Celebrate a landmark moment for Newcastle as the expanded Newcastle Art Gallery officially reopens with a vibrant three-day festival of art, culture, music and community.
27 Feb 2026
- 1 Mar 2026
Newcastle Art Gallery
Free
Whats happening:
Reopening Celebration - Street Party
Friday 27 Feb (5-9pm)
Laman Street transforms into a vibrant open‑air arts precinct for a free street party celebrating the reopening of Newcastle Art Gallery.
Wander through a temporary outdoor sculpture park featuring large‑scale installations by Braddon Snape and Dani Marti, and get creative with hands‑on artmaking led by Jen Denzin and David Lobb. Outside on the mainstage, Kinder headline fresh from their national tour, joined by The Pitts, Bonnie Anne, Rose White and Jayteehazard for a night of art, rhythm and celebration.
Step inside the Gallery to experience a rich program of live performance, with the iconic sounds of the CREATION choir, Tina Havelock Stevens and Toby Cedar filling the space. Roving performers Catapult Dance and Fuchsia Sable animate the Gallery throughout the night, with Fuchsia offering her signature faux‑psychoanalysis to curious visitors. You’ll also find flash tattoos by Eddy Lou, adding a bold twist to the celebration.
Fuel your evening with food trucks, a pop‑up bar, and a buzzing festival atmosphere as Newcastle Art Gallery reopens its doors in spectacular style.
Kinder
Jayteehazard
Exhibition Launch: Iconic Loved Unexpected
Experience the debut of Newcastle Art Gallery’s major collection exhibition Iconic Loved Unexpected, presented across two levels and bringing together national icons, well‑loved favourites and unexpected gems, including never‑before and rarely seen works.
The reopened Gallery will showcase works from the early nineteenth century to today, featuring artists with strong local ties to Newcastle (Joseph Lycett, William Dobell, Margaret Olley, John Olsen, Nell and Lottie Consalvo), leading First Nations artists (Emily Kam Kngwarray, Sally Gabori, Tracey Moffatt, Archie Moore, Albert Namatjira) and global figures from Auguste Rodin to avant‑garde ceramicist Kazuo Yagi.
Iconic Loved Unexpected
Opening Weekend Program
Throughout the weekend, the Gallery will feature:
- Dynamic program of artist talks
- Collaborative community artmaking project
- Live performances spanning music, dance, poetry and performance art.
These programs offer an immersive and celebratory welcome into the transformed Gallery.
Newcastle Art Gallery
Opening Times
Friday 27 February, 5:00pm - 9:00pm
Saturday 28 February, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Sunday 1 March, 10:00am - 4:00pm