Ebony Bott Unveils Inaugural Brisbane Festival Program for 2026

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The festival's 'Switch On, Light Up, Come Alive' program will feature a world premiere by Suzie Miller.

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Brisbane Festival has unveiled its 2026 program, marking the inaugural season from new Artistic Director Ebony Bott. Running September 4-26, the festival will transform Brisbane's streets, riverbanks, theaters, and public spaces with more than 700 performances involving over 2,000 artists and arts workers.

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Presented under the theme "Switch On, Light Up, Come Alive," the festival will feature world premieres, international productions, free community events, live music, circus, dance, theater, and large-scale public installations throughout the city.

Among the headline attractions is the world premiere of Strong is the New Pretty, a new play by acclaimed playwright Suzie Miller that tells the story behind the creation of the AFLW. The production is a co-production between Brisbane Festival, Sydney Theatre Company , and Trish Wadley Productions .

International highlights include ESCAPE from Los Angeles-based company DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion, combining dance, acrobatics, circus arts, and large-scale moving structures, and Scorched Earth, Luke Murphy 's acclaimed work that recently premiered at New York's St. Ann's Warehouse.

The Festival Village at South Bank will serve as the hub of the event, featuring the return of the Magic Mirrors Spiegeltent and productions including The Choir of Man, The Listies' This Show is a Joke, and Are You Lonesome Tonight. The precinct will also host workshops, talks, wellness programming, live music, and the interactive installation Giant Sing Along.

Each evening, the Brisbane River will come alive with Bright Nights by ANZ, a free nightly spectacle featuring fountains, lasers, waterscreens, and an original soundtrack by The Veronicas.

The festival's opening weekend will once again feature Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust on September 5, bringing fireworks displays and a Royal Australian Air Force flyover to the city skyline.

Other theater and performance highlights include New York puppetry company Wakka Wakka's Dead as Dodo, The Farm's No One Gets Out of Here Alive, the Australian premiere of Fijian Flying Circus, Virginia Gay's roller derby-inspired Mama Does Derby, Koreaboo, LEGENDS (of the Golden Arches), and Bleachers from Sprung Dance Theatre.

The festival will also spotlight four productions from Aotearoa New Zealand, including Tiri: Te Araroa Woman Far Walking, Shel We, Betsy Balloon and the Very Great Terrible Flood, and Werewolf.

Music programming includes the return of Night at the Parkland, featuring performances from Aloe Blacc , Human Nature, Icehouse, The Temper Trap, The Cruel Sea, Magic Dirt, Missy Higgins, PNAU, and Katie Noonan performing Jeff Buckley's Grace in full.

Community-focused events include Brisbane Serenades, the Moorooka Block Party, the Quandamooka Festival, the Common People Dance Eisteddfod, Community Choir: The Musical, and the return of the Alexander Ball, celebrating Brisbane's ballroom community.

Brisbane Festival runs September 4-26, 2026. Tickets go on sale June 9.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/brisbane/article/Brisbane-Festival-to-Launch-2026-Program-Under-New-Artistic-Director-Ebony-Bott-20260608)._