QPAC

Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) has today announced the free program of events for its iconic Clancestry festival, celebrating First Nations art and culture across the Centre from 30 July to 8 August 2026. 

A much-loved event on QPAC’s calendar since 2013, Clancestry celebrates identity, connection and cultural continuity, providing a platform for both established and emerging First Nations artists to share their stories and talents. This year’s program brings together powerful music experiences, bold contemporary performance, family-friendly works, and deeply personal storytelling in a landmark festival experience.   

The previously announced mainstage program for 2026 includes Camp Culture by Dale Woodbridge-Brown and The First Creatives’ Ya’Djin Spirit Women from 30 July to 1 August, Jessica Mauboy – The Story of Me on 1 August, ILBIJERRI Theatre Company’s Gunawarra Re-Creation from 5 to 8 August, Troy Cassar-Daley on 6 August, Barragga Yangga on 7 August, and Yothu Yindi on 8 August.   

Clancestry’s Festival Ground returns to the South Bank Cultural Forecourt along the banks of the Brisbane River in celebration and acknowledgement of this program of events on the QPAC calendar. The forecourt will be transformed specially for the festival, providing space for entertainment and food services in a relaxed environment.   

First Gathering officially kicks of the Clancestry program on 31 July to honour the ancestral history of the land, pay tribute to its spirits, and commemorate its enduring legacy. Community groups will come together on the Festival Grounds to celebrate traditions and welcome young ones to continue the legacy, handed down from elders. Hosted by TV presenter and writer Tony Armstrong, this event will celebrate the rich history of this country in the picturesque South Bank setting.  

Clancestry for Kids will take over the Festival Grounds on 1 and 2 August for two days of unforgettable art, stories, and community. Over both days, big and little kids alike will be treated to performances of Merindi Schrieber’s joyful Birmba, the story of three cheeky cockatoos encountering a one-in-a-century event, plus sessions of Flipside Circus’ The Big Little Circus Workshop, Face Painting with Kaylah Coghill, TribalLink’s Cultural Discovery Van, Find our Friends fauna hide and seek activities, Queensland Museum’s Dilly Bag Lab and Deadly Kids Arts and Crafts.   

GATHAA First Nations Markets on 1 and 2 August will bring together a mix of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, makers and creatives. Showcasing art, design, bushfoods and hands-on experiences, GATHAA creates a welcoming space for community to connect, share and celebrate culture. Each market is thoughtfully curated to reflect creativity and connection to Country, inviting visitors to engage, learn and experience culture in a genuine and meaningful way. As part of the GATHAA First Nations Markets, audiences will also be invited to join a selection of free workshops and demonstrations including Native Floral Workshops with Blak Botanics, Bushfood Cooking on Coals with Aunty Dale Chapman and Chris Jordan, plus weaving with Carly Wallace and Brian Whap. 

The much-loved Mob Music stage returns in 2026 with an epic line-up of First Nations musicians and artists. This signature free live music event will energise the Festival Ground on 31 July and 2 August from dusk each day. Friday evening’s stacked program will see performances from LanGwij, a band of Barkindji, Samoan, and Māori brothers and cousins, the magnetic ZIPPORAH, one of Australia’s most exciting voices in soul and RnB, and Say True God?, bringing an electrifying live show blending raw hip-hop and storytelling. Sunday evening’s program will see two high-energy performances – the distinctive sound from rapper and producer Dan Rankine PKA as trials followed by supergroup Three Fires – Jungaji, Radical Son and Candice Lorrae – in a one-night-only music experience showcasing works spanning more than two decades.         

Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said Clancestry’s continued delivery of high-quality events helps grow new audiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, companies and stories.  
  
“Sharing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultures with Queenslanders and visitors to the state is a key focus of the Crisafulli Government’s 10-year arts and culture strategy, Queensland’s Time to Shine,” Minister Langbroek said.  

“Alongside ticketed events, Clancestry’s free program will allow Queenslanders and visitors to the state to experience new and exciting work by celebrated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.  

“We are proud to support QPAC and its presentation of this long-running festival, which reinforces Queensland’s reputation as a cultural powerhouse in the lead up to Brisbane 2032.”  

QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy said Clancestry has always been more than just an arts festival. 

“Clancestry is an assertion of continuity, cultural authority, and community,” Ms Healy said.  

“The thrilling 2026 program is reason enough to come together, bringing some of the country’s most celebrated First Nations artists to Brisbane stages, including Tony Armstrong, Jessica Mauboy, Troy Cassar‑Daley and Yothu Yindi. But beyond the headline names, what makes Clancestry truly special is the way it consistently creates space for audiences and artists to gather, connect and share in something meaningful.” 

Energex, part of Energy Queensland, is the Supporting Partner of Clancestry 2026.