Brisbane Arts Festival will invite visitors as Queensland’s most popular celebration of arts and culture takes over the city in spectacular fashion from 30 August to 21 September 2024. Find a place that suits you.”
From family-friendly extravaganzas to affordable events, from international superstars to hometown heroes, from brand new productions to returning favorites – it’s never been easier to find your holiday experience.
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Louise Bezzina launches her fifth program, including world premieres, Australian exclusives, Queensland premieres and Brisbane Spotlight, to a dazzling opening weekend Get started, guaranteed to unite, inspire and bring joy to the city.
The grand opening of the Brisbane Music Festival, the much-anticipated Australian exclusive, Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Showstrutting the catwalk at South Bank Plaza, merging fashion, music, pop culture, cabaret and art (30 August to 15 September).
Adding local flair to European luxury, Queensland Aboriginal artist Grace Lillian Lee will launch bespoke couture pieces developed in collaboration with the international fashion icon in this burlesque show.
Lee will host another world premiere, her first solo exhibition, Dream Weaver: Guardian of Grace (August 30-September 21), eight ethereal works on display at Brisbane’s Powerhouse.
Greeting the opening weekend of the Brisbane Music Festival in brisk style once again Riverfire Australian Retirement Trust (August 31), the city’s largest and most popular fireworks display is spectacular.
Simonne Burnett, chief member experience officer of the Australian Retirement Trust, said the fund was very proud to be the title partner of Brisbane Nights.
“The Australian Retirement Trust’s Riverfire aims to awaken Queensland’s capital and bring our communities together,” Burnett said. “We know thousands of our members enjoy joining the celebrations on the banks of the beautiful Brisbane River. Our members are the heart of the Australian Retirement Trust and we are proud to support an initiative focused on connecting, building culture and celebrating Brisbane. Activities in this great city.
More than half a million people are expected to join fans at Brisbane Broncos and Dolphins home games from vantage points along the Brisbane River and city center to watch free, accessible and family-friendly fireworks displays during the game. There will be a three-minute fireworks display.
Brisbane Music Festival to launch new playground in 2024 ANZ Festival Garden (August 30-September 21) All ages are welcome to Southbank’s riverside center for food, wine, art and live performance.
“ANZ is delighted to be able to offer an important part of the event experience – the ANZ Festival Gardens,” ANZ general manager of marketing Sian Chadwick said. “This creative and food hub is a fantastic venue for bringing many Queenslanders together. Venues. Queensland is booming and we are proud to partner with Brisbane Arts Festival to showcase the best art and culture from the state and around the world.
Also back with a fun and fresh new look art boat (August 30 to September 21), a one-of-a-kind Brisbane River tour, curated by Brisbane’s ultimate party mavens, Briefs FACTORY, featuring DJs, burlesque, cabaret, drag and circus Performance.
Described as a theater for Netflix fans, volcano (August 30-September 15) is an unprecedented hybrid event, featuring four 45-minute episodes with intermissions between each episode.
Brisbane Powerhouse combines theater and dance with a TV sci-fi thriller that audiences can binge-watch in Australia’s first production that blurs the lines between fact and fantasy.
The stage is set for the Brisbane Arts Festival to host an impressive array of world premiere works, including page-by-page adaptations Trent Dalton love story (September 10-29) at the QPAC Theater and Rachel Burke’s fancy long legs (September 12-22) at La Boite Theatre.
Queensland-based Dancenorth Australia also debuted a new work, illuminate the darkness (September 12-14), developed in collaboration with dancer and emerging choreographer Chris Dyke, who has Down syndrome, and is inspired by real-life hero Banksy, David Bowie and Freddie Mercury.
Big name, no blanket (September 20-21) A rock masterclass at QPAC Concert Hall to celebrate the Warumpi Band, the first Australian rock band to sing in an Aboriginal language.
This epic concert event continues the Brisbane Festival’s proud history of inviting Aboriginal storytellers and artists to create and perform works of cultural and creative significance.
This extends to Operation Ghul Era (11-14 September), a powerful female-centred celebration of Torres Strait Islander culture and a call to climate action at Brisbane Powerhouse.
Seven works premiering in Queensland at the Brisbane Festival include Eucalyptus – Opera House (September 4-5), a new opera based on Murray Bail’s Miles Franklin Award-winning novel Eucalyptus and Restless Dance Theatre private view (September 18-21), an original and illuminating exploration of sexuality and disability.
Brisbane Arts Festival has expanded its long tradition of free community programming in 2024, delivered in partnership with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Communities and the Arts.
Brisbane Serenadeproudly supported by Brisbane Festival community engagement partner Airbnb, brings free mini-festivals and curated music experiences to the Brisbane suburbs including mooruka block party (September 7), victoria park voice (September 8), Santa Lucia Serenade (September 14), port side serenade Brisbane North Shore (September 15) and Made by Pacific Islanders In Kurabi (September 21).
as Riverfire Australian Retirement Trust Lighting up the city on opening weekend, dazzling drone show, Skylore – Rainbow Serpent (September 19-21), ensuring all eyes are once again on the sky during the closing weekend.
More than 400 drones will animate exciting Aboriginal stories in a 3D color show, celebrating culture and place and building on the successes of 2023 Nirgu: Soul of the Whale.
Brisbane Music Festival will return from 30 August to 21 September 2024.
View the full program, subscribe for updates and purchase tickets: brisbanefestival.com.au.
