MCA Australia Lights Up Inside and Out for Vivid Sydney 2026

[11 March 2026, Sydney] The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA Australia) kicks off Vivid Sydney (22 May – 13 June 2026) with a premier rooftop cocktail party and a fiery set of unique art and culture experiences.

Opening the 2026 Vivid Sydney, MCA Australia presents Vaiola by Sāmoan-Australian artist Angela Tiatia. Dynamic and vibrant, Vaiola transforms the MCA Australia’s facade with Tiatia’s signature visual motifs: pearls, water, fire, flowers and the female form. This will be the first light projection to illuminate Sydney as part of the 2026 Vivid Festival.

Vaiola takes its name from an area close to Tiatia’s home in Savai’i, Sāmoa, and means ‘water of life.’ Presented at monumental scale with an accompanying score by Corin Ileto, Vaiola tells a story of migration through Tiatia’s distinctive cinematic language.

‘For me, Vaiola is about the emotional currents and tensions between longing and belonging,’ says artist Angela Tiatia. ‘During Vivid Sydney, when the city comes to life and invites locals and visitors alike into shared celebration, the work can unfold at a massive scale while still holding an intimate space for connection and reflection.’

MCA Australia will hold an in-conversation event with Angela Tiatia and MCA curator Antares Wells on Thursday 28 May 2026, from 6.30–7.30pm in the MCA Auditorium, to discuss the making of the commission. It will be followed by a Q&A and a viewing of Vaiola.

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO said, ‘The partnership between the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and Vivid Sydney is one of the bedrocks of each year’s festival. We are thrilled that the artist Angela Tiatia is creating the facade projection, and we can promise viewers a unique artistic experience unlike any other MCA projection in Vivid Sydney’s history.’

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said, ‘A key ingredient to the success of Vivid Sydney is the array of iconic buildings that provide a canvas for spectacular light projections, and each year the façade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is one of the highlights. There is no greater example of Sydney’s unique combination of cultural and natural wonder than having the work of an artist like Angela Tiatia projected onto one of our most important cultural institutions on the harbour foreshore for Vivid Sydney.’

Throughout Vivid Sydney, MCA Australia will be open for MCA Lates on Thursdays and Fridays until 9pm. MCA Australia’s Vivid Sydney 2026 offering continues throughout the building with three not-to-be-missed experiences.

MCA Light Nights

On 22 and 29 May, selected video works by artist Angela Tiatia, including The Pearl and The Dark Current, will be displayed on large screens while multiple DJs soundtrack the night to get the pulse racing and the feet moving. Tiatia’s epic work The Dark Current – filmed over three years on four continents with Pacific peoples globally – informs her new work Vaiola, projected during Vivid on the MCA’s facade.

The unique activation blends contemporary art, music, and large-scale projection. More than a silent disco, this is a choose-your-own audio adventure, where multiple DJs present a sonic experience to compliment the video works on display. Dance together or to the beat of your own drum, in this multi-track, multimedia extravaganza!
Visitors will be treated to:

• A vibrant hospitality offering as the MCA Tallawoladah Café transforms into the MCA Bar.
• Three internal projection screens in the Foundation Hall showcasing artist Angela Tiatia’s video works.
• A curated audio component allowing audiences to experience original soundtracks alongside three live DJ music channels.

MCA Light Nights will have two sessions to cater for both families and adults:

• Families from 5:00pm–7pm (Family tickets starting from $65)
  • Designed to welcome intergenerational audiences
  • Relaxed seating environment with beanbags and lounge areas
  • Child-friendly music channel alongside artistic soundtracks
• Adults from 7:30pm–10pm (Tickets starting from $48 per adult)
  • High-energy DJ-led experience
  • Multi-channel headphones allowing audience choice between music streams

• Food Stations (3x) + Roaming Canapes
• Unlimited sparkling wine, wines and beers
• Cocktails & spirits available for purchase on the night

Bookings are available on Thursday 28 May, and 4 and 11 June between 5.30pm (first booking) and 8.30pm (last booking). With stunning harbour views and a Chef’s Hat from The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide, Canvas presents a vibrant menu inspired by Angela Tiatia’s Vivid Sydney projection.

• Glass of Pommery Brut Royal Champagne
• Bermagui Yellowfin tuna, Beluga caviar, saltbush
• Jervis Bay lobster mezzelune, bisque, lemon myrtle
• Stone Axe Wagyu, roast potatoes, native thyme
• Pineapple, sorrel gelato, citrus snow, finger lime

• All other beverages charged on consumption on the night
  Price $290 inc.GST (dining + general admission to MCA Australia until 9pm on Thursdays).

Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir is proudly supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.

For further information, please visit the MCA Australia website: www.mca.com.au

The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA Australia) presents, collects and engages with the art of our time. Guided by the principles of belonging, connection and influence, we aim to be the defining platform for contemporary art and ideas in Australia and beyond. Located on Sydney Harbour at Tallawoladah, a home to stories, art and culture for over 65,000 years, we connect the widest possible public to contemporary art through exhibitions, events, creative learning and access programs. Our evolving Collection of over 4,700 artworks is the only public collection in Australia dedicated to the work of living artists, with over a third represented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. As an independent, not-for-profit organisation, MCA Australia raises over 80% of its revenue each year through donations and commercial activities to deliver its artistic and engagement programs.