NarraBRIGHT will return in 2026 with an expanded program featuring Australian lighting artists Mandylights and Illuminart, transforming Narrabri into a large-scale light installation on Friday, 10 April.
The event will expand along the Narrabri Creek Parklands, with large-scale lighting installations and projection artworks planned for the area. As part of the expansion, sections of Maitland Street, Dewhurst Street and Tibbereena Street will be closed during the event.
Narrabri Shire Mayor Darrell Tiemens said engaging nationally recognised artists marked a significant step 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.
“This is about bringing world-class creativity to Narrabri and giving our community and visitors something truly extraordinary.”
Mandylights installations at Collins Park
Mandylights will present several installations in Collins Park along the Narrabri Creek Parklands.
The Mandylights team said they are 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.
“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.”
Planned installations include:
- Starscape – A six-metre-wide tunnel featuring hundreds of individually controllable acrylic stars programmed to animate in colour.
- Laser Garden – Rotating coloured laser beams projected through theatrical fog to create an immersive light environment.
- Nura – A collaboration with Indigenous artist Warwick Keen inspired by traditional South Eastern Australian tree carvings. The installation features illuminated pillars referencing First Nations cultural designs.
- The Gallery – An installation incorporating artworks created by members of the Narrabri community.
- The River – A pathway of aqua-toned projections using animated glass effects designed to reflect movement along the creek.
Projection trail to return to Maitland Street
For the fourth consecutive year, Illuminart: Stories in Light will present projection artworks along Maitland Street.
The projections will draw on community ideas and stories to create a series of visual installations across buildings in the town centre.
Artistic Director Cindi Drennan said community collaboration remained central to the project.
“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.
“It’s exciting to bring together the collective imagination of the community with the technical and artistic flair of Illuminart’s team.”
Narrabri Shire Council said the 2026 event forms the first stage of a three-year plan to extend the festival footprint from the CBD through Collins Park and eventually to The Crossing Theatre by 2028.
General Manager Eloise Chaplain said the involvement of established lighting artists supported the event’s continued development.
“NarraBRIGHT is more than a one-night event; it is an evolving cultural experience for our region.
“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 be held on Friday, 10 April across Narrabri’s CBD and the Narrabri Creek Parklands.
The event is funded through the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program in association with Narrabri Shire Council, which secured $350,000 over three years.
Minister for Transport John Graham said:
“Too often our main streets are something we drive through, rather than drive to. As this event highlights, we can use our streets to bring communities together and drive revenue for local businesses.”
Further information, including road closures and program updates, is available at www.narrabright.com.au.
Details about the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program are available at www.transport.nsw.gov.au/openstreets.
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