Vivid Sydney, the annual celebration of creativity, innovation, and technology, is proudly honouring queer Sydney with a compelling line-up of performance, talks and parties featured across Light, Music & Ideas.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport, and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said that Sydney is a warm and welcoming city renowned worldwide for celebrating diversity, inclusivity, and creativity - which ultimately is what Vivid Sydney is about.
“We’re excited to host a range of artists from LGBTQIA+ communities and encourage all festival-goers to celebrate our Harbour City’s vibrancy,” Mr Ayres said.
“Sydney is the best major events city in this country. This year’s Vivid Sydney will reinforce that claim with a program for all. I’m encouraging all Sydneysiders and visitors to join in the celebration of light, music, art and ideas; embrace the Festival and explore the vast and diverse offerings the Festival has to offer.
Festival Director Gill Minervini, who will direct her first Vivid Sydney in 2022, said: “Vivid Sydney tells the compelling story of Sydney’s creativity and innovation, and LGBTQIA+ communities have always been at the essence of our city’s soul. From being Festival Director of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in the 1990’s to Festival Director of Vivid Sydney today – it is always an honour to present work that reflects the diversity and talent of this charismatic, surprising, and intriguing city.”
The Vivid Sydney program features these LGBTQIA+ speakers and artists:
Global storyteller Troye Sivan reveals his take on beauty, creativity, and queer politics in a live intimate conversation (Sydney Town Hall, 29 May). A singer-songwriter, global superstar, art lover, and fashion maverick Troye will share how he has ridden the wave of success and navigated the vagaries of fame while using his public profile to challenge notions around masculinity, beauty, and gender fluidity.
Emerging hip-hop prodigy Cakes Da Killa (Oxford Art Factory, 17 June) is a gamechanger and leading figure amongst a new wave of queer artists. Mixing 90s' grit and cadence with high energy club beats – one foot in NYC’s Ballroom culture and another in Hardcore Rap – Cakes delivers witty flow, saucy charm, and brutal takedowns over undeniably heavy beats. All at lightning speed.
A queer icon of American indie music, Perfume Genius (Carriageworks, 11 June) brings his national tour and spectacular live band to Vivid Music. Dubbed "one of alternative music’s biggest stars" (The Guardian), singer/songwriter Mike Hadreas fuses tender piano ballads and swaggering glam rock power tunes to explore personal stories of sexuality, violence, and love with brutal and poetic honesty.
SINK (Phoenix Central Park, 1-4 June) reimagines the stadium techno experience, stripping it back to minimal elements of percussion and projection to create that immersive relationship between performers and audience. The main event is a concert-style performance from queer electronic musician Simona Castricum, with projections from Carla Zimbler. Simona’s blend of lush synthwave and uplifting technopop makes internal boogying impossible to resist.
After a massive 2021, Wiradjuri-Filipino singer-songwriter Mo’ju (Tumbalong Nights, 27 May) steps back into the limelight with an exciting free show at Tumbalong Park in Darling Harbour performing restorative jams and electronica shaped around family, identity, healing, and expression.
Further Queer friendly musical performances include Vivid Sydney Supper Club (Mary’s Underground, 27 May-18 June) on Friday and Saturday nights during the festival, transforming Mary’s Underground into an intimate cabaret club. Lovable uber-diva host Trevor Ashley has curated a program of acclaimed headliners alongside top-flight jazz, cabaret, burlesque, and comedy acts. Expect the unexpected with surprising live performances until the wee hours. Headline performances include Bob Downe, Emma Pask, Genevieve Lemon and Paul Capsis, with surprise artists every night.
Every Wednesday during Vivid Sydney, The Bearded Tit and Queerbourhood (From 1 June) celebrates Sydney's legendary Queer Performance Icons alongside today’s emerging contemporary performers. Shining a light on Sydney’s queer underground history, these events feature three iconic performances from Nana Miss Koori and Frumpus to Cindy Pastel.
Club Kooky by the Harbour (Sydney Opera House, 5 June), a Sydney queer culture mainstay since the ’90s returns to Vivid Sydney in 2022., Club Kooky has gone from an underground club night to taking over harbourside events, inner west spaces, and legendary Vivid LIVE parties in the Sydney Opera House Studio. Kooky continues to dazzle generations of queer-friendly partygoers with its celebration of freaky, glittery, utterly irresistible abandon. This year’s event promises even more surprises, with iconic LGBTQIA+ anthems, secret special guest performers, amazing visuals, and an inclusive vibe.
The Heaps Gay Qween’s Ball (Luna Park, 11 June) invites you to don yourself in the most luxurious dress-up an op-shop can provide. After a long lockdown-induced hiatus, Heaps Gay reimagines their annual Qweens' Ball as a carnival of unearthly delights at Luna Park. So, assemble your queer family for the experience of a lifetime as part of Vivid Sydney. Let the fairy deliver you to the most magical live performance party where a night of crazy, creepy fun awaits.
Queer Sydney: Powerhouse Late x Vivid Ideas (Powerhouse Museum, 2-16 June) celebrates Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community and explores the lineage from the original Mardi Gras 78ers to now. See drag, archival footage, and photos of Sydney’s incredible party scene alongside talks and performances. Plus end the night with a little Disco Conversion Therapy.
Over three big nights, Happenings (The Calyx, 10-12 June) will transform the jewel in the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney’s crown, The Calyx, with their curatorial blend of cutting-edge electronica and new classical crossover music alongside some of Sydney’s finest visual artists queer performers.
Go to vividsydney.com for more information and to purchase tickets. Vivid Sydney is proudly owned, managed, and produced by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.
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