From barge-staged ceremonies to bridge-spanning installations, Brisbane Festival is set to return this September with its most ambitious and expansive program to date, rounding off artistic director Louise Bezzina’s six-year tenure.
Unveiled on Wednesday, the 2025 program will run from September 5-27, featuring 106 productions, 21 world premieres and more than 1000 performances across theatres, parks, laneways and along the Brisbane River.
“This year’s program is a love letter to Brisbane, bold, joyful and created with and for the city,” Bezzina said.
“My final festival is a celebration of everything Brisbane Festival has become: a world-class event with a fiercely local heart.”
One of this year’s headline commissions is ANZ’s Walk This Way, which will see internationally acclaimed art duo Craig & Karl transform three major pedestrian bridges, including the newly opened Kangaroo Point crossing, into walkable large-scale artworks.
The duo will also present Craig & Karl: Double Vision, a retrospective exhibition at Griffith University Art Museum, where they first met as students.
Another major centrepiece, Baleen Moondjan by Bangarra founder Stephen Page, will transform the Brisbane River into a dramatic stage, with a First Nations performance set on a floating barge beneath towering whalebone sculptures.
On the international front, Gems will make its world premiere in Brisbane, a cross-disciplinary production led by Black Swan and Dune choreographer Benjamin Millepied. Commissioned by Van Cleef & Arpels, the trilogy blends dance, music, visual art and fashion, featuring music by Philip Glass, visuals by Barbara Kruger and designs by Alessandro Sartori.
Opening weekend festivities will include Riverfire by Australian Retirement Trust and Skylore, a dazzling 400-drone spectacle above the river.
Replacing the festival’s former Lightscape installation, a new large-scale experience titled Afterglow will transform the City Botanic Gardens into a glowing dreamscape of fire sculptures, candlelit installations and live performance.
Music lovers will be treated to Night at the Parkland, featuring headline sets from Amy Shark, Icehouse, Lime Cordiale, Xavier Rudd and more.
Nearly half the program will be free, reflecting the festival’s ongoing commitment to accessibility and community connection.
“Over 39 per cent of the program will be offered free to the public, reflecting an ongoing commitment to accessibility and bringing world-class art and performance to every corner of the city,” organisers said.
Tickets are on sale now at brisbanefestival.com.au.
