Big Stories, Big Talent, Big Moments Headed for Stages and Halls Across Regional SA
Country Arts SA has rolled out its 2026 season, and it’s packed with new Australian stories, First Nations voices and a mix of theatre, cabaret, film and visual arts that will reach every corner of regional SA.
Kumarangk leads the Country Arts SA 2026 program
Kumarangk is a major First Nations project that tells the story of the Ngarrindjeri women who stood against the Hindmarsh Island bridge development in Goolwa. Their story has never been told from their perspective until now, and this project puts their voices at the centre.
Kumarangk will include three creative outcomes over 2026 and 2027, including a visual arts exhibition premiering at the Adelaide Festival, a documentary headed for the Adelaide Film Festival, and a large-scale on-Country performance in Goolwa. Through truth-telling, the aim is to honour the Ngarrindjeri women who defended their culture and Country and to replace the hostility they faced with understanding from new audiences.
The project is guided by the Ngarrindjeri mi:minar Cultural Authority, including Sandra Saunders, Aunty Ellen Trevorrow, Aunty Margaret Brodie, and Tahlia and Illira Wanganeen.
Country Arts SA chief executive Anthony Peluso said,
“We are proud to present our 2026 season, which foregrounds women, non-binary, First Nations and diverse voices across new work, reflecting who’s writing Australian stories now.”
“We are pleased to tour this program of new works to regional communities so all South Australians can be a part of the conversations art creates. Along with our touring and visual arts programs, we continue to support arts and culture across the state through our grants programs for artists and community groups.”
Fifteen years of Nunga Screen
The season also marks 15 years of Nunga Screen, the popular short-film program screened from Reconciliation Week (May 27 to June 3) to NAIDOC Week (July 5 to 12). What began as a free community event has grown into a statewide program, expanded into corporate spaces, and this year reached international audiences for the first time.
Theatre, cabaret and arts on tour
Live performance is a big part of the 2026 program, with theatre and cabaret touring across regional towns. Audiences will see Lose to Win, the Belvoir St Theatre work that follows Mandela Mathia’s journey from South Sudan to Australia. They’ll catch Trophy Boys, the sharp satire presented with State Theatre Company of South Australia. And Michelle Pearson’s award-winning cabaret SKINNY, which tackles society’s fixation with body size, will hit the road in partnership with Adelaide Fringe and Staging Change.
Whyalla’s Civic Park will host a two-week residency by Slingsby, who are internationally recognised for their visually rich productions for young people and families. Their fairytale series A Concise Compendium of Wonder will transform the park into an immersive story space.
Visual arts will also be on the move, with touring exhibitions from Susie Althorp, Dan Withey and AGSA Screen: Wavelength, a moving-image program from the Art Gallery of South Australia.
Get the full rundown on the Country Arts SA website at countryarts.org.au.
