The festival, produced by Experience Gold Coast and held at the HOTA precinct, includes a mix of free and ticketed works spanning contemporary performance, theatre, live music, large-scale and participatory installations.
The 2026 line-up includes more than 290 contributing artists from the Gold Coast, Australia and around the world.
The Butterfly Who Flew Into the Rave, by NZ dance pioneer Oli Matheson, brings Berlin to the HOTA Basement in a nod to rave culture.
Harrison Ritchie-Jones’ Cuddle transforms the Black Box Theatre into a wrestling ring for a riotous dance work that combines contemporary dance with martial arts, boot scooting and wildly inventive technology. Ancient Javanese spirituality will merge with techno-fantasy aesthetics as local dance artist Juliet Burnett presents Cyvasa 2.0.
Gold Coast First Nations dance company Karul will present Kuramanunya (Gore-rah-mah-nunya) featuring Thomas E.S. Kelly (Minjungbal, Wiradjuri and Ni-Vanuatu).
Gold Coast-based stunt performer and filmmaker Sarah Huston will present new video work Rekindle Rekindle at the HOTA Gallery.
VOICES by Pulsing Hearts will feature an installation with participants spinning 50 translucent tubes to activate a sculptural wall of light and choral sounds.
BLEACH Festival celebrates First Nations circus with two free outdoor performance works – roving circus work Ocker by Na Djinang Circus plus How the Birds Got Their Colours by Arc Circus and the Yugambeh Aboriginal Dancers.
Cold Ghost’s Arkestra Choir will premiere its new ensemble.
