The dawn spectacle of a person suspended over a three-tonne block of ice greeted Gold Coast early risers this morning to launch the Gold Coast’s iconic BLEACH Festival from October 1-11, 2026.
THAW by Australian physical theatre company Legs On The Wall is a spectacle of engineering, aerial artistry and a contemporary metaphor where a solitary figure confined to the ice struggles as their block starts to melt.
Performances like these will be held over the next 11 days and nights with more than 50 events which will be held at HOTA, Home of the Arts.
The 2026 Festival program includes a mix of free and ticketed works spanning contemporary dance, world premiere theatre commissions, live music, immersive installations, and unexpected creative experiences.
BLEACH Festival Artistic Director Felix Preval said this year’s program was “bold, ambitious, and full of surprises.”
“BLEACH Festival brings incredible creative energy to the Gold Coast, transforming familiar places and unexpected spaces into stages for extraordinary experiences,” Mr Preval said.
“It brings together local, national, and international artists to create moments that could only happen here.”
For more information and to purchase headline tickets, click here.
