Bourke Street opening party runs 5pm to 10pm
City of Sydney says its Art & About program will bring a three-day run of free events to Oxford Street from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October, with 40 hours of art, culture and creative activities planned across the precinct.
It all kicks off with the closure of Bourke Street at Taylor Square for a street party.
Festivities kick off on Friday evening with Bourke Street transformed into a pedestrian-friendly celebration space from 5pm to 10pm, hosting a disco-themed opening event complete with DJs, drag performances, dancing and roving entertainment. The opening event is billed as disco-themed, with DJs, drag performances, dancing and roving entertainment.
Across the weekend, the program will spread through streets, public spaces, venues and shopfronts while celebrating Oxford Street’s past and future. Exhibitions, performances, workshops and installations are also set to reflect the strip’s identity and the communities that shaped it.
At East Sydney Community and Arts Centre, visitors can see contemporary performances including the camp cabaret Bavaria by Loose Canon Arts, the one-woman play Crazing and Disco Never Dies by Dancekool, which features live dance, music and audience participation.
The centre will also host visual art experiences and participatory installations focused on connection and community, alongside textile works honouring queer nightlife and First Nations culture.
Taylor Square light installation
Taylor Square will feature Luminous Passage, a 24-hour interactive light installation. According to the City of Sydney, the work changes as people move through it, with colours shifting and rippling in response to the crowd.
Free creative workshops, community activities and pop-up performances will give visitors opportunities to connect directly with artists and become part of the creative experience. Visitors can also explore the Saturday farmers market featuring local produce, artisan goods, fresh flowers, retail, art, coffee and gourmet street food.
Banner artworks installed through the precinct will highlight Oxford Street’s history, diversity and LGBTQIA+ identity.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the three-day event is part of the City of Sydney’s wider plan to revive Oxford Street as a cultural and creative precinct.
“Great cities are shaped by great streets, and Oxford Street has always been one of Sydney’s most important cultural destinations,” Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO said.
Moore also said the council is continuing to back projects aimed at supporting local businesses, drawing visitors and recognising the area’s character. She pointed to streetscape upgrades, cultural projects such as QTOPIA and private development, including the restoration of more than 12,000 square metres of mixed retail and commercial space across three city blocks.
