Our Sydney Festival 2022 highlights

With performance art, live music, comedy and dance, plan your festival from 6 to 30 January.

Sydney Festival’s 2022 line-up is set to take over the city this summer.

From 6 to 30 January, revel in a bold and ambitious program showcasing

unforgettable arts and cultural experiences in our city. With more than 100 events over 25 days, we’re making it easier to plan your festival.

Here are our higlights.

Image credit: Shane Rozario

THAW

THAW is performance art like no other.

This boundary-pushing work by local company Legs On The Wall will see a 2.7 tonne block of ice suspended 20 metres above Sydney Harbour.

With a powerful message about climate change, you won’t want to miss this visually arresting performance. See it free in-person or tune into the 10-hour live stream.

15 January from 10am to 8:30pm

The event will be live streamed by both Sydney Festival and Sydney Opera House.

Speakers Corner

Speakers Corner will see 22 nights of live music, DJs and comedy in St Mary’s Cathedral Square.

With local Sydney musicians like B Wise and Friends, Joseph Tawadros Quartet and the incredible Sydney Symphony Orchestra percussion and string players, explore the diverse program to find a live act you’ll love.

Grab dinner in the city, a drink at the Speakers Corner bar, and settle in for this open-air gig series this summer.

5 to 30 January

Corner College and William streets, Sydney

Barra

Take a sonic and visual journey through Yuwaalaraay Country in north-western NSW.

Experience the world premiere of -barra, a collaboration between Ensemble Offspring and acclaimed Yuwaalaraay musician and storyteller Nardi Simpson (Song of the Crocodile) in the beautiful surrounds of City Recital Hall.

16 January at 7pm

City Recital Hall

The Reckoning talk series

Sydney Town Hall will host a lively 4-part talk series curated by the UNSW Centre for Ideas.

From pandemic politics to climate change, engage in discussion and debate with a line-up of critical thinkers.

21 and 22 January

Sydney Town Hall

This event will also be available to view as a livestream as part of Sydney Festival's At Home digital program.

With the theme Hope, Unite, Change and Recover, start the new year by exploring the full Sydney Festival program.