Art lovers can explore exhibitions, theatre productions, ballet, live music, photography and cultural events this weekend. The program includes major stage productions, contemporary exhibitions, classical and contemporary dance, jazz performances and events celebrating Brisbane’s creative and cultural history.
Heart Dance
25 June – 27 August 2026 | Thomas Dixon Centre, West End
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Heart Dance presents a dance-focused program at the Thomas Dixon Centre, bringing movement and performance together in an arts setting.
Not My Monkey Art Exhibition
25 July – 16 August 2026 | Plant Empire, Tennyson
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Not My Monkey is an open group exhibition inviting artists to respond to the theme through works in a range of sizes and mediums. The exhibition explores ideas connected with the expression “not my circus, not my monkeys”, including circus, performance, animals, animal protection and popular culture.
The Red Dress
25 July – 13 September 2026 | Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane City
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The Red Dress is a 14-year global embroidery project conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod. The dress features contributions from 380 embroiderers across 51 countries, with the individual panels telling stories of connection, identity and lived experience.
The Book of Mormon
31 July – 4 October 2026 | Glasshouse Theatre – Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), South Brisbane
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The Book of Mormon brings the acclaimed musical comedy to Brisbane, combining music, satire and storytelling in a stage production.
Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards 2026
1 August – 1 November 2026 | Museum of Brisbane, Brisbane City
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The finalist exhibition for the Lord Mayor’s Photographic Awards 2026 explores Brisbane through the theme Everyday Brisbane, featuring photographs of the city’s people, places, routines and familiar scenes.
Celia Gullett: Spirit Into Matter
5 – 29 August 2026 | Jan Murphy Gallery, Fortitude Valley
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Celia Gullett presents Spirit Into Matter, a solo exhibition at Jan Murphy Gallery running throughout August. The exhibition forms part of the gallery’s 2026 program of contemporary Australian art.
Second Coming
6 – 22 August 2026 | La Boite Theatre, Kelvin Grove
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Written by Kathryn Marquet and directed by Ian Lawson, Second Coming asks, with dark humour and heart, whether humanity can learn from its mistakes on Earth before taking those mistakes to Mars. The production is co-presented by Playlab Theatre and La Boite Theatre and features Ashlee Lollback, Gideon Mzembe, Anthony Standish and Merlynn Tong.
Do Not Go Gentle
11 – 30 August 2026 | Bille Brown Theatre, South Brisbane
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Written by Patricia Cornelius, Do Not Go Gentle uses Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s doomed Antarctic expedition as a metaphor for ageing and memory. The Queensland Theatre production follows a group of aged-care residents who imagine themselves as members of Scott’s expedition.
UQ Engineering Revue 2026
13 – 14 August 2026 | Arcana, Moorooka
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UQ Engineering Revue 2026 takes audiences on a journey through the history of engineering, combining comedy, wordplay, music and performance. The production features a student cast and writing team in a theatrical revue format.
Undying: Abdul-Rahman Abdullah
13 August – 7 November 2026 | Griffith University Art Museum, South Bank
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Undying features intricately carved and painted sculptures by Abdul-Rahman Abdullah exploring relationships between life, death and the natural world. The works draw on natural history and antiquity collections and are accompanied by texts reflecting on the animals depicted.
The Mitch Bellert Quintet – Bebop, Hard-Bop & Beyond
14 August 2026 | The Ruby Jazz Club, Fortitude Valley
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The Mitch Bellert Quintet focuses on the hard-bop and post-bop eras of American jazz, bringing together Mitch Bellert on drums with Ben Bruni on trumpet, Josh Hatcher on tenor saxophone, Eden Armstrong on piano and Elliott Parker on double bass. The group presents modern interpretations of classic jazz while drawing on the tradition of the genre.
Giselle
15 August 2026 | Thomas Dixon Centre, West End
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Brisbane Ballet presents Giselle, the Romantic ballet of love, betrayal and forgiveness, in a production set in the misty Black Forest of 1800s Germany. The production features choreography by Emrys Goldsworthy after Jules Perrot, Jean Coralli and Marius Petipa, with music by Adolphe Adam and Friedrich Burgmuller.
Late Night Orchestra: Back to Ours
15 August 2026 | The Tivoli, Fortitude Valley
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Late Night Orchestra returns with a live celebration of trip-hop and chillout music inspired by influential 1990s and early-2000s compilations. The 12-piece ensemble features Agum, Ben Woolner of Safia, Kylie Auldist of The Bamboos and Owl Eyes, performing music associated with artists including Moby, Air, Portishead, Massive Attack and Daft Punk.
Romeo and Juliet
15 – 22 August 2026 | Lyric Theatre – Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), South Brisbane
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The Australian Ballet presents John Cranko’s interpretation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, bringing the story of the star-crossed lovers to the stage through classical ballet and Prokofiev’s score.
Home Front Festival
16 August 2026 | Wolston Farmhouse, Wacol
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Home Front Festival recreates the atmosphere of Brisbane’s wartime home front at Wolston Farmhouse, where the surrounding farmland was requisitioned during the Second World War. The day includes live 1940s music, swing dancing, living-history displays, vintage fashion, historic vehicles, heritage demonstrations and family activities.
This weekend offers a broad selection of arts experiences, spanning exhibitions, photography, theatre, ballet, jazz, live music and heritage-focused cultural events.
