Perth Festival 2026 invites audiences to move, feel and connect through a season of truth telling, rhythm and transformation. Under Artistic Director Anna Reece, this second-year program reimagines the city’s icons — from cathedral halls to riversides and office towers — as living stages for dance, theatre and music that celebrate both community and individuality.
Spanning 23 days of performance and discovery (6 February – 1 March 2026), the festival features 13 commissions, 20 world premieres and 9 Australian premieres — including groundbreaking dance experiences from Australia and around the world.
Dance That Moves the City
This year’s program pulses with movement, story and rhythm — from intimate solos to large-scale community works:
Songs of the Bulbul — A powerful solo work by UK choreographer and dancer Aakash Odedra, exploring migration, hope and resilience in a breathtaking fusion of traditional and contemporary form.
U>N>I>T>E>D — Melbourne’s visionary company Chunky Move delivers a futuristic dance epic that pushes the boundaries of body, light and technology.
Perth Moves — Eight nights of dance classes, one explosive battle party, and the world premiere of Concrete Echoes by New Zealand duo Ta’alili (Aloali’i & Tori Manley-Tapu).
Cercles — Acclaimed French choreographer Boris Charmatz transforms the city centre into a mass participatory event featuring 200 local dancers in an unforgettable celebration of connection through movement.
Ballet at the Quarry: Incandescence — Perth’s beloved summer tradition returns, blending classical grace and contemporary edge with four dazzling world premieres that ignite the night sky.
From bold contemporary statements to traditional storytelling, the 2026 program amplifies First Nations voices and Western Australian dance artists, placing movement at the heart of cultural conversation.
Music, Art & Cultural Connection
The Festival’s beating heart continues at the East Perth Power Station, returning as an award-winning late-night hub with international artists, dance floors and community energy.
Audiences can also gather riverside at Casa Musica, a free open-air stage of global rhythms and world-class musicians, inspired by the piazzas of Southern Europe.
Powerful First Nations performance projects include The BhuMeJha Project — an immersive ceremony of song and dance in the Perth Hills — and Nitja, a riverfront celebration of community through music, storytelling and movement.
Artistic Director Anna Reece on Perth Festival’s Spirit
“Perth Festival is our city at its best — curious, connected and completely alive. We don’t just put on shows; we take over the city with brilliant artists and their truth telling and mischief making. This is art you don’t just want — it’s art you need.”
Perth Festival 2026
Dates: Friday 6 February – Sunday 1 March, 2026
Tickets on sale: 27 October 2025, midday AWST
Bookings & info: perthfestival.com.au
Lotterywest Films also returns to UWA Somerville from 24 November 2025 – 29 March 2026.
