New Annual is calling on Newcastle’s homegrown creatives once again, launching applications for its 2026 Made New program following a record-breaking festival in 2025.
The city’s flagship arts festival is searching for fresh local works to help shape its 2026 program, with up to $40,000 available per project for Newcastle-based or affiliated artists.
The initiative builds on the momentum of last year’s event, which firmly cemented New Annual as a showcase of the region’s creative identity and cultural ambition.
New Annual 2025 delivered its biggest program yet, staging 87 shows and drawing close to 50,000 attendees, almost double the previous year.
Surveys commissioned by City of Newcastle revealed overwhelming support from audiences, who praised the festival’s staging, its celebration of local talent, and its role in elevating Newcastle’s status as a cultural destination.
Organisers say more than 70 per cent of last year’s program featured local artists, a commitment that will continue in 2026 through the Made New commissioning program.
They’re looking for original works that tell unique Newcastle stories or transform local spaces in unexpected ways, with last year’s innovations, including theatre at Newcastle Museum and performances at Newcastle Ocean Baths and University House, highlighting the power of reimagined venues.
Community connection remains at the heart of the festival, with feedback showing audiences walked away with a deeper sense of pride in their city and its creative community.
The 2025 program transformed civic spaces, coastlines and cultural precincts into vibrant stages, further proving what can be achieved when ambition and collaboration collide.
Applications for New Annual’s 2026 ‘Made New’ program are open until 12 February 2026. The festival runs from 25 September to 4 October 2026, with successful applicants receiving funding as well as marketing, publicity and production support. For more information or to submit an EOI, visit newannual.com.
