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BLEACH* Festival Is Back This Spring With Six60 And A Giant Floating Block Of Ice

28th May 2026
Written by:
Harmony Lee
Contributor | Urban List Gold Coast

The Gold Coast's premier arts and cultural festival, BLEACH* Festival, is returning for 2026 with a fresh seasonal twist, shifting from its usual winter slot to a vibrant spring celebration for its 14th year.

Running from Thursday 1 to Sunday 11 October, BLEACH* is promising 11 days and nights of music, performance and large-scale public art installations across both free and ticketed events.

In what's shaping up to be the festival's biggest footprint yet, HOTA will be taken over entirely for the duration—bringing the precinct to life both indoors and out in a landmark moment for the festival's history.


Image Credit: BLEACH* | Supplied

With Artistic Director Felix Preval at the helm, BLEACH* continues its tradition of ambitious, site-responsive work that transforms the Gold Coast into a hub of contemporary culture. "Bringing Bleach Festival into spring opens new creative possibilities for the festival and for audiences. It's a time of energy and renewal on the Gold Coast, and this year's program reflects that," said Preval.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate is equally enthusiastic: "Make a date with Bleach this October and be prepared to be amazed by the raw talent on show over 11 magical days."

BLEACH* Festival Highlights

  • THAW by Legs on the Wall, a monumental outdoor performance that will open the festival at dawn on 1 October and see a giant block of ice suspended by crane serve as a stage for an eight-hour durational work that unfolds as a meditation on climate, spectacle and metaphor.

  • A free opening concert that will see internationally acclaimed US soul vocalist Lady Blackbird make her debut, alongside award-winning electronic duo Electric Fields in a free, all-ages double-bill on HOTA's Outdoor Stage.

  • The New Zealand chart-toppers SIX60 will return to the Gold Coast on Saturday 3 October, bringing their signature blend of roots, soul and dubstep to HOTA's outdoor stage, joined by seven-piece dub-fusion outfit Sub-Tribe.

  • BEACON by Morag Myerscough, a large-scale immersive installation transforming the HOTA parklands for the full duration of the festival. The work shifts from a bold daytime landmark to a glowing nighttime hub after dark, complete with live choral performances of a poem by bestselling author Holly Ringland.

  • No One Gets Out Of Here Alive by The Farm, a brand new large-scale production weaving dance, voice, music, humour and pathos into a cathartic exploration of endings and letting go. Taking to HOTA's theatre stage for the festival's final weekend.

The 2026 program is still being revealed, with the full lineup due in the coming months. Keep an eye on the BLEACH* Festival schedule and start planning your spring itinerary now.

Image Credit: BLEACH* | Supplied