage presentation for the company within Sydney Festival. Dear Son, adapted for the stage by Isaac Drandic and John Harvey, brought 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices to the stage in a powerful theatrical realisation of Thomas Mayo’s celebrated book, presented as a landmark First Nations work within the 50th anniversary program.
Public space became a site of cultural ambition. HELD, a newly commissioned series of sculptural works by Yuwaalaraay Wirringgaa woman Lucy Simpson, transformed Stargazer Lawn at Barangaroo Reserve into a ceremonial gathering place across the Festival. The installation culminated in Vigil: Belong, a large-scale closing ceremony led by Nardi Simpson with Uncle Matthew Doyle tending ceremonial fires – reinforcing Vigil’s role as one of Sydney Festival’s most significant events.
Joel Bray’s Garabari reimagined the corroboree for a new generation, activating the Northern Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House as a participatory dance space under the stars.
Blak excellence resonated across music and performance events including powerful concerts by Emma Donovan and Kankawa Nagarra, as well as A Night of Rock and Roll with Bogan Villea, bringing Blak voices and Blak pride to Festival stages. Community celebration was further reflected through Redfern Renaissance, honouring the legacy and cultural impact of one of Sydney’s most important First Nations neighbourhoods. For younger audiences, Bangarra Dance Theatre’s The Bogong’s Song: A Call to Country welcomed families into a Dreaming journey grounded in storytelling and movement.
Accessibility remained central. 32 events offered Mob Tix community tickets, supporting attendance from First Nations audiences, with 464 First Nations community members attending Sydney Festival 2026.
The 2026 Blak Out program also marked the final year of curation by Jacob Nash, whose five-season tenure shaped how First Nations storytelling sits at the heart of a major arts festival.
The appointment of Butchulla writer, director and producer Aidan Rowlingson as Creative Producer – First Nations represents a significant step in embedding First Nations leadership within the Festival’s structure. The role ensures Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, traditions and contemporary cultural expression remain central to the program, building on the legacy of Blak Out while creating new pathways for emerging artists and deeper connections with community.
In 2026, Reconciliation Australia also endorsed Sydney Festival’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, providing a framework to strengthen relationships, respect and opportunities for First Nations peoples across organisational practice.
This year First Nations leadership was not supplementary, it defined the Festival’s artistic ambition and presence at scale.
“Sydney Festival’s commitment to genuine community engagement across the wider Sydney region went above and beyond during the 2026 Festival. The authenticity of this work is reflected in the strong uptake of Mob Tix and the growing awareness of the Blak Out and wider program within First Nations communities. The program offered a wide variety of experiences, which meant we were able to involve mob from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and interests. We saw many first-time attendees, and just as importantly, many returning for a second or third show. The feedback from community has been overwhelmingly positive, and I’ve witnessed a real sense of pride, connection and camaraderie across the Blak First Nations arts sector.”
ANGELINE PENRITH, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PRODUCER AND REDFERNRENAISSANCE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
“...it
felt like nourishment: two wise artists from different continents, aligned in compassion, insisting – with hard-won integrity – that creativity can still be kindness, and kindness can still be resistance.”
ANDREW
COLLIS, THE SOUTH SYDNEY HERALD
“I teared up; the empowerment of this truth-telling ran deep.
STEVE DOW, THE GUARDIAN
“To see this all female performance, intimately and proudly connected to Country, is a moving occasion.”
ERIN BRANNIGAN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE, UNSW SYDNEY
“Graetz and co have once again pulled off a beguiling mix of cabaret, drag, social justice and above all, fun.”
PETER HACKNEY, ARTSHUB
Sydney Festival has long embraced the idea that the city itself can become a stage. In 2026, the Festival extended far beyond traditional venues, activating streets, waterfronts and neighbourhood spaces across Sydney. By placing art directly into the public spaces, the Festival invited audiences to encounter performance in the spaces where the city lives, gathers and celebrates.
Public artworks reshaped everyday encounters with the city. Julia Phillips’ Observer, Observed invited passersby in Darling Harbour to look through a pair of bronze binoculars – only to discover their own gaze broadcast on a nearby screen – transforming sightseeing into a reflection on surveillance and spectatorship. Nearby, Tumbalong Park became the setting for Sydney Symphony Under the Stars, bringing Sydneysiders together for a celebratory open-air concert that honoured the Festival’s 50-year legacy.
Across the harbour, Joel Bray’s Garabari reimagined the corroboree for a new generation, activating the Northern Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House as a vast open-air dance floor where audiences moved together beneath the summer sky. Along the coastline, WansolMoana Lunar Assembly gathered audiences at McIver’s Ladies Baths for a site-specific spiritual celebration of feminine sovereignty and collective power. While in Western Sydney, Blacktown Arts Centre was transformed for Garage Party, a Pasifika backyard celebration of music
and community, expanding the Festival’s reach beyond the CBD.
Unexpected venues also became stages for performance and conversation. As part of Summer School, Death by PowerPoint took place at Life Rites Funerals, transforming a working funeral home into a setting for reflection on ritual, mortality and storytelling. Elsewhere, Sydney Town Hall was reimagined for contemporary performance, most notably through the world premiere of Mama Does Derby, which converted the historic civic building into a full-scale roller derby arena.
Even the streets became part of the Festival’s canvas. Live at Hickson Road: Efectos Especiales and The Kick On transformed a roadway into a live film set where choreography, camera and special effects unfolded in motion.
Together, these works demonstrated how Sydney Festival transforms familiar places into sites of imagination, inviting Sydneysiders to experience their city differently and see everyday spaces in a new light.
“Long after stepping off Pyrmont Bridge, the work sharpens an awareness of how easily we move between watcher and watched, participant and performer.”
SOLOMIYA SYWAK, ARTSHUB
“More than just a concert, the night felt like a celebration of identity – a space where secondgeneration South Asians could hear music that honours tradition while embracing modern expression.”
NEERU SALUJA, INDIAN LINK
This season was defined by ambition – not only in what was programmed, but in who was given the platform to lead. Sydney Festival’s 50th anniversary year demonstrated that artistic excellence and representation are inseparable, and that leadership means investing in artists whose voices reflect contemporary Australia and the region.
Across the 2026 program, major stage works at Sydney Opera House, Carriageworks, Roslyn Packer Theatre, City Recital Hall and Sydney Town Hall were led by women, First Nations, culturally diverse, disabled and LGBTQIA+ artists. This commitment to representation at scale positioned Sydney Festival as a national leader in shaping contemporary mainstage programming.
The world premiere of Mama Does Derby transformed Sydney Town Hall into a full-scale roller derby arena, exemplifying the Festival’s role as a commissioner and scale-builder. Through works such as EXXY, enGORGEd and the high-energy Irish production WAKE, the Festival championed bold theatrical experimentation and amplified contemporary queer voices on major
stages. Opera for the Dead 祭歌 by Mindy Meng Wang and Monica Lim expanded operatic language through experimental sound and ritual, while international music presentations including Raf-Saperra and Nooriyah with DJ Habibeats broadened the Festival’s global cultural dialogue.
In Undercurrent, a three-night sonic takeover at Riverside Live at PHIVE, the next wave of artists shaping Western Sydney’s cultural landscape were showcased, spanning underground electronica, Pasifika soul and genre-defying experimentation.
Together, these works reflected curatorial confidence and range – from large-scale immersive spectacle to genredefying music and experimental performance.
In 2026, 28 events reflected stories or traditions of diverse cultures, reinforcing the Festival’s commitment to inclusive leadership at scale.
“As a queer, disabled, working class man my life has been full of reaching milestones I was told I’d never reach. Presenting our work at Sydney Festival, and at Sydney Opera House, meant the absolute world to us. It is testament to Sydney Festival’s bravery in continuing to imagine a space for artists and audiences to come together to experience what they never thought they would, could or should. It’s powerful.”
DAN DAW, EXXY
★★★★½
“...an artistic altar that honours culturally specific rituals while speaking to the universal ways we live, love and grieve.”
CARIELYN TUNION, ARTSHUB
“Boldly political, absurdly funny and truly unashamed to be queer, enGORGEd displays a performer at the height of his powers.”
JOSH KERWICK, CITY HUB
Community engagement in 2026 centered on creating spaces where audiences could gather, reflect and participate in shared cultural experiences. Through participatory works, targeted outreach and new community programs, Sydney Festival deepened its connection with the diverse communities that make up the city.
A defining community moment came with Vigil: Belong, the Festival’s closing ceremony held at Stargazer Lawn at Barangaroo Reserve. Led by Nardi Simpson with Uncle Matthew Doyle tending ceremonial fires, the event invited a community choir of hundreds alongside audiences for a collective act of reflection, song and remembrance. Framed by Lucy Simpson’s sculptural installation HELD, the gathering raised their voices together, creating a powerful shared moment that brought the 50th Festival to a close.
Participation and dialogue were also central to Conflictorium, the India-based “museum of conflict”. Designed as a living archive exploring empathy-building, dialogue and repair, Conflictorium invited visitors to contribute their stories and perspectives while engaging with the experiences of others.
Across 10 days, Conflictorium welcomed over 2,000 visits to Carriageworks. A community engagement program intentionally focused on communities who are often under-represented in mainstream festival audiences, including First Nations, climate justice, migrant and multicultural communities, and young people. Hosted visits and workshops brought together participants from organisations including the African Australian Advocacy Centre, Sydney Peace Foundation, Sex Workers’ Outreach Project, Outloud youth program,
Refugee Advice & Casework Service, Asylum Seekers Centre, Jesuit Refugee Services, Sydney University Law Students Society and the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council, alongside artists, writers and creative practitioners from Western Sydney. Over 200 participants attended these sessions which created space for conversation about lived experience, identity and social change within a cultural context.
Complementing this work, Sydney Festival partnered with Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (CAAP) to pilot Ticket Club, a targeted initiative designed to strengthen engagement with Asian Australian communities through facilitated attendance at key productions.
Targeted community outreach was also undertaken for Mama Does Derby, with local Sydney roller derby teams invited to attend performances, connecting directly with communities represented in the work and deepening audience relevance.
Accessibility initiatives also expanded in 2026 through the Mob Tix program, which offered free tickets to eight events and discounted tickets to a further 24 events across the Festival. Direct outreach and community engagement led by Angeline Penrith significantly strengthened connections with First Nations audiences, resulting in a 487% uplift in Mob Tix purchases and First Nations attendance compared with previous years.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate Sydney Festival’s commitment to creating civic spaces where culture becomes a shared experience – fostering dialogue, connection and participation across the city.
“We
need targeted support to help future cultural leaders bring long held ideas to life – and safe spaces where we can openly critique what’s not working.”
CHIDIEBUBE UBA, 2026 FESTIVAL COMMONS PARTICIPANT
Sydney Festival’s impact extends far beyond the presentation of performances. In 2026, the Festival deepened its commitment to sector development by investing in artists, cultural workers and emerging leaders whose work will shape the future of Australia’s creative landscape.
At the centre of this commitment was Festival Commons, a new initiative for the next wave of Indigenous, Black and People of Colour creators, curators and cultural conveners delivered in partnership with Blacktown Arts, Contemporary Asian Australian Performance and Encounter Theatre. The 2026 cohort brought together Bianca Hunt, Chidiebube Uba, Dylan Goh and Munasib Hamid from Sydney, alongside international participants Hasib Mahmud and Mithran R. T. Samuel – artists and thinkers working across writing, visual art, performance, curatorial practice and community organising.
Throughout the Festival period, the cohort participated in curated workshops, conversations and mentoring opportunities exploring artistic practice and cultural
leadership. More than a program of talks or networking events, Festival Commons is about building lasting connection, peer support and confidence – creating legacy well after the final curtain call.
International exchange further strengthened professional pathways for Australian artists. Through support of the Pan Pan International Mentorship Program, developed with Irish theatre company Pan Pan and UNSW, emerging theatre-makers were supported to develop new work under the guidance of internationally recognised artists. The program fostered creative experimentation while connecting Australian practitioners to global networks of contemporary theatre practice.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate Sydney Festival’s role not only as a presenter of world-class work, but as an engine for cultural development – investing in artists, communities and ideas that will shape the future of Australia’s creative life.
Launched in 2026 to mark Sydney Festival’s 50th anniversary, Summer School introduced a new platform for learning, conversation, community and merrymaking. Curated by Artistic Associate Nithya Nagarajan, the program was conceived as a public campus threaded through the city where ideas move as fast and wildly as joy.
Summer School deepened engagement with the themes of the Festival, bringing together artists, thinkers and communities through talks, workshops and participatory experiences across galleries, public spaces and unexpected venues.
A series of standalone signature events brought Festival ideas into unique settings across the city. These included Redfern Renaissance, curated by Angeline Penrith, celebrating the legacy of the National Black Theatre through readings, panels and community discussion; WansolMoana Lunar Assembly by Latai Taumoepeau, a shared experience of meditation, music and cleansing at the last remaining women-only ocean pool in the world; the interactive museum of conflict and dialogue, Conflictorium; and Death by PowerPoint by Queer PowerPoint, a site-specific performance at Life Rites Funerals exploring the characters, contradictions and unexpected beauty of end-of-life care.
Highlight workshops were led by internationally acclaimed artists such as Eun-Me Ahn, Salty Brine, Tenzin Choegyal with Tenzin Kunsang, and Milton Lim with Laurel Green, alongside sessions with local artists and collectives including Donnalyn Xu, Bonnie Huang, Kerfew and Hunar Symposia. Through hands-on sessions, creative masterclasses and artist-led conversations, participants explored storytelling, music, choreography, conflict, identity and collective practice, creating space for learning and exchange between artists and audiences.
Summer School also hosted in-depth conversations with artists and creatives from the program, including Lonnie Holley in conversation with Kelly Lovemonster; Mindy Meng Wang and Monica Lim with Annette Shun Wah; Isaac Drandic and John Harvey with Jacob Nash; Dan Daw with Morwenna Collett; Khalid Abdalla with Omar Elerian and Kate McGrath; and Clare Watson and Virginia Gay with The Guardian’s Steph Harmon. The program also featured Peta Strachan in a Dharug Knowledge Holders Panel facilitated by Cathy Craigie.
“The polka chinata is something special.”
Luciana Acuña & Alejo Moguillansky
For one night only, Live on Hickson Road: Efectos Especiales transformed a 300-metre stretch of Hickson Road at Walsh Bay into a cinematic spectacle and largescale free event. Created by Argentinian artists Luciana Acuña and Alejo Moguillansky in collaboration with Sydney-based dance artists, the performance unfolded as a single continuous film shot in real time, with dancers, camera operators and audiences moving together through the streets.
This event was part of the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program led by Transport for NSW and more than 6,200 attendees followed the action along the waterfront – 35% under 30 years old and 42% identifying as culturally and linguistically diverse – becoming extras in a playful blend of choreography, filmmaking and urban theatre. The event generated social media reach of more than one million, demonstrating the power of large-scale public programming to activate the city.
“I am so humbled and so full of gratitude for the opportunity to be a part of this truly magic and epic work. The experience was a pure force of energy, euphoria and ecstatic jubilation.”
ANTON, DANCER IN EFECTOSESPECIALES
Joel Bray
Garabari transformed the Northern Broadwalk of the Sydney Opera House into a vast open-air dance floor, inviting audiences into a contemporary corroboree by Wiradjuri choreographer Joel Bray. Created in collaboration with Wiradjuri Elders and community in the Riverina, the work shared the Story of the Making of the Murrumbidgee, gifted by the late Uncle James Ingram.
Across two performances, Garabari transformed one of Sydney’s most iconic cultural sites into a massive open-air dance floor, inviting over 2,000 attendees to move together under the stars. Supported by Mob Tix community tickets, the event welcomed strong attendance from First Nations audiences.
Garabari also attracted extensive media attention, with coverage broadcast across Seven News, Nine News, Ten News, ABC News, SBS World News and NITV reinforcing the visibility and cultural impact of First Nations storytelling on a major stage.
Clare Watson & Virginia Gay
Mama Does Derby transformed Sydney Town Hall into a full-scale roller derby rink for its world premiere season, exemplifying Sydney Festival’s commitment to commissioning bold new Australian work at scale. Written by Virginia Gay and directed by Clare Watson, the production brought together theatre, sport and live music in an immersive staging that placed audiences around the track as performers and professional derby skaters raced past.
Across ten performances, the production welcomed over 5,900 audience members and generated major coverage and reviews across national outlets.
Ambitious in both scale and spirit, Mama Does Derby demonstrated the Festival’s ability to realise largeformat premieres that grow audiences and expand the possibilities of contemporary Australian theatre.
“The excitement of those performances carried me far above the mundane world, buzzing, every nerve in my being alive, every thought vibrating with the energy of what we witnessed and shared.”
UNCLE CHRISTOPHER KIRKBRIGHT, GARABARI PROJECT ELDER
“...ambitious, entertaining and irresistibly warm show, that speaks not only to parents and teens, but to the broader community.”
DEE JEFFERSON, THE GUARDIAN
“Sydney I’m so overjoyed... I could hardly believe that people listened to my music from so far away, let alone the whole fairy culture that you all embodied last night. Thank you for showing up and singing along and sharing the night with me.”
Over five decades, Sydney Festival has transformed summer in the city with unforgettable moments of music, theatre and spectacle. Explore highlights, memories and defining moments from the past 50 years.
Over the past 50 years, Sydney Festival has become renowned for presenting artistic work of the highest calibre. It not only brings, literally, a whole world of arts and theatre to Sydney, it also puts this unique land of ours and its stories on the world stage.
Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC Governor of New South Wales
Every year, right as Sydney hits the peak of summer, the Festival unfolds with an amazing program. Happy Birthday to the Sydney Festival, here’s to another great 50 years of big colourful nights, where anything feels possible.
The Hon. John Graham, MLC Special Minister of State, Minister for Transport, Arts, Music and the Night-time Economy
Happy 50th birthday Sydney Festival. Once again, your world-class program of art, dance, theatre, music and more captured the spirit of our city: bold, diverse, and open to the world.
The Rt Hon Clover Moore AO Lord Mayor of Sydney
Sydney Festival is the nation’s largest international arts and cultural event and a highlight of the NSW major events calendar. For half a century, Sydney Festival has enriched our state’s vibrant arts and cultural scene and provided a significant boost to our visitor economy by showcasing NSW as Australia’s leading destination for worldclass cultural experiences.
The Hon. Stephen Kamper, MP Minister for Lands and Property, Multiculturalism, Sport, Jobs and Tourism
Discover key moments from Sydney Festival’s history and explore five decades of culture, creativity and summer at archives.sydneyfestival.org.au
Dame Joan Sutherland La Traviata at Opera in the Domain
Dame Joan Sutherland singing one of the roles that had made her world famous to 25,000 people at the first ever Opera in the Domain
Sydney Symphony Under the Stars
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Festival’s longest running event and beloved tradition of world-class live orchestral music, picnicking en-masse and a dazzling fireworks finale.
Sky Orchestra
Luke Jerram & Dan Jones
A dreamy sky symphony drifted across Western Sydney as hot-air balloons carried speakers broadcasting music, serenading the city with a sunrise performance in the open air.
The Manganiyar Seduction
Roysten Abel
Musicians from the desert regions of Rajasthan created a spellbinding wall-ofsound in multi-storey structure of 33 velvetcurtained cubes.
Cloudstreet Belvoir
Directed by Neil Armfield, Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet premiered at Sydney Festival, marking a landmark Australian theatre achievement that went on to critical acclaim and sell-out tours worldwide.
A.R. Rahman in Parramatta Park
Before a crowd of 70,000 fans, Rahman delivered a gigantic spectacle: massed dancers, fireworks and euphoric singalongs, climaxing in a rain-soaked, ecstatic Jai Ho
The Vigil
The first Vigil took place in 2019, a ritual reflection on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and shared futures, becoming a powerful annual tradition of remembrance.
The Flood Drummers by
Théâtre du Soleil’s ritualistic The Flood Drummers immersed Sydney Festival audiences in visceral ensemble movement, masks and percussion, redefining theatrical spectacle.
Rubber Duck Florentijn Hofman
A 15-metre Rubber Duck sailed into Darling Harbour, delighting over 30,000 spectators at the Festival’s opening celebrations.
Wudjang: Not the Past Bangarra Dance Company and Sydney Theatre Company
Ancestral stories made their mark on the present in the world premiere of an epicscale contemporary corroboree, Stephen Page’s last production as Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre.
25
Accessible performances
16 Events with access & inclusion programs
15 Artists who self-identify as living with disability
6 Auslan interpreted performances 8 Captioned performances 9 Tactile tours 9 Audio described performances 6 Relaxed performances
In 2026 a wide range of accessible performances and services were offered across the Festival. These included audio-described performances and tactile tours for audiences who are blind or have low vision at productions including EXXY, LACRIMA, Mama Does Derby, WAKE, Opera for the Dead 祭歌, Post-Orientalist Express and The Bogong’s Song: A Call to Country
For audiences who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing, the Festival presented Auslan-interpreted performances of works including Bad Hand, Bigmouth Strikes Again (The Smiths Show) , Death by PowerPoint, Nowhere, The Bogong’s Song: A Call to Country and Paris Paloma. Captioned performances were also available for selected productions including EXXY and Mama Does Derby, with surtitles provided for international and operatic works such as LACRIMA and Turandot
Relaxed performances were offered for audiences who benefit from a more flexible environment, including performances of asses.masses, EXXY, Mama Does Derby and The Censor. Assistive listening systems, wheelchair access and Companion Card ticketing were also available across Festival venues.
In 2026, Sydney Festival also introduced a new website booking portal enabling patrons who require wheelchair seating or Companion Card tickets to book online for the first time. Previously these bookings required direct contact with the customer service team. During the Festival, 67 bookings were made through the online system by customers with additional mobility requirements or requiring wheelchair-accessible seating.
The Sydney Festival program brochure was produced in multiple accessible formats, including MP3 audio files, PDF, an interactive online version and a large-print Word document, ensuring audiences could access Festival information in ways that suited their needs.
Sydney Festival is also proud to support the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Initiative, helping audiences with non-visible disabilities discreetly signal that they may need additional support when attending events.
Through these initiatives, Sydney Festival continues to work towards making the Festival welcoming, inclusive and accessible for all members of the community.
Ensuring Sydney Festival remains accessible to as many people as possible continued to be a priority in 2026. Free events and lower-cost ticket options remained central to the Festival’s commitment to making world-class arts experiences available across the community.
In 2026, 27 events were presented free of charge, welcoming thousands of people to performances, installations and gatherings across the city. These events activated public spaces and created opportunities for audiences to experience the Festival without financial barriers.
Affordable ticket initiatives also helped broaden access. The Tix for Next to Nix program offered $26 tickets for selected events happening that day, making last-minute Festival attendance possible for more audiences. In 2026, 768 tickets were sold through the program.
Sydney Festival also welcomed the return of the Arts Pass, offering discounted tickets for artists, arts workers and arts students, supporting continued engagement from the creative community.
Alongside these initiatives, the $49 Early Bird ticket offer continued to reward audiences who planned ahead. Introduced in recognition of ongoing cost-ofliving pressures, the program enabled Festival-goers to secure tickets at a reduced price while encouraging early engagement with the program.
Together, these initiatives ensured Sydney Festival remained both accessible and inclusive, offering multiple pathways for audiences to experience the Festival.
Sydney Festival is proud to work alongside government partners who share a commitment to strengthening Sydney’s cultural life and supporting the creative industries. Their investment enables the Festival to present ambitious artistic work while activating the city’s public spaces and cultural precincts each January. We thank our government partners for their continued commitment to the Festival and to the cultural life of New South Wales.
Our Principal Government Partners, the NSW Government through Create NSW and the City of Sydney continue to play a vital role in Sydney Festival’s success and long term growth. Sydney Festival is proud to be recognised by the NSW Government as a Foundation Event for NSW, reflecting its importance to the state’s cultural calendar and visitor economy. Together, this support enables the Festival to deliver a bold program each summer, with the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct serving as the Festival’s central hub for performances, artist activity and audience gathering, while also activating cultural spaces across the city.
The City of Sydney’s partnership also supports key programs across the Festival, including EXXY, Garragarrang Badu, Mama Does Derby and Festival Commons. Festival Commons in particular reflects the City’s commitment to strengthening Sydney’s cultural life by supporting emerging producers, investing in a more diverse creative workforce and nurturing the next generation of cultural leaders shaping the city’s creative future.
Sydney Festival also values its long standing partnership with Destination NSW. In 2026, Destination NSW
supported a suite of Sydney exclusive works including Garabari, Mama Does Derby, Post-Orientalist Express and WAKE. These unique cultural experiences attract audiences from across Australia and internationally, reinforcing Sydney’s reputation as a vibrant global city for arts and culture.
Through our partnership with Placemaking NSW, Sydney Festival continued to activate major harbourfront public spaces including Darling Harbour and Barangaroo. Highlights included Observer, Observed, an art installation on the Pyrmont Bridge that generated strong audience response and widespread attention online, Save the Last Dance for Me at Palm Grove, and Sydney Symphony Under the Stars at Tumbalong Park and two world premiere works at Barangaroo - Vigil: Belong and HELD
In 2026, Sydney Festival was proud to partner with Transport for NSW to deliver Live On Hickson Road: Efectos Especiales, a major free public event that transformed the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct into a vibrant civic gathering space. Supported through the NSW Government’s Open Streets initiative, the program attracted more than 6,200 attendees and demonstrated the potential for cultural programming to enliven city streets, support local businesses and bring new audiences into the cultural precinct.
Together, these partnerships enable Sydney Festival to deliver world class cultural experiences while contributing to the economic, social and cultural vitality of New South Wales.
THANK YOU TO OUR GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
Sydney Festival works with a network of corporate sponsors and business partners whose support helps bring the Festival to life each summer.
Sydney Festival also welcomes opportunities to collaborate with organisations that share our commitment to creativity, community connection and the cultural life of Sydney. The Festival provides a unique platform for partners to engage with audiences through artistic experiences, hospitality and city wide activations each January.
In 2026, Sydney Festival was pleased to commence a curatorial partnership with Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, an international initiative supporting contemporary dance. Through this collaboration, the Festival presented Australian exclusive works PostOrientalist Express, which opened the 2026 Festival, and Save the Last Dance for Me, bringing distinctive contemporary dance works to Sydney audiences.
Beverage partners Archie Rose Distilling Co., The Grifter Brewing Co. and Whipbird kept Festival-goers refreshed throughout the season. Hospitality venues including Folio, the Festival Bar at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct became key gathering spaces before and after performances.
At Sydney Town Hall, Doltone House added a dedicated theatre bar for Mama Does Derby, enriching the overall Festival experience.
Sydney Festival values its partnership with Business Sydney, which in 2026 hosted two joint events connecting the city’s business community with the Festival through keynote conversations and Q&A sessions.
The Festival also benefits from the expertise of professional service and business partners. We thank BDO for their continued partnership and Maddocks Lawyers for trusted legal support, along with networks including Committee for Sydney, Business Western Sydney and the Australian British Chamber of Commerce.
We acknowledge the contribution of our supporting sponsors, including Accor, Signwave, Wilson Parking, Chameleon Touring Systems, TDC, Kawai, SafetyCulture, Cloudwave and Artbank Australia, as well as our many venue partners across Sydney’s cultural institutions.
We also thank our media partners ABC Radio Sydney, QMS, The Guardian, TorchMedia, Limelight Magazine, City Hub, Star Observer and Concrete Playground for
helping connect audiences with our program, and our research partners Lonergan Research and RDA Research for their valuable insights.
Sydney Festival extends its sincere thanks to all corporate and business partners for their vital contribution to the Festival’s success.
Festival Feasts remains a cherished part of Sydney Festival, connecting audiences with Sydney’s leading restaurants and supporting local hospitality.
We thank our 2026 partners Arcadia Liquor, Attenzione! Food & Wine, Bar Allora, Cafe Sydney, Champagne Bar at Sofitel, Jounieh, Kid Kyoto, Kuro Bar & Dining, Manon Brasserie, Pier Bar, Planar Bar and Dining, and The Living Room at Park Hyatt. We especially acknowledge Cafe Sydney, our longest standing restaurant partner, celebrating 25 years of support.
Partner with Sydney Festival to align with one of Australia’s leading cultural events, connect with engaged audiences across Greater Sydney, and access tailored opportunities that elevate brand visibility and impact. For enquiries, contact sponsorships@sydneyfestival.org.au.
In our 50th anniversary milestone year we welcomed our new Festival Director Kris Nelson and took a moment to raise a glass and celebrate the people who make the Festival possible.
To our generous donors, many of whom have been on this journey with us for a decade or more, thank you. Your belief in the arts brings bold ideas to life and keeps Sydney Festival thriving as a vibrant celebration for our city. Quite simply, we could not do this without you.
“Many thanks for a great evening and what a way to celebrate the last 50 years and the next 50 years ahead. Congratulations”
JENNIFER DARIN & DENNIS COOPER
“Congratulations, and thanks for a great Sydney Festival this year.”
“A
PENELOPE SEIDLER AO
BUSINESS PARTNERS
SUPPORTING SPONSORS
BEVERAGE & HOSPITALITY SPONSORS
MEDIA SPONSORS
VENUE & CURATORIAL PARTNERS
WITH SUPPORT OF
WITH SINCERE THANKS TO PRINCIPAL PHILANTHROPIC PARTNER PETER FREEDMAN AM & ALL OF OUR PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORTERS
MAJOR DONORS
Andrew
Robyn
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE Antionette
Shane
Anthony and Suzanne Maple-Brown
FESTIVAL HEROES
Academy Travel
Anonymous
Stephen Fitzgerald
Kevin Isherwood
Lisa
James
David
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
Brian
Caroline
Jennifer
Canny
Susanna
Jennifer
David
Victoria
FESTIVAL PATRONS
John
Iolanda Capodanno and Juergen Krufczyk
Charles Coy
Kiong Lee and Richard Funston
Lyndall McNally OAM and Trevor McNally
Roderick and Joan Noble
Andrea Ulbrick and Julie Stanley
Maggie Weiley and Barry Fitzgibbon
FESTIVAL LOVERS
Paddy Carney Jane Kift
Cheryl Lo
Anthony and Shirley Murray
Adele Raj-Manning
Nawal Silfani Ben and Suzy Strout
Christopher Tooher Warwick Yee
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR PHILANTHROPY COMMITTEE
Andrew Cameron AM (Chair)
Rhae Hooper
Mama Does Derby was commissioned through the Major Festival initiative Seed Funding and the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body.
THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES AND PRODUCTIONS
ACKNOWLEDGE THE SUPPORT OF:
A Night of Rock and Roll with Bogan Villea Ben Graetz acknowledges support from Auspicious Arts Projects, Browns Mart and Darwin Festival.
asses.masses
Patrick Blenkarn and Milton Lim acknowledge support from Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the Theatre Centre, Vivo Media Arts, Embassy of Canada to Argentina and Paraguay. Developed with the funding support from Creative BC, the British Columbia Arts Council, and Canada Council for the Arts. Produced in association with the National Arts Centre of Canada’s National Creation Fund.
Supported by the Consulate General of Canada.
Blacktown Garage Party
Edith Amituanai, Salote Tawale and Sione Monu acknowledge support from Blacktown City Council, Create NSW and Powerhouse.
CHAII
CHAII acknowledges support from Creative New Zealand.
Conflictorium
Conflictorium acknowledges the support of the whole Conflictorium team since its inception in 2013.
ENJI
ENJI acknowledges the support of the Goethe-Institute.
EXXY
Dan Daw acknowledges support from Arts Council England and Cockayne 10th Anniversary Grants for the Arts. R&D supported by an Unlimited Strategic Award 2023. Co-commissioned by Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, Battersea Arts Centre, Transform, Take Me
Somewhere, and Tramway for the New Dimensions commission. Additionally co-commissioned by Fabric, Kampnagel, Sadlers Wells, SICK! Festival and Les Halles.
Garabari
Joel Bray acknowledges support from the Tanja Liedtke Foundation, and the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund
– an Australian Government initiative, the Australian Government through the Indigenous Languages and Arts program and Creative Australia, the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, BlakDance, the Besen Family Foundation, Arts House, Eastern Riverina Arts, Lucy Guerin Inc and WXYZ Studios. Garabari was commissioned by Chunky Move.
Garden of Sound Voxstep acknowledges support from Create NSW, Creative Australia, Riverside Theatres, Sydney Festival and The Pavillion, Sutherland. Garden of Sound is a co-production between Voxstep and FORM Dance Projects.
Garrigarrang Badu
Peta Strachan and Jannawi Dance
Clan acknowledge support from Create NSW, Creative Australia, The Australian Government’s Indigenous Languages and Arts program, FORM Dance Projects, Arts and Cultural Exchange, Dance Makers Collective, Carriageworks, Sydney Festival, Catapult Creative, Urban Theatre Projects, Blacktown Arts and Blacktown City Council, BlakDance, City Of Parramatta, Vivcourt, Lucy Guiren Inc, Moogahlin Performing Arts, Sydney Olympic Park Authority and the Boorooberongal Clan of the Dharug Nation.
LACRIMA
Caroline Guiela Nguyen acknowledges support from the Odéon – Théâtre de l’Europe, du Centre national des dramaturgies contemporaines (CNDC) – Théâtre Ouvert, la Maison Jacques Copeau, le Musée des Beaux-arts et de la dentelle d’Alençon, l’Institut Français de New Dehli et l’Alliance française de Mumbaï. Co-produced by Festival TransAmériques de Montréal (Canada); La Comédie – Centre dramatique national de Reims; Points communs –Nouvelle scène nationale de Cergy-Pontoise; Théâtres de
la Ville du Luxembourg; Centro Dramático Nacional de Madrid (Espagne); Piccolo Teatro di Milano – Teatro d’Europa (Italie); Wiener Festwochen | Freie Republik Wien (Autriche); Théâtre national de Bretagne - Centre dramatique national, Festival d’Avignon, Les Hommes Approximatifs. Supported by the French Embassy in Australia.
Mama Does Derby
Clare Watson and Virginia Gay acknowledge support from the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body and the Major Festivals Initiative, in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals Inc., commissioned by Adelaide Festival, Brisbane Festival and Sydney Festival.
Nowhere
Khalid Abdalla and Fuel acknowledge the British Council for their support of this presentation of Nowhere. Commissioned and produced by Fuel. Originally funded by Arts Council England and CVC. Originally supported by Battersea Arts Centre.
Observer, Observed
Julia Phillips acknowledges support from the Goethe-Institute.
Post-Orientalist Express
Eun-Me Ahn acknowledges that Post-Orientalist Express is coproduced by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Berliner Festspiele, Théâtre de la VilleParis, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Théâtre d’Orléans / Scène Nationale, Sydney Festival.
Redfern Renaissance
Angeline Penrith acknowledges support from the Balnaves Foundation. Creative Development supported by Oranges & Sardines Foundation. Co-Presented by Belvoir St Theatre.
Rothar
Miquel Barceló and Moisés Mas García acknowledge support from Culture Ireland. Rothar is produced in association with Drama at University of Galway and Baboró International Arts Festival for Children as part of Creative Europe’s Mapping Project.
Save The Last Dance For Me
Alessandro Sciarroni would like to acknowledge that Save the Last Dance for Me is a production of Marche Theatro and co-produced by Santarcangelo Festival, B.Motion and Festival Danza Urbana.
Searchers: Graffiti and Contemporary Art National Art School acknowledges the support of NAS curatorial, marketing and production teams and artists: Ben Aitken, Howard Arkley, BAGL, Andrew Browne, Adam Cullen, Mikala Dwyer, Dale Frank, Shaun Gladwell, Brendan Huntley, Rhys John Kaye, Luke Kennedy, LAZY, Mim Libro, Fiona Lowry, Eddie Martin, MACH, Tony McGillick, Paul McNeil, TV Moore, Callum Morton, Tresor Murace, Sidney Nolan, Ben Quilty, Reko Rennie, Joan Ross, Khaled Sabsabi, Tim Silver, SPICE, Bridget Stehli, Maya Stocks, TAVEN.BREAK, Scott Redford, Leslie Rice and Latai Taumoepeau.
Sisa-Sisa
Murtala and Alfira O’Sullivan acknowledge that Sisa-Sisa is commissioned by Bankstown Arts Centre with support from Sydney Festival and Create NSW.
Cassandra Fumi and Vidya Rajan acknowledge that The Censor was seeded by City of Melbourne through ArtPlay’s New Ideas Lab and through the Cash To Create Fringe Fund at Melbourne Fringe. Fumi and Rajan acknowledge and thank the original co-creators and cast – River, Maya, Noray, Darcy and Aria.
WAKE
THISISPOPBABY acknowledges support from Culture Ireland. Cocommission from Irish Arts Center New York and Cork Opera House. Generously supported by Ardyk, SoSimpatico and WhatsWatt. Supported by the Consulate General of Ireland.
Customer
Event
Event
Head
Event Coordinator – Wharf 1
Murihead
Production Coordinator
Logistics Manager
Senior Logistics Coordinator
Logistics Coordinator
Hospitality Coordinator
Store Supervisor
TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS & ELDERS
Akala
Project Manager
and The Gujaga Foundation.
FESTIVAL DESIGN AGENCY Christopher Doyle & Co.
FESTIVAL ARTWORK Nadia Odlum
Assistant
Project
Event
FESTIVAL
Matosilva Productions
FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
Jacquie
COPYWRITERS
Elissa
