Brisbane Festival

The Sunshine State’s capital city will be pulsating with the sounds of local and national talent this September. Here’s our guide to making the most of 2025’s Brisbane Festival.

This year's Brisbane Festival program stars Mallrat, Phantastic Ferniture, Sarah Blasko, John Butler, Wunderhorse, ICEHOUSE and many others.

“This year’s program is a love letter to Brisbane — bold, joyful, and created with and for the city,” says Artistic Director Louise Bezzina.

“Great records are our number one priority,” says director Shayne Cook.

“What is essential, however, is that with development comes respect for the culture and vibrancy that makes The Valley what it is."

A new project in Brisbane could attract up to $2.5 billion in real Gross Regional Product over 2026-2048, and $90 million in investment every year.

"Brisbane Festival has struck gold with a phenomenal opening night."

Whether it's a political statement, an artistic first, a personal story or a means of escape, dance and physical theatre has the power to move an audience. Maxim Boon meets four artists — Scott Maidment of Strut & Fret, Yaron Lifschitz of Circa, theatre-maker Josh Bond, and Dance North's Kyle Page — about four world premiere productions headlining this year's Brisbane Festival.

The event runs in the immediate wake of BIGSOUND, kicking off on 9 September

"In the beginning I was thinking, 'I don't even know if people are going to find this funny'."