Kids activities Sydney

Australia’s most popular arts event is back in action for 2026, with the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes bringing a fresh batch of painterly expressions to the walls of the Art Gallery of NSW from May 9 to August 16.  They call it “the face that stops the nation”, and the Archibald Prize has indeed been courting controversy and conversation for more than a century now. This popular portrait prize is always filled with famous faces, with artists from all over Australia (and also New Zealand) capturing the spirit of the times through paintings that capture the likeness of the personalities that define their communities. Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer is the winner of the Archibald Prize 2026 – he won over the judges with a stunning portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer) Iluwanti Ken. RECOMMENDED: A beginner's guide to the Archibald Prize. The winner of the 2026 Packing Room Prize was announced a week earlier, with the Packing Room Pickers (a.k.a. the Art Gallery staff who receive, unpack and hang the entries) selecting Sean Layh's striking painting of actor Jacob Collins as their favourite Archibald portrait this year.  Meanwhile, the Wynne Prize awarded the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figurative sculpture to Yolŋu artist Gaypalani Waṉambi, and the Sulman was awarded to Lucy Culliton for the best genre painting, subject painting or mural project.  The annual finalists exhibition is a real must-see,...

If you thought Sydney Fish Market was just about freshly shucked oysters and on-point fish and chips, think again. The new harbourside institution is upping its offering by diving headfirst into the arts, with the launch of Seascapes – a free program of live performances, workshops and installations taking over the market for the next few months. Curated by Daniel Mudie Cunningham alongside Cultural Capital and the NSW Government, this sprawling series features 14 commissions rolling out through to October 2026. The brief? Respond to everything that makes the Fish Market tick – from marine life and ecology to trade, food and the daily choreography of this bustling waterfront hub. Visitors can expect foghorn orchestras, oyster-shucker design labs, gyotaku (that’s traditional Japanese fish printing), inflatable maritime sculptures and ritual-inspired storytelling sessions. Highlights include Justine Youssef’s Heaven Scent (May 31), a sensory workshop where you’ll distil botanicals using a traditional Lebanese method and take home your own hydrosol (special infused water). On June 7, chef and printmaker Ben Devlin will turn seafood waste into art with a large-scale gyotaku installation – and yes, you can get inky yourself. Then there’s Mark Shorter’s Song for Avida (June 21), which will invite visitors to join a pop-up trumpet orchestra powered by foghorn-inspired instruments. Later in the program, Long Prawn’s oyster workshop (August 16) will blend design, sustainability and...

Greater Sydney Parklands knows a thing or two about inspiring mini biologists, palaeontologists, physicists and geologists. Back by popular demand, Science in the Swamp returns to Centennial Park, and Science in the Scrub is popping back up in Western Sydney Parklands this August for National Science Week 2026.  Festivities kick off on Sunday, August 16 at Centennial Park for Science in the Swamp. UNSW is back this year (at both events), hosting the mega SciFest Village featuring slime-making, psychology experiments, astronomy and more. Little ones can chat to real-life scientists, take on challenges and engage in STEM activities. Everyone’s favourite dinosaur, Ginger (the life-sized Australovenator) and baby dinos, plus live creatures will be back at both events for some wild meet and greets. Carry the excitement over to Western Sydney Parklands on Sunday, August 23 for Science in the Scrub where you can explore marine science with the Australian National Maritime Museum Ocean Lab, witness the magic of liquid nitrogen in a live science show and investigate insects on the Bug Hunt Citizen Science Project. You can even set foot into the Indigenous Science Village where medicinal plants, bush tucker and seaweed harvesting offer a hands-on journey through culture and science. We haven’t even covered the tip of the iceberg with what’s on. Check out the full programs for Science in the Swamp and Science in the Scrub this National Science Week here. Both events run from from...

If Bondi Markets were a person, they would a) be very healthy, and b) wearing two (organic) hats. Each weekend, Bondi Public School plays host to two different markets, with the Saturday edition bringing the Bondi Farmer's Market, and the Sunday bringing general marketware, fashion and vintage goods.  The Farmer's Market is an excellent way to kick off your weekend, with the old primary school playground playing host to a variety of lush local produce stalls, freshly fried fritters and brunchy delights a' plenty. There’s also doggy ‘parking’, live acoustic music and pop-up yoga classes on the lawn, with the festivities going until 5pm. In inclement weather the markets still go ahead, but often with reduced stalls. They also don’t open until 9am, so if you’re an early bird, pop across to the beach first for a walk or swim. Once you stock your fridge on Saturday, you can head back again on Sunday for the general fashion and market extravganza that kicks off from 10am to 4pm. Peruse the stalls for vintage finds, sustainable swimwear, delectable market eats and hidden treasures, all within close viewing distance of Sydney's most polarising beach.