NarraBRIGHT 2026 is set to deliver its most ambitious and immersive program yet, with leading Australian lighting artists Mandylights and Illuminart engaged to transform Narrabri into a spectacular fantasy landscape on Friday, April 10.
Building on the event’s growing reputation, this year’s expanded footprint along the Narrabri Creek Parklands will showcase large-scale installations and projection artworks rarely seen in regional communities.
This expansion means not only will part of Maitland Street be closed for the event in 2026 but also parts of Dewhurst and Tibbereena Streets.
Narrabri Shire mayor, Darrell Tiemens, said the calibre of artists engaged for 2026 marks a significant step forward for the event.
“NarraBRIGHT continues to grow each year, and in 2026 we are elevating the experience with nationally recognised lighting artists who specialise in immersive, large-scale works,” Cr Tiemens said.
“This is about bringing world-class creativity to Narrabri and giving our community and visitors something truly extraordinary.”
Mandylights: Transforming the Narrabri Creek parklands
Renowned for their immersive light environments across Australia, Mandylights will transform Collins Park into a glowing riverside wonderland.
A Mandylights spokesperson said the team is excited to be part of NarraBRIGHT 2026.
“Mandylights is thrilled to be in Narrabri and for the chance to have our art displayed in such a beautiful riverside location,” the spokesperson said.
“It’s always exciting to be able to help transform a local park and reinvent its appearance at nighttime, and we hope that everyone gets the chance to see a small part of their hometown in a new light.”
The installations
Starscape: A six-metre-wide tunnel of hundreds of individually controllable acrylic stars, programmed to animate in brilliant, saturated colour.
Laser Garden: Thousands of slowly rotating coloured laser beams cutting through theatrical fog to create a fully immersive light environment.
Nura: A powerful collaboration with Indigenous artist Warwick Keen, inspired by traditional South Eastern Australian tree carvings. Meaning place or country in Gadigal language, the illuminated pillars form an outdoor gallery of First Nations memory and design.
The Gallery: A bespoke installation featuring artworks from the Narrabri community, brought to life through animated colour and light.
The River: A mesmerising pathway of aqua-toned projections, created using shimmering, morphing glass animation, evoking continual movement along the creek.
Together, the installations will create a layered and interactive fantasy realm along the Narrabri Creek Parklands, encouraging visitors to explore, linger and experience familiar spaces in entirely new ways.
Illuminart: Projection Art Meets Community Storytelling
For the fourth consecutive year, Illuminart: Stories in Light will transform Maitland Street into a dynamic projection art trail.
Blending real and imagined worlds, each projection forms part of a living narrative shaped by local stories, ideas and perspectives, resulting in an evocative re-envisioning of Narrabri’s cultural heart.
Artistic director, Cindi Drennan, said the creative collaboration with community remains central to the work.
“We’re inspired by the creative genius that emerges when the community shares their fanciful, dreamlike ideas, which are interpreted into fantasies that reflect Narrabri’s vision,” Ms Drennan said.
“It’s exciting to bring together the collective imagination of the community with the technical and artistic flair of Illuminart’s team.”
The 2026 projection program will create a whimsical and enchanting portrait of Narrabri, where reality and fantasy merge, and everyday buildings become layered, magical and filled with hidden stories.
NarraBRIGHT 2026 continues its strategic expansion, marking the first stage of a three-year vision to connect the CBD through Collins Park and ultimately to The Crossing Theatre by 2028.
Narrabri Shire general manager, Eloise Chaplain, said the engagement of nationally recognised lighting specialists demonstrates Council’s commitment to growing the event sustainably and ambitiously.
“NarraBRIGHT is more than a one-night event; it is an evolving cultural experience for our region,” she said.
“By partnering with leaders in projection art and immersive lighting, we are ensuring the event continues to grow in scale, quality and impact.”
NarraBRIGHT 2026 will take place on Friday, April 10, transforming Narrabri’s CBD and the Narrabri Creek Parklands into a glowing fantasy world of light, art and shared experience.
NarraBRIGHT is proudly funded by the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program in association with Narrabri Shire Council, with Council securing $350,000 in funding over three years.
Minister for Transport, John Graham, said too often main streets are something driven through, rather than driven to.
“As this event highlights, we can use our streets to bring communities together and drive revenue for local businesses,” Mr Graham said.
For program updates, road closures and visitor information, visit NarraBRIGHT 2026.
For more information about the Open Streets program, visit: Open Streets.
