Sigur Rós, Nigella Lawson & More Announced For Vivid 2025 Program

Vivid Sydney celebrates its 15th anniversary with a grand return this June, and have announced a huge Vivid 2025 program featuring celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, Icelandic band, Sigur Rós, and much more.

Taking place from Friday 23 May through Saturday 14 June, Vivid Sydney is an annual festival of light and art that celebrates new ideas and perspectives. It often features musical performances, light shows, public talks, and debates.

This year, Vivid’s Light Walk will feature prominent Australian artists, especially the works of late Australian artist and queer activist, David McDiarmid.

Kiss of Light, named after one of McDiarmid’s most popular works, will feature animations of his work projected across the Opera House.

McDiarmid died at the age of 42 in 1995 from an AIDS-related illness. As well as being a prominent queer activist, he was also an artistic director of Sydney’s Mardi Gras from 1988 through 1990.

Also featured in the arts section are fashion designers Romance Was Born and Vincent Namatjira. Romance Was Born will be featured at Customs House while Namatjira will be featured at the Museum of Contemporary Art with his work, King Dingo.

Namatjira was the centre of controversy in 2024 after it was reported that Gina Rinehart had requested the removal of Namatjira’s portrait of her from the National Gallery of Australia. 

Namatjira responded to the controversy in May in a statement saying “I paint the world as I see it.”

Sigur Rós to take Sydney Opera House stage as part of Vivid 2025

In terms of music, the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós will be performing at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as a part of a national tour. 

Also performing at the Opera House for exclusive performances are British singer Anohni along with her band The Johnsons, and Beth Gibbons from Portishead.

There will also be gigs across Oxford Art Factory, Carriageworks, City Recital Hall and more. 

Artists include German electronic band Tangerine Dream, Australian house producer Mall Grab, rapper Miss Kaninna, Papua New Guinean musician Ngaiire, and surf rockers Skeggs — and many, many more.

Nigella, Vivid Fire Kitchen, Firetalk and more

Some artists from Rising, Melbourne’s festival, will also be performing at Vivid. Some of the artists featured are Beth Gibbons, Japanese Breakfast, Soccer Mommy, and Kiwi singer-songwriter Marlon Williams, whose album Te Whare Tīwekaweka written in Māori will be released next month. 

Leading the food line-up is Nigella Lawson who will be curating three dinners across events taking place all over the Sydney Metro’s pedestrian tunnels in Martin Place.

Last but not least is the Ideas program, which has been a part of Vivid Sydney since 2012. D.W. Pine, creative director of Time Magazine, will be appearing to ask the question: “Where do ideas come from?” Professor Matthew Walker will also be there to answer the question of why we sleep. 

Over in Barangaroo, these events are accompanied by the Firetalk series, which focuses on First Nation storytelling, and a new piece from physical-theatre company Legs on the Wall, titled Endling.

You can learn more and see the full program announcement on the Vivid Sydney website.

 

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