Fire your imagination in Sydney, a world-class destination for the arts. Discover intriguing galleries, eye-opening exhibitions, bold performance spaces, design-led hotels and, of course, some creative food along the way as you explore inner-city creative precincts where arts and culture truly shine.

Lose yourself in the world of art

Feel uplifted by the energy emanating from the artworks by Australian creatives, including many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in The Rocks in central Sydney. Gain a fresh perspective as you view a selection of the MCA’s permanent collection of more than 4,000 Australian contemporary works ranging from sculpture to painting and photography to moving image.

Get a grasp on the amazing diversity of contemporary Australian art at the Hiroshi Sugimoto: Time Machine exhibition, which runs until 27 October 2024 and features key works from all of the artist’s major photographic series, highlighting Sugimoto’s philosophical yet playful inquiry into our understanding of time and memory, and photography’s ability to both document and invent.

Take in magnificent harbour views as you stroll past the Sydney Opera House and walk through the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney to the majestic sandstone Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) and its recent addition Sydney Modern. Get a feel for colonial life in Sydney and for the emergence of a distinctive Australian aesthetic as you take in 19th-century and 20-century Australian works, and take yourself out of the ordinary in the dedicated gallery of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art.

Be dazzled by the AGNSW’s calendar of astonishing events, including Alphonse Mucha: Spirit of Art Nouveau, which draws from the Mucha Family Collection to bring together Mucha’s illustrations, jewellery, interior decoration, photographs and more. The exhibition reveals an artist and designer whose powerful influence remains with us today, from 15 June 2024 – 22 September 2024

Feed your hunger for challenging artworks at a myriad of inner-Sydney art galleries, including the AGNW’s Brett Whiteley Studio, a gallery housed within the acclaimed artist’s former workplace and home in the hip inner-city suburb of Surry Hills, and the White Rabbit Gallery, which houses one of the world’s most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art in Chippendale, on the fringe of the city centre. Catch White Rabbit’s fascinating exhibition Laozi's Furnace until 10 November 2024.

Be moved by stunning performances

Gain insights into the Australian psyche as you enjoy a well-crafted play at the renowned Sydney Theatre Company’s main theatre in the Walsh Bay arts precinct, or be enthralled by the latest production by Sydney Dance Company or Bangarra Dance Theatre at the Sydney Opera House.

Indulge your love of cutting-edge dramaturgy at Belvoir Street Theatre in Surry Hills, one of Australia’s most celebrated theatre companies – it’s been a springboard for promising playwrights, actors and directors for around 40 years.

Looking for something a little more offbeat? Head to Priscillas at The Imperial Erskineville, a few minutes walk from the inner west dining hub of Newtown, for its Drag n’ Dine nights (Friday to Sunday). Savour a vegetarian and vegan-friendly dinner while enjoying feature performances from some of Australia’s most dazzling drag queens – you might even be called on stage for an impromptu performance.

Refuel in style

Start the day by surrounding yourself with art at the concept café Henry Lee’s, in the warehouse space and courtyard of the 16 Eveleigh Creative Precinct in inner-city Redfern, where you can admire striking original artworks such as the Secret of their Merit mural by local Redfern artist Gemma O’Brien.

Time your visit to the Art Gallery of New South Wales around lunchtime to feast on seasonal and locally sourced produce at renowned Sydney chef Matt Moran’s gallery restaurant Crafted by Matt Moran. Rest up and refresh at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s rooftop café Graze MCA, which overlooks Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House, or on weekends, head to The Rocks Market just outside the museum to browse handmade artisanal wares and fill up on street fare from gourmet food trucks.

Soak up the buzz of the glass-walled communal dining room at Kiln, on the 18th floor of Ace Hotel Sydney in Surry Hills, as you share a dinner of small plates of wood-fired deliciousness by chef Mitch Orr. Or feast on a fusion of Australian and Southeast Asian flavours at Chin Chin, also in Surry Hills, where the converted warehouse space is a riot of graphic design touches and hosts works by an artist in residence.

Kick on at The ArtHouse Hotel, a bar and cocktail lounge housed within the 19th-century School of Arts on Pitt Street in the city centre, and sip classic cocktails while you marvel at the heritage-listed architecture.

Recharge in a design-led hotel

Make the most of your stay in Sydney by keeping close to the arts hubs surrounding the city centre. Get to know the unique personality of your room at the Paramount House Hotel in Surry Hills, which blends heritage details of the former Sydney headquarters of Paramount Picture Studios with modern comforts. Be sure to catch a flick at Golden Age Cinema right downstairs and explore the world of natural wine at Poly, also located within the Paramount House precinct.

Check in to Surry Hills’s Ace Hotel Sydney, which is housed in a former brick factory and hosts artist residencies and events with leading creative figures, or opt for a more sedate stay at nearby boutique hotel Crystalbrook Albion, where no two rooms are the same.

Feeling mesmerised by your experience at White Rabbit Gallery? You’re mere steps away from your room at The Old Clare Hotel in Chippendale. Go all out with the Showroom Suite, which features a vintage bar that’s been salvaged and restored from the former brewery building that once stood on the site of this boutique hotel and surrounding development.