Brisbane will host more than 700 performances this September as Brisbane Festival returns with a program that stretches across the city, featuring international acts, Australian artists and a strong focus on Queensland talent.
Running from 4 to 26 September, the 2026 festival will present 11 world premieres and involve more than 2,600 artists. Organisers say the event will place greater emphasis on morning activities this year, adding early-day programming alongside its established evening offerings.
The festival’s line-up includes dance parties, yoga sessions, Morning Mantra performances with Queensland chamber orchestra Camerata, and puppet workshops led by Dead Puppet Society. More than 50 Queensland arts organisations are taking part, reflecting the event’s continued focus on local creative industries.
Among the productions announced is No-One Gets Out of Here Alive by Gold Coast company The Farm, which will be staged at the Thomas Dixon Centre. Another featured work, Strong is the New Pretty, combines theatre and sport in a production designed to explore stories of resilience and achievement.
Community events remain a major part of the festival, with free celebrations planned in suburbs across Brisbane. These include the Moorooka and St Lucia Block Parties, Manly Serenades, Pasifika Made and activities through the Neighbourhood Centre Program.
Festival organisers have also expanded access through a large number of free and low-cost events. Of the more than 700 performances on offer, 420 will be free or low-cost, a move aimed at broadening participation and attracting audiences from across the community.
Education and Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the festival would highlight Queensland’s creative sector while providing opportunities for local artists and audiences.
“This spring Brisbane will come to life with an exciting program that features 700 performances and over 2,600 artists,” he said.
He said the festival brought Queensland artists together with national and international creatives and helped make arts experiences more accessible through its free event program.
Tourism and Environment Minister Andrew Powell said Brisbane Festival continued to play an important role in the state’s events calendar and contributed to the economy through visitor spending and support for local businesses.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said performances would take place in venues and public spaces across Brisbane, creating opportunities for residents and visitors to experience the city in different ways.
Artistic Director Ebony Bott said the 2026 program had been shaped around Brisbane’s outdoor lifestyle and daily rhythm, with activities planned from morning through to late evening.
“It is a festival shaped on Brisbane energy, outdoor life and sense of momentum and possibility, bringing extraordinary artists from Queensland, across Australia and around the world into theatres, parks, riverbanks and the Festival Village at South Bank,” she said.
Brisbane Festival has become one of Australia’s largest arts events, drawing large audiences each year and providing a platform for local and visiting performers. Organisers are expecting strong attendance again in 2026 as the city continues preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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