Parrtjima Aboriginal festival unveils full program

Australia’s Aboriginal-led light festival Parrtjima is back for the 11^th year this April.

Held at Mparntwe (Alice Springs) from 10–19 April, it illuminates the world’s oldest living culture through large-scale light installations and a dynamic program of workshops, demonstrations, music and storytelling.

The free, all-ages festival celebrates Aboriginal cultures and will premiere new installations inspired by this year’s theme, Language.

New this year is the outdoor Dome — a dedicated space to watch and reflect on culture through film and animation — complemented by a curated series of optional ticketed experiences.

Highlights include the Merne Mwerre Bushfood Experience, rare watercolour masterclasses with artists from Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Art Centre, and the special Desert at Dusk experience at Alice Springs Desert Park.

This year, the festival will showcase the work of more than 36 First Nations artists as well as more than 50 performers and guests across live music, dance, workshops, and talks.

“This year invites us to come together at Parrtjima, where language and culture continue to illuminate age‑old traditions in new and powerful ways,” said Tourism and Events NT Advisory Board Chairperson Paul Ah Chee.

New installations
The Language of Soaks by Corban Clause Williams is drawn from the work Kaalpa (Kalypa, Canning Stock Route Well 23) and explores the complexity of soaks and waterholes as the lifeblood of desert Country. Translated into a large-scale installation, the work reflects the role of these hidden water sources in sustaining people, animals and culture over millennia. Mr Clause Williams is one of the most prominent emerging artists of the younger generation at Martumili Artists.

The Language of Goolarrgon Bard by Darrell Sibosado translates traditional carved knowledge into glowing, layered artworks that honour the legacy of Kimberley design. The work acknowledges ancient trade routes and enduring connections between Western and Central Australia, honouring those who came before and affirming Mr Sibosado’s identity as a Bardman and his deep connection to Goolarrgon Country. Sibosado’s works appear in collections of the National Gallery of Australia; National Gallery of Victoria; Art Gallery of South Australia; Queensland Art Gallery of Western Australia; Fondation Opale, Lens, Switzerland; and Cartier Foundation, Paris, France.

The Language of Wati Ngintaka (Perentie Lizard Man) is a powerful installation that honours Reggie Uluru and his unbroken lineage of ancestral narratives, land-based knowledge and moral teachings carried through oral tradition. Within the installation, visitors move among multiple Perentie forms, each with its own unique markings and presence. Mr Uluru is one of the most senior living custodians and artists from Mutitjulu, whose cultural knowledge and storytelling continue to guide generations.

Activations

Arrernte Voices celebrates Arrernte as a living Central Australian language, carried through generations and continuing to shape life. Positioned throughout the festival site, illuminated language stations invite visitors to pause, listen and participate. By tapping a drum, audiences activate an Arrernte word, that appears through programmed light effects and accompanied by the spoken word in language. Visitors are encouraged to engage with language in a meaningful and accessible way.

The Language of Textiles by Nina Fitzgerald is a reimagined installation first presented in 2021. Across Central Desert communities, language is not only spoken – it is painted, woven and embedded in Country through pattern, gesture and making. For Parrtjima 2026, this is a living, visual practice is brought to life in this collaborative work that features Central Desert art centres Yarrenyty Arltere Artists, Ikuntji Artists, Bindi Mwerre Anthurre Artists, and Papunya Tjupi Arts.

Free workshops and demonstrations

From Story to Screen: Nina Fitzgerald guides participants through the fundamentals of the screen printing process before printing their own Parrtjima t-shirt.

Flavours of Country: Learn about cooking with native bush spices with a live cooking demonstration with renowned local cook and native ingredient expert Rayleen Brown.

The Art of Native Spice: This intimate workshop with Rayleen Brown explores native botanicals and bush spices. Guests will leave with their own spice jar, along with printed bush food information and interpretive notes.

Creature Makers: This soft sculpture workshop with Yarrenyty Arltere artists is a hands-on, creative workshop inviting participants to explore soft sculpture alongside artists known for their upcycled practice. Each participant receives a make-your-own kit and explores colour, texture and stitch techniques before leaving with a unique soft sculpture of their own.

Clay Stories: This workshop with artists from Hermannsburg Potters creates space to listen, make and connect. Participants leave with a sculptural piece of their own and a deeper understanding of Western Aranda culture and language.

Say it in Arrernte! This is a playful, family-friendly introduction to Arrernte language, where music, movement and storytelling come together. Designed for children and carers, by Children’s Ground, this interactive session introduces simple Arrernte words and phrases through song, repetition and shared participation.

Another program highlight is sand painting, which offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore and learn the significance of markings in sand. On selected evenings, some of the festival’s artists and respected elders will be alongside participants to share stories of their Country through drawing directly into the sand.

In addition, the markets return during the opening weekend, and much-loved festival favourites Grounded and the iconic Ranges Light Show will once again dazzle audiences over 10 nights, reimagined by Artists in Motion.

The free live music program includes Electric Fields, 3%, BARKAA, Drifting Clouds and Emma Donovan.

Parrtjima is delivered by Tourism and Events NT in partnership with We Are Gather. Free registration is available at parrtjima.com.au.

“Set against the extraordinary landscapes of the Red Centre, Parrtjima opens the door for everyone to connect and engage with Aboriginal culture in a way that stays long after the lights fade,” said Tourism and Events NT CEO Suzana Bishop.