The Best Performing Arts Venue in Sydney, New South Wales

Background Illustration for Performing Arts

Although Sydney's contemporary theater pays tribute to the giants of drama, it's also driven by distinctly Australian themes: multiculturalism, the troubled relations between Aboriginal and white Australia, and the search for national identity, characterized by the famous Australian irreverence. Dance, music, and the visual arts are celebrated with equal enthusiasm. At their best, Sydney's artists and performers bring a new slant to the arts, one that reflects the unique qualities of their homeland and the city itself. Standouts on the Sydney arts scene include the Sydney Dance Company, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Sydney Opera House, and Belvoir Street Theatre. The most comprehensive listing of upcoming events is in "The Shortlist" section of the Sydney Morning Herald, published on Friday. On other days, browse through the entertainment section of the paper.

Sculpture by the Sea

Bondi Beach Fodor's choice

A steel whale's tail sticking out of the ocean and retro kettles cunningly disguised as penguins strapped to a huge rock being lashed by waves are some of the imaginative artworks that have wowed visitors to the annual show called Sculpture by the Sea. Since 1996, artists have positioned more than 100 sculptures on and under rocky outcrops and on hilltops along the much-trodden Bondi-to-Bronte Coastal Walk. This free exhibition runs for two weeks beginning in late October.