Shepparton Arts Festival board chair Tim Winkler and executive producer Gareth Hart proudly unveiled the 2026 program guide.
Shepparton Arts Festival is turning 30 — and the party plans are anything but modest.
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Any lingering mystery about how the milestone would be marked was swept away on Thursday, February 12, when the 2026 program was unveiled at the picturesque Longleat Estate.
Artists, partners and supporters gathered to toast three decades of creativity while previewing a bold 10-day celebration running from March 20 to 29.
Each 2026 program guide features a limited-edition poster created by festival design partner rome.studio, incorporating an artwork from every year of the festival’s history.
The program itself blends big names with deeply local stories.
The popular Literary Lunch returns with award-winning journalist and gender equity advocate Tracey Spicer.
Internationally acclaimed Back to Back Theatre will present SHADOW, which premiered at SXSW, as well as a participatory workshop inviting community involvement.
New for 2026 is the Festival Hub at 65 Fryers St, a vacant shopfront transformed into a pop-up gallery, tea house, performance space and bar operating throughout the festival.
The festival will close with Beats, Eats and Meets, curated with Shepparton Culture Kitchens — a lively fusion of food, music and multicultural pride.
Shepparton Arts Festival executive producer Gareth Hart said the 30-year milestone — one rarely reached by regional festivals — spoke to the community’s unwavering support.
“(This moment is) a testament to the endurance of this community and its belief that gathering around art still matters,” he said.
The 2026 Shepparton Arts Festival runs from March 20 to 29.
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