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Step into an intimate, soul-stirring journey with Gold Lust to Gold Dust — a one-woman fusion of poetry and song. Weaving themes of pleasure, ageing, and the art of filling life’s cracks with gold, this show is a tender, playful, and powerful reflection on change, resilience, and self-discovery. It’s a toast to the wild highs...
A show about love, bondage, and infinite possums. Internationally-touring comedian Jez Watts returns with a brand-new hour! Hot off the heels of his first full-length special White-Rice Supreme (watch it on YouTube now) this is all new dirty jokes, bits and stories. From narrowly avoiding detention by US customs, avoiding military prison, and the most...
One of Australia’s most in-demand comedians is back with a brand-new show. This will sell out. This is an hour of stand up that’s been forged in the fire — years of dodgy gigs, sticky floors, and the kind of life lessons you don’t get from a TED Talk. Julia has lived a life that...
If the body keeps the score, maybe sex can set us free. Be guided through the healing possibilities of sex by critically-acclaimed comedian, experienced sex worker, renowned slut, and most importantly, pedantic freak: Neptune Henriksen. In this deeply dark stripped-down comedy (all puns intended), Neptune explores treating their Developmental Trauma with medicinal cannabis and sex;...
The Songs We Carry is an intimate, stripped back music show built around shared history and the songs that last. Caiti Baker and Kuya James first made music together as Sietta, releasing a celebrated debut album and touring extensively. Years later, after releasing multiple solo records, they return to the stage in a small-room setting to...
Vinyl Stories explores the stories, interpretations and musical forces that shaped the lives of 3 people of the Territory. Each performer will select songs on vinyl record that impacted them earlier in life and will share what this meant to them and their story. We will share a listening space with music from vinyl records....
Ever had a dream so big it felt a little... delulu? In her debut solo show, Irish-born, Territory-adopted comedian, RJ Carey, takes you on a hilarious and heartfelt journey from the rain-soaked fields of rural Ireland to the sun-scorched landscapes of remote Australia. This is a story about leaving one world behind and building another,...
Following our successful appearance in the Fringe last year, out Top End Wordsmiths continue to develop new, divergent, and unique views of the world around us. Our development continues through creative writing and performing workshops here in Darwin as well in our own creative work. The Fringe provides us with the opportunity to bring these...
Welcome to a warm, intimate night of queer storytelling celebrating the voices, creativity and lived experiences of local LGBTQIA+ writers. Born from Queer Writes workshops, held each month in the Top End, this event brings together emerging queer storytellers who have been crafting original work in a supportive and collaborative community space. Expect a delightful...
After its triumphant season at Darwin Festival 2025, Purple Plastic Māori returns to where the journey began for one extraordinary evening. In Purple Plastic Māori: An Exclusive Audience With Shalom Kaa, Shalom invites a limited audience into an elegant and intimate reflection on the seven-year evolution of the acclaimed work before it embarks on its...
A wee celebration for a mighty poet. Join us for a Burns Night, an ode to Robert Burns — complete with a dram of whisky on arrival, tartan encouraged, and a cheeky toast (or three) to the Bard of Ayrshire. Your ticket includes: 🥃 A welcome dram of whisky 🎶 Live piper 🍕 Haggis, neeps...
Ready to blush? Come laugh at our worst jokes. Mr.Trollope presents “The bad guys” ready to laugh at our most raunchy material. This show presents some of Darwin’s best comedians. All proceeds from this show will be donated to Darwin fringe festival. Pay what you can or make a hearty donation. It’s totally up to...
Could you be the next Australia Poetry Slam Champion? The Darwin Slam heat and Top End final combined guarantees a night where voices ignite the dry season air. All you need is 2 minutes of your original work - ok maybe 4 minutes. How it works: Entrants have 2 minutes in round 1 to impress...
Everyone expects it to happen, but no one wants to pay for it. There's an extreme divide in the way arts are valued. We can't live without it but at this rate we can't live on it. Back again for 2026, at a time when the world seems to be all about absolutes and division,...
Our annual Zine and Digital Art fair returns to the beautiful Brown’s Mart courtyard. Get your hands on a range of handmade and limited edition goodies. Featuring reads from local creatives and beyond. Check back to this web page for updates to the lineup in the lead up or apply today. Lineup to be...
What's a sexy syllable? How do lyrebirds seduce a mate? And what happens to cassette tapes when they're left unplayed for fifty years? Join Jess Ong as she quizzes award-winning author Johanna Bell about her latest book 'Department of the Vanishing'. Set in a time of mass extinction, ‘Department of the Vanishing’ blends documentary poetry,...
Inspired by London’s SpitNights and Groove Verse comes Under Skin – a variety show of music, spoken word and visual artistry that crackles with live, improvised energy and dives deep into what moves beneath the surface. Responding to the theme, poets bring a spectrum of voices, styles and experience, but don’t rehearse with the band...
AI is disrupting creative practice, challenging traditional ideas of authorship, originality and artistic labour. What does it mean for emerging artists trying to build sustainable careers in an increasingly uncertain landscape? Together, we'll examine questions of ethics, ownership and the value of human creativity in a rapidly changing cultural environment. Back again for 2026, at...
What comes first: the ‘art’ or the ‘audience’? This evening Critical Conversations gives the platform to commercial comedians who consider risk, audience and art and the ability to pay their bills when they create their shows. Like a punchier version of Sliding Doors, 3 comedians will share material they create with their audiences in mind...
A thought-provoking session about the importance of honest, constructive feedback in artistic development - and why it matters for a strong and thriving arts sector. When you've spent too long looking at your own work, it can be difficult to see it with fresh eyes. Thoughtful feedback can help identify what isn’t working, strengthen what...