I took my six-year-old to David Hockney: Bigger & Closer. We both loved it.
On Sunday 25 October I took my daughter to Bigger & Closer at Carriageworks. She absolutely loved it, and so did I. Here is what the experience is like and what to check before you book.
A Sunday visit with my daughter
I took my six-year-old daughter to David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) at Carriageworks on Sunday 25 October. She absolutely loved it. So did I. I highly recommend the experience, especially if you want an art outing you can share with a child.
This is a large projected presentation of Hockney's work in Bay 17. Images spread across the walls and floor while Hockney narrates and Nico Muhly's music plays. The scale is the point: you can take in one image, look across the room and find something else happening around you.
Our photographs show how much the room changes, from a vivid green scene to a wall of smaller images. The photos give a sense of the space, but seeing the projections move at full size is the reason to go.
What the experience covers
The production follows roughly sixty years of Hockney's practice, drawing on painting, photography, stage design and digital work. His own voice connects the images. The works appear through projection and sound; original canvases are not displayed.
Our photos capture a vivid green woodland and a moment when LOVE LIFE fills a yellow wall. There are places to sit, and Carriageworks says visitors can move around to see the work from different angles.
Going with children
Our six-year-old loved it. Carriageworks says there is no minimum age, and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Babies in arms under four enter free; for older children, check the ticket calendar for the price of your chosen session.
Book a timed entry and arrive about ten minutes early. Carriageworks says the main presentation lasts about 50 minutes and most visitors spend 60 to 80 minutes in the space. Prams cannot go inside; limited unsupervised pram parking is available. Photography without flash is permitted. The organiser also notes one instance of painted nudity.
Dates, tickets and getting there
Bigger & Closer runs from 22 October 2026 to 24 January 2027 at Bay 17, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh. Entry is by timed ticket. General admission starts at $39.90, with a $5 booking fee per transaction. One ticket at the starting price therefore totals $44.90. The VIP Anytime Pass is $64.90 before the booking fee. Prices and available sessions vary by date.
Carriageworks currently lists sessions on most Mondays to Thursdays from 10am to 5pm, Fridays from 10am to 7.30pm, Saturdays from 9am to 7.30pm and Sundays from 9am to 4pm. Christmas Day is closed. These are exhibition session hours, not the building's general opening hours. Check the dated schedule and ticket calendar before travelling.
The venue is about an eight-minute walk from Redfern Station. Carriageworks says there is no general onsite parking. Its accessibility information covers step-free entry, Companion Card tickets and the quieter relaxed session on Wednesday 18 November at 10am.
Sources & checking
Dan d'Auvergne visited and photographed the exhibition on Sunday 25 October 2026. Visitor details were checked on 30 October against the Carriageworks pages below. Session times, prices and access arrangements can change; confirm your chosen date before booking.
- Carriageworks: exhibition, dates and admission
- Carriageworks: dated opening hours
- Carriageworks: exhibition FAQs
- Carriageworks: visiting and transport
- Broadsheet: Sydney event coverage
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