In addition to great restaurants and picturesque beaches, Sydney is also a hotspot for all things culture and art. And perhaps nothing demonstrates that fact quite so well as the Sydney Festival. Lucky for us, the official program for the 2025 iteration of the event – which will run from January 4 to 26 – has dropped, and there’s plenty to keep you busy over the summer season. Below, your guide to the unmissable moments slated for next year’s program.
What’s on at Sydney Festival 2025
There's over 130 free and ticketed events on this year's program, in the way of theatre, music, and installations. But there's a few additions to the schedule that we're particularly excited about...
True crime aficionados will love the funny and immersive recreation of A Model Murder, based on one of Sydney’s most gripping real-life scandals. Co-written by Melanie Tait and Sheridan Harbridge, this installation will open exclusively for Sydney Festival, hosted in the Darlinghurst Courthouse.
For a different kind of history lesson, catch a Sydney-exclusive staging of Dark Noon, Tue Biering’s recent Edinburgh Fringe hit. This satirical reimagining of the development of America – starring a stellar South African cast – is not to be missed.
Constantine Costi and Luke Di Somma’s Australian opera, Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera, will make its world premiere at the festival, in a modern re-imagining of Las Vegas’ most famous duo.
Tongan-born and Western Sydney-raised artist, Telly Tuita, will serve as the program’s Visual Artist in Residence. His work, titled The Tā and Vā (Time and Space) of Tongpop, will take over various spaces across the heritage-listed wharves of Sydney’s Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.
The 2025 Blak Out program has been curated by Sydney Festival’s Creative Artist in Residence Jake Nash. The month-long program will unite the stories and perspectives of First Nations artists, including curated conversations, workshops, and performances.
In the world of music, New York vocalist Yaya Bey will make her Australian debut, while East London’s Hak Baker will bring his genre-defying sound to Sydney Festival’s stage.
When is Sydney Festival 2025?
Sydney Festival will run from January 4 - 26, 2025.
How to get tickets to Sydney Festival 2025
Tickets for next year's event are on sale from 9.00am AEDT Wednesday 30 October 2024, through the Sydney Festival website.
To commemorate the festival's 49th year, early bird tickets will be priced at $49 for A reserve seats and General Admission, to all ticketed shows. This offer will be available from 30 October until 2 December, or until sold out. See which events qualify for the early bird discount here.
