BLEACH Festival Returns with Biggest Program Yet
Gold Coast’s premier contemporary arts festival promises 11 days of world-class performances, music and immersive experiences.
The Gold Coast will once again become a vibrant hub of creativity this spring as BLEACH Festival 2026 returns with its biggest and most diverse program to date, featuring almost 50 events across 11 days from 1 to 11 October.
Produced by Experience Gold Coast, this year’s festival celebrates its 15th anniversary with more than 290 artists from the Gold Coast, across Australia and around the world presenting an exciting mix of theatre, dance, live music, visual arts, installations, circus and community experiences.
Based primarily at the Home of the Arts (HOTA), the festival will transform the precinct into what organisers describe as a “psychedelic cultural playground,” offering everything from free daytime activities to immersive night-time performances.
Experience Gold Coast’s Head of Arts and Culture, John Kotzas AM, said the festival had grown into one of Australia’s leading contemporary arts events.
“BLEACH Festival has championed the Gold Coast’s creative identity, growing from a bold local initiative into one of Australia’s leading contemporary arts festivals,” Mr Kotzas said.
“This year’s program honours that legacy while embracing an exciting new chapter inviting audiences to experience contemporary arts in unexpected ways through an inspiring celebration of art, music, performance and place.”
Dance takes centre stage throughout the festival, with several internationally acclaimed productions making their Queensland or Australian debuts.
Among the highlights is The Butterfly Who Flew Into the Rave, created by New Zealand choreographer Oli Matheson. Inspired by Berlin’s famous nightclub scene, the high-energy production condenses three days of rave culture into a one-hour dance spectacle before audiences are invited to continue the celebration at the free Club Peroxide.
Another standout is Cuddle, where choreographer Harrison Ritchie-Jones transforms the theatre into a wrestling ring, blending contemporary dance, martial arts, country boot scooting and innovative technology into an energetic theatrical performance.
Local First Nations company Karul will present Kuramanunya, a powerful solo performance by Thomas E.S. Kelly celebrating ancestral strength, resilience and culture.
Visual arts also feature prominently, with visitors able to experience large-scale interactive installations throughout HOTA.
Melissa Gilbert’s Hyper Temples transforms the gallery foyer into a playful, living environment, while Japanese sound artist ASUNA presents the remarkable 100 Keyboards, using one hundred toy keyboards to create an unforgettable soundscape.
Naina Sen’s immersive multi-screen installation Shundori explores concepts of South Asian feminine beauty, while Gold Coast filmmaker Sarah Huston celebrates the history of women’s skateboarding through new film works and live discussions.
Families will also find plenty to enjoy, including two free First Nations circus performances. Ocker by Na Djinang Circus will roam throughout the HOTA precinct, while How the Birds Got Their Colours combines circus, dance and Indigenous storytelling in a colourful outdoor production.
Acclaimed circus company Gravity and Other Myths brings its internationally celebrated production A Simple Space to Queensland for the first time, showcasing extraordinary acrobatic skill alongside live percussion.
Music lovers can enjoy a dedicated free live music stage featuring performances by Tijuana Cartel, Blind Corners, Laurel Hill, Ella Fence, Karl S Williams and Super Massive, while the BLEACH Festival Choir performs sunset concerts throughout the festival.
Artistic Director Felix Preval said the 2026 program encourages audiences to discover new artistic experiences while exploring the Gold Coast in fresh ways.
“BLEACH Festival embraces the new season, offering audiences a fresh way to experience the Gold Coast through art, performance and shared moments of discovery,” Mr Preval said.
The festival concludes with High Tide, a spectacular waterfront finale featuring live music, illuminated performances, jet pack displays above HOTA Lake and one hundred giant jellyfish puppets floating through the parklands before a family-friendly rave closes the celebrations.
The 2026 program also builds on previously announced headline events, including THAW by Legs on the Wall, concerts by Lady Blackbird and Six60, new theatre from The Farm, and a major immersive installation by internationally renowned designer Morag Myerscough.
Only a short drive from the Northern Rivers, BLEACH Festival continues to strengthen the cultural connection between northern New South Wales and South East Queensland, offering residents another outstanding spring arts destination.
BLEACH Festival runs from 1–11 October 2026, with a combination of free and ticketed events across the HOTA precinct.
