Clancestry festival returns to QPAC with a powerful celebration of culture and connection
QPAC will once again come alive with the sounds, stories and spirit of First Nations culture when Clancestry festival returns from July 23 to August 10. This year’s landmark season will showcase a vibrant mix of theatre, music, dance, workshops and children’s events – shining a spotlight on the ever-evolving culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts.
Since launching in 2013, Clancestry festival has become a cornerstone of QPAC’s calendar. Proudly curated and led by First Nations people, the 2025 program brings together emerging voices and acclaimed creatives for an extraordinary season of performance – alongside free live music, art and all-ages activities that invite audiences to connect, learn and celebrate.
Opening the festival is The Visitors, a compelling new production from Muruwari playwright Jane Harrison. Set on the cusp of colonisation in January 1788, the play follows seven Aboriginal clan leaders as they consider how to respond to the arrival of a mysterious fleet in the harbour. Directed by Quandamooka man Wesley Enoch and co-produced by Moogahlin Performing Arts and Sydney Theatre Company, The Visitors will take to QPAC’s Playhouse stage from July 23–26, offering audiences a powerful reimagining of one of the most impactful moments in Australia’s history.
On Wednesday July 31, Concert Hall will host the unmissable Wata: a gathering for songmen, improvising soloists and orchestra. This innovative and energising musical collaboration between composer and pianist Paul Grabowsky, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QSO), and Yolŋu songmen Daniel Ngukurr Boy Wilfred and David Yipininy Wilfred, is a celebration of songlines passed down through generations, blending traditional voice with orchestral power and improvisation.
Bangarra Dance Theatre returns to the Clancestry program from August 1–9 with Illume, a show-stopping new theatrical work exploring the cultural and spiritual significance of light. Choreographed by Mirning woman Frances Rings and brought to life in collaboration with Goolarabooloo visual artist Darrell Sibosado, Illume combines movement, music and immersive visual design to explore the ways light has illuminated and sustained Indigenous knowledge and existence over millennia.
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The festival reaches new heights on Saturday August 2 when ARIA Award-winning duo Electric Fields take the stage with QSO for a breathtaking one-night-only performance at Concert Hall. With soaring vocals from Zaachariaha Fielding, brilliant sounds from keyboardist Michael Ross and traditional inma (ceremonial dance), this high-energy collaboration unites vibrant traditional culture with modern pop, soul and electronica.
The festival program also features free events like Clancestry for Kids, a family-friendly weekend of culture, creativity and community that will transform QPAC’s Melbourne Street Green with activations of art, music and playful discovery from August 9–10. Live Art at Clancestry will see artists create installations and paintings live at Fish Lane and Melbourne Street Green from August 2–10, while the Mob Music stage will be a hive of activity with two nights of jam-packed free live music from August 9–10. Discover the next wave of First Nations voices at Sparks: First Nations Play Readings – a free night of bold storytelling at Cremorne Theatre where new works by emerging playwrights are brought to life in 10-minute rehearsed readings.
To view the full Clancestry festival program and book tickets via the QPAC website.
This article was written in partnership with our friends at QPAC.