Brisbane Festival 2024
Brisbane Festival 2024 has made an extraordinary impact on the city, reflecting a vision that’s both Boldly Brisbane and globally resonant.
Through the work of Artistic Director Louise Bezzina, the festival continues to firmly cement Brisbane as a cultural powerhouse, fostering community connection while positioning the city as a premier destination for the arts.
With the presentation of Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show, Brisbane solidified its status as a cultural force with internationally acclaimed programming. A bold leap forward, this exclusive production positioned the city confidently alongside Australia’s major cultural hubs, showcasing its capacity to host world-class events that build reputation and visitation.
CABARET / CIRCUS / COMEDY
Cirque Bon Bon—Le Retour JACS Entertainment
Common People Dance Eisteddfod Common People Dance Project
Jean Paul Gaultier’s Fashion Freak Show Jean Paul Gaultier
LIMBO—The Return STRUT & FRET
Merrick Watts: An Idiot’s Guide to Wine—Volume Two Grapes of Mirth
The Alexander Ball House of Alexander
The Art Boat Brisbane Festival; BRIEFS FACTORY
OPERA / CLASSICAL
ACO: Tognetti. Mendelssohn. Bach. Australian Chamber Orchestra
Camerata; Lou Bennett & Lior: Ngapa William Cooper Camerata Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra
Chamber Music Side-By-Side LA Philharmonic Quintet
Continuum Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
Eishan Ensemble Hamed Sadeghi and Eishan Ensemble
Eucalyptus – The Opera Opera Australia
Handel’ House Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Yukie Sato
Interstellar Roger Sayer
Latin Guitar Extravaganza Riverside Guitar Ensemble
Making Daybreak Pauline Maudy; Robert Davidson; Black Square String Quartet
Paco Peña—Requiem for the Earth Paco Peña
Puccini Double Bill Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
So Much Myself: Piano Portraits Sonya Lifschitz; Robert Davidson
Spirit of the Wild Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Straight from the Strait Opera Queensland
Yirinda—Wurgu Yirinda
MUSIC
Conrad Sewell Conrad Sewell
Full Flower Moon Band Kate Dillon
Meeanjin Songlinez Shannon Ruska; Kayleen Ruska; Birdz & Fred Leone; HaiZ; Dark Moods; Rochelle Pitt; H-Town; Edgar Conlon
Moorooka Block Party Queensland Belly Dance Academy; Jungaji; Sahra Entertainment; Bustamento; Afro Moses
Pasifika Made Olivia Foa’i; Lisa Fa’alafi; Mr Mr; Heilani; Mamana Tongan Group; Eve Nikolao; Drums of the Pacific; Taitu’uga Kitch
Proudfoot and Friends Lucas Proudfoot
St Lucia Serenades Jaguar Joze; Deline Briscoe; Kristal West
Sweet Relief QLD Music Trails; Kelis; The Presets; Electric Fields; Haiku Hands; JUNO; dameeeela
The Cat Empire with Queensland Symphony Orchestra The Cat Empire; Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Voices of Victoria Park The Crunchy Chickpea Salad; House of Soul Singers; Brisbane Excelsior Band; Canticum Chamber Choir; Katie Stenzel; Alex Raineri
DANCE THEATRE
Assembly Vol. 1 Australasian Dance Collective
Big Names; No Blankets Ilbijerri Theater Company
Dear Brother Queensland Theater; BlakDance
GRIMM Shake & Stir Theater Company
GURR ERA OP Force Majeure and Ilbijerri Theater Company
Lighting the Dark DANCENORTH Australia
Meet Your Maker Alethea Beetson
Private View Restless Dance Theater
Rachel Burke’s Fancy Long Legs Little Red Company
The No Bang Theory Indelabilityarts
Trent Dalton’s Love Stories Tim McGarry; Trent Dalton; Fiona Franzmann; Sam Strong
Urban Elegance The Aboriginal Center for The Performing Arts
Us and All of This Performing Lines; Liesel Zink; Lawrence English
Volcano Luke Murphy’s Attic Projects
INSTALLATION / IMMERSIVE
Adrift Counterpilot
Be Iconic Fashion Collab
Big Sculpture Cairns Indigenous Art Fair
Brisbane City Council’s Outdoor Gallery Exhibition ‘Paradise Gloss’ Laura Brinin
ChronoHARP Amigo & Amigo
Duty of Care Part One and Two IMA; Griffith University Art Museum
Flow George Pinn; Tara Pattenden
Grace Lillian Lee at Brisbane Quater Grace Lillian Lee
Kitchen Studio Elizabeth Willing
Lightscape Brisbane Festival; Sony Music Entertainment
No Waste Wardrobe at Westfield Chermside Claudia Williams
Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust
Skylore—The Rainbow Serpent Tribal Experiences; Nova Sky Stories
Spectrum of Happiness at Portside Wharf
The Dream Weaver: Guardians of Grace Grace Lillian Lee
Write Your Heart Out Museum of Brisbane
Q&A / WORKSHOP
Festival Favorites at Westfield Chermside Ruby Gilbert; Alexander Mills; Elements Collective; Hula Hoop Brisbane; Megan Cooper; Aria Cook
Free Choir & Vocal Workshops Yani Mills
Free Dance Workshops Bring A Plate
Free Songwriting & Vocal Workshops Jungaji
Free Visual Art Workshops Sue Loveday
Panel – Disability-Led Work in the Spotlight Tim Brown; Michelle Ryan; Maddie Little; Kim ‘Butsy Beatz’ Bowers; Annika Strand
Studio 1 Workshop Series DANCENORTH Australia; Restless Dance Theater; Force Majeure
The Courier Mail in Conversation with Trent Dalton
True Stories: The Power of Authenticity and Opportunity The University of Queensland; Trent Dalton; Jaguar Jonze; Deborah Terry AC; Jennifer Karlson