Barangaroo is thrilled to be partnering with Sydney Festival again in 2026 to host Vigil: Belong and Held.

Held is a new series of major sculptural works honouring earth and fire, sky and sea Country stretch across Stargazer’s Lawn for the duration of the Festival, welcoming all who gather. Designed by Yuwaalaraay Wirringgaa woman Lucy Simpson, these unique vessels hold space for a powerful message carried by winds and waterways.

This year, Vigil: Belong will present rising smoke, song and ceremony at sunset. Amongst the sculptures of Lucy Simpson, Uncle Matthew Doyle will kindle fire and smoke, and Nardi Simpson will lead a joyous community chorus with songs spanning generations. Vigil: Belong is a night of Blak song and ceremony, closing the Festival in a collective act of honouring.

Today, Aboriginal contemporary culture is celebrated at Barangaroo through tours, artworks, events and commemorations, many of which take place in the stunning natural surrounds of the Barangaroo Reserve. A spectacular, six-hectare headland featuring over 75,000 native plants created from one of the city’s oldest industrial sites.

The tranquility of Barangaroo Reserve is complemented by Barangaroo South - the dynamic commercial and residential hub of the precinct. It features outstanding architecture, 90 world-class dining, retail and commercial spaces combined with premium waterfront public open spaces. All of which have been developed with sustainability principals at the core, making it the only certified carbon neutral precinct in Australia.