Brisbane Festival Reveals Huge 2026 Program Under New Artistic Director

Brisbane Festival has revealed its 2026 program, marking the first edition curated by newly appointed Artistic Director Ebony Bott and setting the stage for a three-week celebration of arts, music, theatre and community across the Queensland capital.

Running from September 4th-26th, the festival will operate under the theme ‘Switch On, Light Up, Come Alive’, with more than 700 performances involving over 2,000 artists and arts workers across the city.

Bott's debut program places a strong emphasis on activating Brisbane from sunrise through to late night, with events spanning theatres, parks, riverbanks, and public spaces.

“This year, Brisbane Festival is tuned to the frequency of this city - from first light through to after dark,” Bott said. “It is a festival shaped by Brisbane’s 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, South Bank.”

Among the major drawcards is the return of Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust on September 5th, with the annual fireworks spectacular once again set to light up Brisbane's skyline.

At the heart of the festival sits the newly expanded Festival Village at South Bank, which will host a mix of free and ticketed programming. The much-loved Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent returns for the first time in several years, hosting productions including The Choir of Man, This Show is a Joke and Are You Lonesome Tonight.

Music will play a major role throughout the program, with Roma Street Parkland once again transformed into an open-air concert venue for Night at the Parkland.

This year's concert series will feature performances from Aloe Blacc, Human Nature, Icehouse, The Temper Trap, The Cruel Sea, Magic Dirt, Missy Higgins, PNAU, and Katie Noonan, who will perform Jeff Buckley's Grace in full.

Elsewhere, the festival will host the world premiere of acclaimed playwright Suzie Miller's Strong is the New Pretty, which tells the story behind the creation of the AFLW, alongside international productions including DIAVOLO's ESCAPE and Luke Murphy's Scorched Earth.

The program also features a number of interactive and community-focused events, including the return of Brisbane Serenades, the Common People Dance Eisteddfod, Community Choir: The Musical, and the Quandamooka Festival.

Queensland Minister for Education and the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said the festival would once again showcase the state's creative sector on a major stage.

“Brisbane Festival 2026 will see the city come alive with an exciting program that showcases the extraordinary talent of Queensland artists alongside national and international creatives,” he said.

Tickets for Brisbane Festival 2026 are on sale now here. For the full program, see here.