Geelong Arts Centre has unveiled its SEASON 2026, inviting audiences to step through the door into a year of world premieres, Victorian exclusives and stories that open new worlds, right in the heart of Geelong.
“You can really feel the energy building across Geelong right now. Our stages have never been busier, our audiences are growing, and we’re seeing more and more artists wanting to develop or premiere their work here,” said CEO and Creative Director Geelong Arts Centre, Rhys Holden.
“Next year, we see Geelong stepping into its next chapter as a cultural leader – a place where world-class art and everyday life meet. From world premieres to Victorian exclusives, SEASON 2026 speaks directly to the bold, creative, vibrant and deeply connected community we’re proud to serve.”
Building on the record-breaking success of 2025, Geelong Arts Centre will host over 32 shows across 86 performances, in addition to a huge mix of theatre, dance, family entertainment, local productions, iconic live music gigs and the biggest comedy acts in the country.
This year’s season is full of stories of powerful women from Geelong, Australia and around the world. From the resilience of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Sydney Theatre Company’s RBG: Of Many, One, to the raw energy of Geelong-born Chrissy Amphlett of Divinyls fame in Amplified: The Exquisite Rock and Rage of Chrissy Amphlett.
Making its Victorian premiere, award-winning playwright Suzie Miller’s Strong is the New Pretty tells the story of the power-breaking birth of women’s footy and the trailblazing women rewriting the rules of the game.
Australian acting royalty Noni Hazlehurst will star in Daniel Keene’s The Lark, a poignant solo work about memory, change and holding on, and Alison Whyte in Melbourne Theatre Company’s anticipated production of The Glass Menagerie.
In addition to ILBIJERRI Theatre Company’s Gunawarra Re-creation, directed by Rachael Maza, honours Taungurung stories and celebrates Black women’s strength and healing.
For those seeking the unexpected, REWIRE fills our theatres with bold, daring and unconventional work. From Connor Morel’s heartfelt musical Good Man about masculinity and meeting your dad for the first time; and Karma Dance Inc.’s visually stunning Temple of Desire to I Am in a Parasocial Relationship with Britney Spears, a world premiere by Geelong’s internationally celebrated Back to Back Theatre .
Add Gillian Cosgriff’s sharp musical wit in Life, Oh Life, Joel Bray’s Swallow, and re:group performance collective’s cinematic POV, and you have a program that challenges, provokes and reminds you what it feels like to be truly moved.
Rounding out the season are the joyful daytime performances of Delightful Days & Matinees, with favourites such as Heart & Music starring Simon Gleeson and Natalie O’Donnell, Denis Walter singing his all-time favourites; James Bond Classics and Bernadette Robinson: They Sang at Carnegie Hall.
For young audiences, Family Magic invites children and their grown-ups to discover worlds of imagination through Robot Song, Where is the Green Sheep?, Moss Piglet, Alphabet of Awesome Science, Room on the Broom and Wolfgang in the Stars. And the ever popular Geelong Wonder Children’s Festival will be back to take over the Geelong Little Malop Street precinct.
“It’s fantastic to see the Labor Government’s $180 million infrastructure investment come to life, with a season packed with shows and creative opportunities for all tastes and ages – all to be experienced in what is one of the very best performing arts venues in the country,” said Minister for Creative Industries, Colin Brooks.
Whether it’s a first visit or a lifelong love affair, Geelong Arts Centre invites everyone to open a door to new worlds in 2026. You don’t have to know what to expect – you just have to step inside. Tickets to SEASON 2026 go on sale from 1 December 2025. For more information, visit: www.geelongartscentre.org.au for details.
Image: Geelong Arts Centre SEASON 2026 (supplied)