Brisbane Festival to Transform City into Vibrant Art Gallery

Brisbane, Australia – This September, the Brisbane Festival is set to transform the city into a dazzling outdoor gallery, showcasing a vast array of inflatable art installations, sculptures, and multimedia projections. This ambitious initiative, spearheaded by renowned artists Craig Redman and Karl Maier, collectively known as Craig & Karl, aims to enliven Brisbane’s urban landscape through a series of grand public spectacles and artistic expressions.

The festival’s director, Louise Bezzina, expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming event, emphasizing its significance in the context of Brisbane's preparations for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. “It really will feel like the city is completely alive with this explosion of extraordinary colour,” Bezzina stated, highlighting the festival's focus on engagement and joy.

As part of the citywide takeover, Craig & Karl will install colorful inflatable arches over the Kangaroo Point Bridge and create a public art trail that guides visitors through the heart of Brisbane. This marks their most ambitious project to date, following previous successful installations in major cities like London, Hong Kong, and Seoul.

In addition to the inflatable installations, the festival will feature a re-mounting of Stephen Page’s outdoor performance, "Baleen Moondjan," which premiered at the Adelaide Festival in 2024. This production, inspired by a story from Page's grandmother, emphasizes First Nations connections and will be staged on a barge in the Brisbane River, providing a unique outdoor theater experience for audiences.

A significant element of this year’s festival is the return of the First Nations-designed drone show, Skylore, which debuted in 2023. Furthermore, the program will include the world premiere of “Back to Bilo,” a poignant play about the Nadesalingam family, Tamil Sri Lankan asylum seekers who were forcibly removed from their community in Biloela, Queensland. “It’s a tremendous celebration of community,” Bezzina remarked, indicating the festival's commitment to telling important local stories.

The Brisbane Festival, which runs from September 5 to September 27, will also feature international highlights, including the Australian premiere of LA Dance Project’s "Gems" and the world premiere of “Bad Nature,” a collaboration between the Brisbane-based Australasian Dance Collective and Dutch company Club Guy & Roni.

As Bezzina concludes her tenure as festival director and prepares to assume the role of CEO and artistic director of Brisbane Powerhouse, her final program promises to leave a lasting impact on the city’s cultural landscape. “This is a real once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Brisbane,” she noted, as the festival anticipates drawing in both locals and tourists alike, eager to experience the vibrant arts and culture that the city has to offer.

Ultimately, the Brisbane Festival promises to be a rich tapestry of artistic endeavors that not only beautifies the city but also fosters community engagement and celebrates the diverse stories that shape Brisbane’s identity. Through this initiative, Brisbane aims to position itself as a cultural hub leading up to the international spotlight of the 2032 Olympics, showcasing its capacity for creativity and innovation in the arts.