Running until 1 March, Perth Festival 2026 bursts to life with a bold, immersive opening weekend that celebrates art, time and place in all their rich and surprising forms.
From an eclectic music line-up lighting up the returning East Perth Power Station, to the gripping theatrics of LACRIMA at the State Theatre Centre, and powerful First Nations voices shining through a new Boorloo Contemporary program, the city becomes the stage.
Across the opening weekend Perth is taken over, with iconic spaces transformed to surprise, provoke and delight. With 13 Perth Festival commissions, an incredible 28 world premieres and a further seven Australian premieres over 23 days, it will showcase art from 413 West Australian and 144 international artists.
Hosting 117 events, a third of which are free to experience, Artistic Director Anna Reece believes there is something in the Festival for everyone.
“When festival season arrives in Perth each summer you can feel the temperature of the city shift. Perth Festival doesn’t sit still. It spills across the city into halls, river edges, bridges, galleries, museums, power stations, theatres, bush settings and more, turning Perth itself into the stage,” said Reece.
“Across February we get to tell the world exactly who we are and perhaps who we want to be. We are a city on the edge. A city of possibility. Our program for 2026 brings arts and culture from around the world together with brilliant WA artists, giving our city a spark and a pulse. Perth Festival is for everybody.”
Launching online today (Friday) and rolling out throughout February, British artist Joe Bloom’s digital project A View From A Bridge brings his acclaimed conversations from the UK to the streets of Perth.
Filmed during Bloom’s visit to Western Australia in January, the series will be released online from tomorrow on Bloom’s Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, amplifying the voices of everyday Perth people.
In an era shaped by constant distraction and fast-paced social media, A View From A Bridge invites moments of connection, reflection and courage – expect ten stories to be released throughout the Festival.
A rich and daring season of theatre unfolds across the city this month, showcasing bold artistry and unforgettable live experiences, sometimes in unexpected spaces. Thrilling audiences from tomorrow at the State Theatre Centre is the French theatrical epic LACRIMA from director Caroline Guiela Nguyen, before the iconic dancers of Chunky Move arrive with their futuristic cinematic battle U>N>I>T>E>D.
Contemporary thriller meets operatic fever dream in the Australian premiere of Philip Glass’ The Trial, with the action unfolding in a chilling maze of a forgotten office space in Forrest Chase.
Across town at Subiaco Arts Centre the inventive docu-drama POV will crackle with wit and energy, and the cross genre world premiere of Dragon I blends fantasy and technology in a most unique storytelling adventure.
Explore more drama, theatrics and inventive productions across the program with tickets still available for Haribo Kimchi, Scenes from the Climate Era, Songs of the Bulbul and Lé Nor [the rain].
The hugely successful revival of the iconic East Perth Power Station is open again from tomorrow with an incredible line-up of local and international artists and events. UK electronic visionary Max Cooper’s sold-out show kicks off the music program on the Main Stage, while on Saturday evening discover Perth’s iconic underground club music SYBER: 013 as they takeover with baile funk, Jersey club tracks, trap, hip hop and more.
Expect the dancefloor of Casa Musica to come alive as families, friends and festival goers settle in for free live music every Thursday to Sunday. Opening the river-side stage tomorrow evening is the Gold Coast’s trailblazing Indigenous-led alt-rock band Selve, with ARIA-nominated Ngaiire bringing a bold, stripped-back performance with her three-piece band on Saturday. Explore the incredible line-up of musicians online.
Returning for another year is Boorloo Contemporary – bringing the Power Station to life with entirely new awe inspiring projections commissioned from iconic Bibbulmun Noongar/Budimia Yamatji artist Lance Chadd Tjyllyungoo, lighting up the building’s facade from 7.45pm until late.
Be amazed by the theatrics alongside a series of subversive pennant flags created by Wadawurrung artist Kait James adorning the industrial site. With a mix of music, late-night energy and insta-worthy visuals, this experience will become the ultimate venue for hot summer nights in February.
For 2026, the Power Station welcomes Australian rock royalty supergroup Bleak Squad; the unmistakable chilled grooves of Britain’s Morcheeba in a sold out performance; genre blending UK rock band Black Country, New Road; and multi award-winning superstar Baker Boy alongside Haisla Nation rappers Snotty Nose Rez Kids;
The Power Station will also feature the electrifying indie pop of one of Britain’s most exciting singer songwriters Nilüfer Yanya; Yolŋu surf rockers King Stingray; and Sudan Archives, who fuses R&B, hip hop, electronica and strings into a sound that defies labels, closing the Main Stage with her acclaimed boundary breaking album.
Perth Symphony Orchestra will also host special guest vocalists Meow Meow, Abbe May, Noah Dillon, Katy Steele and Rachael Dease for a one-night-only spectacular performance in Rebel Rebel, celebrating the music of David Bowie.
Illuminating the skies once again in 2026 is the powerful Karla Bidi, inspired by the Noongar tradition of lighting fires to greet and guide visitors. From the hills in Mandoon/Guildford to the sea in Walyalup/Fremantle, this captivating experience features a brand-new soundscape of song and story, transforming the Derbarl Yerrigan/Swan River into a stunning pathway of beacons. The activations start from 7.30pm and run until 10.30pm.
Step outside the traditional and discover new cultural immersions at The BhuMeJha Project, hosted in The Art Sanctuary in the Perth Hills. Share a meal and conversations in an evening of ceremony, song, ritual and dance as performances from Indian, Malaysian and Noongar artists converge.
Then taking to the streets of the Perth CBD are two incredible walk-through experiences in the booster protocol – a provocative roleplay adventure from the pvi collective – and Let Me In, Let Me Out from Hugo Flavelle, a multidisciplinary artist who integrates his personal experiences of inequality into creative performance art.
Blending contemporary artistry with historic surroundings, The Embassy once again transforms the Perth Town Hall into a home for cabaret, jazz and blues. Highlights at the iconic venue include Ali Bodycoat and The Embassy Big Band for four unforgettable nights; and Somi blending the soul of East African folk with the improvisational spirit of New York jazz.
Drag diva Le Gateau Chocolat presenting a unique performance of Raw Cacao; Annahstasia brings a compelling set of contemporary folk and blues; whilst musical theatre sensation Marney McQueen will serve up a night of Broadway classics and pop hits. Performances from Promises & Wild Beasts and bluesman C.W Stoneking are already sold-out, making The Embassy the hottest ticket in town.
Within the soaring beauty of St Mary’s Cathedral in East Perth, Perth Festival creates a new home for fine music in 2026 with the Sanctum Series, where melodies, architecture and atmosphere collide. The incredible line-up includes Grammy Award–winning vocal innovators Roomful of Teeth; popular Irish fiddle master Martin Hayes; WASO musicians led by Riley Skevington in Echoes Through Time; an internationally acclaimed trio featuring Tommaso Lonquich, Umberto Clerici and Claudio Martínez Mehner; and Swedish vocal quartet Åkervinda, closing the series with radiant reimaginings of Nordic song.
See Boorloo Bridge in a whole new light as it’s brought to life with a new animated light work by Wandandi Noongar artist Tyrown Waigana, guided by the knowledge of Noongar cultural leaders Richard Walley and Herbie Bropho. Kwop Ben (meaning ‘Good Light’) transforms one of Perth’s newest and most recognisable crossings into a living digital canvas every night of the Festival.
The 2026 Perth Festival continues to 1 March. For more information and full program, visit: www.perthfestival.com.au for details.
Images: Perth Moves 2025 (Dance Battle) – photo by Edify Media | Let Me In, Let Me Out – photo by Lincoln Mackinnon | Lacrima – photo by Jean Louis Fernandez | East Perth Power Station – photo by Jessica Wyld | Kait James, Blak Flags, 2024, installation view, Neon Parc Brunswick. Photo: Madé Spencer-Castle – courtesy of the artist and Neon Parc | Karla Bidi – photo by Jessica Wyld | Le Gateau Chocolat – photo by Lee Faircloth