2026
Explore Parrtjima 2026 and its Language theme, with new light installations, Arrernte Voices, an outdoor film dome and creative workshops.
Language shaped Parrtjima's eleventh edition, held on Arrernte Country from 10 to 19 April 2026. Across Alice Springs Desert Park, new light installations and interactive experiences invited visitors to listen, watch and participate, exploring language through spoken words as well as visual art and storytelling.
The Language of Soaks drew on Corban Clause Williams' Kaalpa artwork, creating a large-scale encounter with the desert water sources represented in his painting. Darrell Sibosado's Language of Goolarrgon Bard brought his design practice into illuminated forms, while The Language of Wati Ngintaka honoured Reggie Uluru's storytelling through glowing Perentie sculptures.
Arrernte Voices introduced language stations where tapping a drum activated a spoken word and a light display. A new outdoor Dome created space for film and animation, adding a place to pause within the festival. Nina Fitzgerald's Language of Textiles revisited an installation first presented in 2021, with contributions from Central Desert art centres.
Across the ten nights, audiences gathered for performances, families walked beneath illuminated arches and visitors took part in creative activities. Cooking demonstrations and markets also formed part of the experience, while Grounded continued to bring artwork onto the desert sand beneath the evening sky.
