diff --git a/assets/vega_lite/main.js b/assets/vega_lite/main.js
index 8576047..6f3449a 100644
--- a/assets/vega_lite/main.js
+++ b/assets/vega_lite/main.js
@@ -120,15 +120,17 @@ export function init(ctx, data) {
     "https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Inter:wght@400;500&display=swap"
   );
 
-  const { spec, datasets } = data;
+  const { spec, datasets, config } = data;
 
   if (!spec.data) {
     spec.data = { values: [] };
   }
 
+  let theme = config.theme === "livebook" ? livebookTheme : {};
+
   const options = {
     actions: { export: true, source: false, compiled: false, editor: false },
-    config: livebookTheme,
+    config: theme,
   };
 
   vegaEmbed(ctx.root, spec, options)
diff --git a/lib/kino/vega_lite.ex b/lib/kino/vega_lite.ex
index 7d049bf..28ab569 100644
--- a/lib/kino/vega_lite.ex
+++ b/lib/kino/vega_lite.ex
@@ -40,7 +40,8 @@ defmodule Kino.VegaLite do
   def static(vl) when is_struct(vl, VegaLite) do
     data = %{
       spec: VegaLite.to_spec(vl),
-      datasets: []
+      datasets: [],
+      config: config()
     }
 
     Kino.JS.new(__MODULE__, data,
@@ -51,6 +52,27 @@ defmodule Kino.VegaLite do
     )
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Applies global configuration options for the VegaLite kinos.
+
+  ## Options
+
+    * `:theme` - the theme to be applied on the rendered VegaLite
+      charts. Currently the only supported theme is `:livebook`. If
+      set to `nil`, no theme is applied. Defaults to `:livebook`.
+  """
+  @spec configure(keyword()) :: :ok
+  def configure(opts) do
+    opts = Keyword.validate!(opts, theme: :livebook)
+
+    unless opts[:theme] in [nil, :livebook] do
+      raise ArgumentError,
+            "expected :theme to be either :livebook or nil, got: #{inspect(opts[:theme])}"
+    end
+
+    Application.put_all_env(kino_vega_lite: opts)
+  end
+
   @doc """
   Renders and returns a new kino with the given VegaLite definition.
 
@@ -164,7 +186,7 @@ defmodule Kino.VegaLite do
 
   @impl true
   def init(vl, ctx) do
-    {:ok, assign(ctx, vl: vl, datasets: %{})}
+    {:ok, assign(ctx, vl: vl, datasets: %{}, config: config())}
   end
 
   @compile {:no_warn_undefined, {VegaLite, :to_spec, 1}}
@@ -173,7 +195,8 @@ defmodule Kino.VegaLite do
   def handle_connect(ctx) do
     data = %{
       spec: VegaLite.to_spec(ctx.assigns.vl),
-      datasets: for({dataset, data} <- ctx.assigns.datasets, do: [dataset, data])
+      datasets: for({dataset, data} <- ctx.assigns.datasets, do: [dataset, data]),
+      config: ctx.assigns.config
     }
 
     {:ok, data, ctx}
@@ -231,4 +254,12 @@ defmodule Kino.VegaLite do
         :ok
     end
   end
+
+  defp config do
+    default_config = [theme: :livebook]
+
+    default_config
+    |> Keyword.merge(Application.get_all_env(:kino_vega_lite))
+    |> Map.new()
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/kino/vega_lite_test.exs b/test/kino/vega_lite_test.exs
index 6719c0c..62da2bf 100644
--- a/test/kino/vega_lite_test.exs
+++ b/test/kino/vega_lite_test.exs
@@ -93,6 +93,27 @@ defmodule Kino.VegaLiteTest do
     assert_broadcast_event(kino, "push", %{data: [], dataset: nil, window: 0})
   end
 
+  test "configure/2" do
+    # with invalid theme
+    assert_raise ArgumentError,
+                 "expected :theme to be either :livebook or nil, got: :invalid",
+                 fn -> Kino.VegaLite.configure(theme: :invalid) end
+
+    # with default theme
+    kino = start_kino()
+
+    data = connect(kino)
+    assert %{config: %{theme: :livebook}} = data
+
+    # with empty theme
+    Kino.VegaLite.configure(theme: nil)
+
+    kino = start_kino()
+
+    data = connect(kino)
+    assert %{config: %{theme: nil}} = data
+  end
+
   defp start_kino() do
     Vl.new()
     |> Vl.mark(:point)