Big ideas to boost Sydney’s entertainment scene have been shortlisted for Sydney Big Ideas, presented at the 2026 Sydney Summit. 

Now in its sixth year, the agenda-setting Sydney Summit is presented by the Committee for Sydney at ICC Sydney on February 6, in partnership with BDO, Built, Hassell, ALTRAC Light Rail, Maddocks, Ipsos and Lendlease. 

Following a public call-out for submissions, 16 bold ideas have been shortlisted with a final three set to pitch their ideas to the Sydney Summit’s audience of technical experts, city leaders and decision makers.  

The four ideas shortlisted to make Sydney a more vibrant place to play are:  

• Sydney’s first dedicated esport venue  

• Sensory map of Sydney  

• Stadium in Castle Hill  

• Gig passes for young people 

Matt Levinson, Culture Policy Lead at the Committee for Sydney, said: “As our city flexes and grows, we’ve got to do more than just deliver homes, we have to make sure communities have access to the things that make life great and bring us together.”  

“That’s what’s brilliant about these four great ideas for getting us out of the house – from bringing young people back to live music and getting rid of the obstacles neurodivergent people face, to investing in two major destination venues. Big, bold and eminently achievable.”  

Sydney’s first dedicated Esports venue – Scott Langdon 

Esport is a global phenomenon, with player numbers jumping each year and marketing revenues projected to generate AU$8.8 billion globally by 2029. 

Despite this growth, Australia doesn’t have a dedicated space capable of holding thousands of fans – preventing us from attracting major esport events, investment or talent.

Sydney has an opportunity to become Australasia’s centre for esport, hosting major events to deliver significant tourism, sponsorship and broadcast opportunities.  

Scott Langdon, Managing Partner at KordaMentha, said: “Creating a world-class gaming hub in our backyard would make Sydney the Australasia leader in competitive gaming.” 

“Our vision is simple: PlayPort is a stadium and innovation hub dedicated to esports, within an existing venue. 

“The hub would host a premium, circuit-style calendar to lock in recurring international events, delivering an up to AU$40 million boost to the economy for each major tournament hosted. 

“The benefits of a dedicated esport venue are huge. From obvious ones like direct visitor spend across accommodation, hospitality, transport and retail, to bolstering the city’s innovations agenda by clustering game design, broadcast tech, AI, immersive media and creator industries in one precinct.” 

Mapping the city for every mind – Dr Fatemeh Aminpour 

Our city has been designed and built for neurotypical people, even though around one million Sydneysiders are neurodivergent – identifying with a diverse range of conditions from ADHD and autism to schizophrenia.  

These conditions shape the way people experience and interact with their environments, but the design of our public spaces rarely reflect their needs, with noise, visual clutter, unpredictable movement, crowds and poor sensory conditions pushing many to avoid the very places meant to bring people together. 

Dr Fatemeh Aminpour, Research Fellow at UNSW City Futures Research Centre, said: “This is not a niche accessibility issue. It affects access to education and employment, mobility, social participation and mental health, and it disproportionately impacts people already experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage.”  

“While awareness of neurodiversity is growing, urban planning and design remain one of the last frontiers of inclusion. 

“A crowdsourced sensory map that puts the lived experiences of neurodivergent people at the centre could transform how the city is designed and retrofitted – making the invisible barriers of city life visible, measurable and actionable. 

“Neurodivergent residents and allies would be invited to flag sensory stressors (noise, glare, smells, crowding) and highlight safe havens (quiet, green, legible spaces). 

“It’s a bold departure from traditional planning. By turning everyday moments of discomfort and relief into mapped data points, we can reimagine Sydney as a city designed with empathy at its core.” 

One million people, zero stadiums: Levelling the playing field in Sydney’s northwest – Michelle Byrne 

Sydney’s northwest stands as one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, already home to more than 600,000 people – bigger than the populations of Canberra or Tasmania – and, by 2050, the Hills Shire, Blacktown and the Hawkesbury are projected to be home to a million residents.  

Despite this scale, the region has seen relatively little investment in big ticket cultural, sporting and social infrastructure. Residents frequently travel long distances for major events, and the lack of a major civic anchor limits economic and cultural activity close to home.  

Strategic planning for a future stadium and major event venue at Castle Hill Showground would transform the area into the cultural and sporting heart of Sydney’s northwest. 

Michelle Byrne, Mayor of The Hills Shire Council, said: “Sydney’s northwest is experiencing rapid growth, with hundreds of thousands of new residents expected to move in over the coming years. Yet, this thriving region still lacks the world-class sporting and cultural facilities enjoyed by other parts of Sydney.” 

“Families in the northwest are forced to travel long distances to attend events, concerts, or sporting matches, making it difficult to enjoy the experiences that many Sydneysiders take for granted. 

“A region of this size should be more than a dormitory suburb; it deserves its own cultural and sporting venue – one that creates jobs, boosts the local economy, and enhances liveability for all residents. 

“Castle Hill Showground is the ideal location for a future stadium – centrally located, easily accessible via Metro, and already proven as a successful venue for major events in the growing northwest region. 

“This is a bold, long-term vision for our community. Now, we need a government partner to join us at the table so we can begin planning and turn this vision into a reality.” 

MyGigPass: Unlocking live music for Sydney’s next generation – Beau Neilson 

Australians love live music, and two thirds of young people aged 16-25 say it matters to them, yet they’re being priced out with three-in-five naming cost as a significant barrier to attend events. At the same time, the grassroots venues where emerging artists build their careers are under pressure, with NSW losing almost one in three live music venues since 2020. 

The result: young people are more likely to see international touring acts than local artists.  

Without young audiences coming through the door, smaller venues struggle to survive, local artists play to half-empty rooms, and a generation misses out on formative live music experiences.  

Creating a platform for young people to access live music gigs easier, safer and cheaper is the way to unlocking Sydney’s music scene for the next generation.   

Beau Neilson, Owner and Operator of The Vanguard, said: “Small to medium venues nurture emerging artists and are essential to Sydney’s creative identity. When young audiences can’t get through the door, that foundation crumbles and we lose the pipeline that feeds our entire music culture.”   

“MyGigPass is a venue-led response to connect 18–25-year-olds with affordable live music across Sydney and NSW. Participating venues work together to promote each other’s shows and offer youth-accessible pricing including free entry, two-for-one deals or custom offers.  

“Venues can’t solve this alone. By working together, we can rebuild the audience that sustains local music. Every young person who discovers live music through MyGigPass is a future regular, a future fan, a future part of the scene.  

“The model makes it easy for young people to see live music and connect with culture and community. Venues grow fresh audiences and artists play to fuller rooms. Young people form the memories that will shape their lives.” 

Notes for editors

About the Sydney Summit 

The Sydney Summit is the Committee for Sydney’s annual half-day leadership conference, bringing together bold leaders, thinkers, politicians and researchers to discuss the critical questions facing our city. Running every year since 2021, the theme of the 2026 Sydney Summit is ‘The Bold City’: Turning bold ideas and ambitious vision into practical action for Sydney’s future. More information at: https://sydney.org.au/sydneysummit  
 
About the Committee for Sydney 

The Committee for Sydney is an independent urban policy think tank working to make Sydney the best city in the world, for all. We are advocates for the whole of Greater Sydney, and its broader national impact, researching and developing solutions to the most important problems we face. More information at: https://sydney.org.au