The line-up for Newcastle's New Annual festival has been revealed for 2026, bringing ten days of dance, music, theatre and visual arts to the city centre from 25 September through to 4 October. Following the initial program announcement in June and the full details landing in July, the festival is set to activate venues across Newcastle. If you are planning your schedule, tickets for one of the main highlights, SOAK: Live at the Baths, go on sale on Monday 3 August at 10am.
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Several major stage productions are anchored at key cultural spaces around town. The Civic Theatre Newcastle on Hunter Street will host Wolf by the Circa ensemble on 2 and 3 October, featuring acrobatic work set to music by DJ Ori Lichtik with costumes designed by Libby McDonnell. The theatre's smaller venue, The Playhouse, will feature re:group performance collective's rock opera AUTO-TUNE from 30 September to 3 October. Meanwhile, City Hall is hosting ALL IN by Western Sydney's Dance Makers Collective on 1 and 2 October. Directed by Associate Artist Miranda Wheen with music by Fiona Hill and choreography by Wheen, the performance blends flamenco, hip-hop, Bharatanatyam and Dharug dance, featuring professional dancers alongside local dance schools.
Alternative formats and visual arts feature heavily in the 2026 schedule as well. Over at University House, Lingua Franca brings their cabaret sci-fi performance Triceratop from 1 to 4 October. At the Newcastle Art Gallery on Laman Street, Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub and The Creator Incubator present PRAXIS on 1 and 2 October, debuting five new contemporary works inside the gallery space. For those interested in micro-theatre, Brand X is bringing Petite Suite, where seven artists craft individual seven-minute experiences set within seven separate hotel rooms.
Outdoor and music-driven events round out the festival line-up. Newcastle Ocean Baths along Shortland Esplanade will serve as the backdrop for SOAK: Live at the Baths, utilizing the historic venue following its recent heritage listing. Beyond the baths, the schedule includes Truck Driver by Soft Tread, live music with Curtain Call: Strut Your Stuff, Jennifer Wong's Global Table, and a live presentation of Chat 10 Looks 3. With events spread across central venues, the program offers a wide range of performances to explore over the ten-day period.
Published Date
2 August 2026
