Inviting Brisbane-ites to re-emerge and take back their city, Brisbane Festival 2021 has launched their upcoming program.
Featuring a brand-new Festival hub, ‘cutting edge collaborations and award-winning performances’, Brisfest is set to showcase 63 Queensland-based companies. More than 10,000 local artists have been invited to be involved, including 168 First Nations artists who will be engaging in performances including fashion shows and the ‘reclamation of space’ with Blak Day Out.
The 2021 edition Brisfest will run for 23 days, making it the largest in the Festival’s long-running history. During September, Brisfest will make space for emerging talents, visions and movements, hosting them across a mind-boggling 223 locations across Brisvegas. 18 new works will be commissioned, 15 world premieres will be staged and 139 productions will be delivered.
Community and celebration are at the core of this years’ festival, with organisers recognising the impact they hoped Brisbane Festival would have on boosting economic recovery.
Brightly Brisbane 2021 Festival will kick off on 3 September with a smoking ceremony at South Bank, led by Yuggera and Turrbal man Shannon Ruska. Jumoo will connect Brisfest to Country, providing a cleansed and renewed pathway for the events of September. Another notable display is Brisbane’s Art Boat, a new-age floating art experience that cruises between South Bank and Hamilton, donning audiences in the glow of the lit-up Brisbane River. The brand-new Festival hub, also free, boasts live entertainment, school holiday activities, food, bars and a ‘mysterious interactive adventure’.
BOQ Festival Garden will also be popping up in South Bank, giving punters an other-worldly experience filled with food, wine, entertainment and discovery. Sunsuper Riverfire will also be making its bold return to reality after COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 2020 installation. Lighting up the sky above the beloved Brown Snake, Riverfire is scheduled to close Brisfest’s three-week schedule with a bang.
Brightly Brisbane 2021 Festival is set to bring life to city streets from 3 – 25 September 2021.
Photo: Brisbane Festival
