New Annual returns with 10 days of art, music, performance, and ideas

Newcastle became one giant stage as New Annual returned from September 25 to October 4 2026 with 10 days of art, music, theatre, performance, and unexpected experiences.

In its sixth year, Newcastle’s flagship arts festival brought 40 events, 402 artists and seven new commissions, transforming everything from beaches and ocean baths to pubs, galleries, theatres, and city streets.

And this year, the coastline took centre stage.

Photo credit: Ange Maloney

From a sunrise audio experience on Dixon Park Beach and art that moves with the tides at the Canoe Pool to sunset gigs at Newcastle Ocean Baths, the 2026 program invited Novocastrians to experience familiar places in completely new ways.

With loads of free and low-cost events in the mix, there were plenty of reasons to get amongst it. Here were some of the 2026 New Annual highlights to have on your radar.

First Night Art Party

New Annual kicked things off with the return of the free First Night Art Party in Laman Street.

The 2026 celebration is fuelled by Pasifika creativity inspired by Angela Tiatia’s Muse exhibition at Newcastle Art Gallery, with powerhouse performers Aleksiah, Djanaba and Ngaiire leading a night of live music, art,performance and family-friendly fun.

SOAK: Live at the Baths

Newcastle Ocean Baths once again turned into one seriously impressive open-air music venue for SOAK: Live at the Baths.

Curated by Urthboy (Tim Levinson), four free sunset sessions will feature live music from Hermitude and Claire O’Brien, 92Wrld & Kobie Dee, Karen Lee Andrews and so much more.

Photo credit: Ange Maloney

Cavitation

Over at the Canoe Pool, internationally recognised artist Izabela Pluta is created a monumental installation designed to shift and change with the water.

Cavitation transforms one of Newcastle’s most recognisable coastal landmarks into a living work of art, with an accompanying exhibition also taking place at The Lock-Up.

Catching it early in the morning allowed visitors to see At Sea, a free daily 8am performance by Newcastle’s Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub at the water’s edge.

Photo Credit: Edwina Richards

Truck Driver

Following Dancefloor Conversion Therapy at New Annual in 2025, Jonny Hawkins returned with Truck Driver at Civic Theatre’s Playhouse 

Funny and moving, the work explored life on the road in a portrait that brings another dose of Hawkins’ distinctive storytelling to this year’s festival.

Petite Suite: Brand X

Seven hotel rooms. Seven intimate theatrical encounters.

Brand X took over one of Newcastle’s best-known pubs, the Oriental Hotel, for Petite Suite, transforming seven of its rooms into individual performance spaces.

It’s intimate theatre in a setting you probably wouldn’t expect – exactly the kind of experience New Annual does best.

All In: Dance Makers Collective

City Hall became the stage for All In, a joyful large-scale dance work from Dance Makers Collective.

Professional contemporary dancers will join forces with three local dance groups, bringing Newcastle performers into the heart of the production and creating a celebration of movement, connection and community. The fun part? 

Curtain Call: Strut Your Stuff

Ready to make your runway debut?

Melbourne collective Fast Fashun is taking over Museum Park for Curtain Call: Strut Your Stuff, inviting festivalgoers to turn recycled clothing into wearable art before taking their creations to the runway.

Part workshop, part performance, and plenty of fun, this is one where the audience gets to become part of the show. Fast Fashun will also run hands-on workshops for kids during school holidays.

NM:PM : PUNK!

Newcastle Museum is turning up the volume with NM:PM : PUNK!, a free, high-energy celebration of local punk culture.

Boudicca, No Reason, Bitchcraft, and Newcastle ska legends The Porkers are taking over the museum for a free night dedicated to the sounds and attitude of Newcastle’s punk scene.

There’s plenty more to explore

Away from the coastline, New Annual spread across Newcastle’s theatres, pubs, galleries, and public spaces.

There was Civic Theatre for Annabel Crabb and Leigh Sales’ Chat 10, Looks 3 Live or contemporary circus company Circa’s Wolf. Angela Tiatia’s 20-year survey exhibition Muse at Newcastle Art Gallery, or you could explore four decades of rock photography in Through the Lens of Tony Mott at Newcastle Museum.

There was also Lenny’s Country at Carrington Foreshore, Bizarre Newcastle on King Street, Press Play celebrating 50 years of Tantrum Youth Arts, and Triceratop – a one-person gay dinosaur love story tackling climate change at University House.

And that barely scratched the surface.

With 40 events unfolding across 10 days, New Annual 2026 shaped up as another big celebration of the artists, stories, subcultures and landscapes that make Newcastle what it is.

New Annual 2026

When: 25 Sep – 4 Oct 2026
Where: Various locations across Newcastle
What: Art, live music, theatre, dance, circus, food, exhibitions and performance

To keep up to date with 2027 events, visit New Annual.