The dynamic and vibrant Sydney Contemporary is Australasia’s premier art fair. That’s especially evident this year, with 85-plus galleries presenting works by more than 400 artists from September 5 to 8 at Carriageworks.

The four-day event is not only a chance to purchase and experience exciting new art, it’s also packed with large-scale installations, live performances, talks, workshops, food and drink pop-ups, and more. You can get tickets for specific nights and days, or a multi-day pass that includes special events like Art Night, Friday Night and the exclusive Collector Preview, where you get to see the art before the fair opens to the public. There’s even a family-friendly space in Kid Contemporary.

There’s a lot to take in, so we’ve done the legwork and highlighted the must-do facets of this year’s program. And don’t forget: you can attend the art fair on multiple days as well as evening sessions, so there’s no need to rush through this ambitious cross-section of the best in contemporary art.

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Art Night

Opening night at Sydney Contemporary means Art Night, a grand welcome event from 5.30pm to 9pm on Thursday September 5. Australian multidisciplinary artist HOSSEI, who has Persian, Turkish and Russian ancestry, will present his major work ESSSENSSSE, featuring 10 costumed performers and an elaborate installation, twice during the evening. Inspired by a colourful aquatic ecosystem, it draws on themes of purity and vulnerability. Later in the evening, DJ Charlie Villas will tap into the liberating legacy of New York City’s club scene. All the while, you’ll be free to browse (and buy) hundreds of artworks, and grab dinner and drinks from a range of pop-up bars and restaurants.

Friday Night

The fair stays open for a special celebration from 4pm to 8pm on Friday Night. It’s another chance to explore the culinary offerings and artistic marketplace, especially if you can’t make it to Art Night. Sydney harpist Jake Meadows – a past collaborator of Silverchair’s Daniel Johns – will premiere his new album, Archetypes, augmenting his signature instrument with immersive electronics. Then, veteran Australian jazz outfit Mike Nock Trio will play two 45-minute sets, setting Nock’s celebrated piano improvisations against double bassist Jonathan Zwartz and drummer Hamish Stuart.

Works on Paper

If you don’t immediately think of zines as proper art, their inclusion in Works on Paper may just change your mind. This sector of the fair is dedicated to paper-based expression, from DIY zine-making all the way through to drawing, printmaking, watercolours, photography and more. Works will be on display from no fewer than 26 galleries, with standout artists including Patricia Piccinini, Solomon Kammer, Tom Polo and the great Anmatyerre artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye. You’ll likely walk away with renewed respect for the possibilities of paper as a medium.

Talk Contemporary

The talks program stretches across all four days of the fair. Curated by Sydney Opera House contemporary art curator Micheal Do and Stephen Todd, head of publishing at Powerhouse, the slate includes artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele – who recently made international headlines by creating the fake Picassos hanging in Mona’s women’s toilets – in conversation with furniture designer and advocate Pippa Dickson. There are also panels on the social history of fashion, art collecting and its economic implications, recent innovations in industrial design, and more – even a live version of the Sydney Morning Herald’s beloved Good Weekend quiz, with an art theme. These discussions will be practical, too, with some of Australian art’s most promising voices sharing advice on their specialty subjects.

Installation Contemporary

Curated by Artspace’s senior curator, Talia Linz, this sector is home to large-scale works from artists like Darren Sylvester, Rebecca Baumann, Cybele Cox and Mai Nguyen-Long. Expect 11 interactive installations that play with Carriageworks’ architecture, including Stephen Bird’s quirky ceramic plates; a life-sized avatar by subversive young artist Yeo Kaa; Lu Yang’s film, DOKU The Flow, a reincarnation of the artist in the digital realm; and text-based works from artist and activist David McDiarmid’s famed Rainbow Aphorisms.

Broadsheet is a proud media partner of Sydney Contemporary. Book your tickets now.