Get ready to be amazed, delighted, inspired, surprised and moved by BLEACH* - the Gold Coast’s very own and much-loved contemporary arts festival with a twist. BLEACH* will be held from August 3rd – 13th with performances, pop ups, installations, workshops and concerts happening all over our seaside city. The program includes more than 300 artists across 38 free and ticketed events and captures the essence of the Gold Coast, highlighting the rich and diverse fabric that connects people to place. Site specific performances pop up, from the North to the South, with community gatherings and cultural hubs in between. Here are some highlights from the jam-packed BLEACH* 2023 program. Be sure to experience it for yourself - this event is truly one of a kind.
North Burleigh Hub
The bustling North Burleigh Hub is located beach side at Ed Hardy Park, with an array of free and eclectic events, live music, and theatrical performances, curated to engage and interact with the audience. There’s an engaging and illuminated light playscape from local creators Pulse/Connect. Get your music fix at one of 10 Minute Dance Parties and Live Music Stage where local artists will be performing across both weekends of the festival. (4 - 8 pm Friday, 12 - 8pm Saturday and Sunday.)
As the sun sets on the festival on August 13th, the inaugural Last Light - Tower Divas delivers a mystical performance of song, sound healing and sacred rituals, choreographed by Corrina Bonshek and various artists.
Last Light - Tower Divas
Broadbeach Hub
The new and exciting Broadbeach Hub is a welcome addition to this year’s program, as BLEACH* expands its cultural footprint across the city. Centrally located at 61 Sunsine Boulevard in Mermaid Waters, expect the unexpected as the fringe program crosses the divide, with performances that include drag, cabaret and spoken word- plus a whole lot more.
Performed from barge on Nerang River, River Song is a program of live music. The audience will be captivated by song, through a set of wireless headphones, as a host of incredible musicians create an intimate sound experience with the Gold Coast's natural beauty as a stage. The BLEACH* house band bring the beats to the Broadbeach Hub, with a stellar line up of local musicians including the soulful Mohini Cox and talented saxophonist Martha Baartz. And be sure to catch QAHWA for a unique celebration of Lebanese sound with ARIA award musician James Tawadros and Mohammed Leo in a magical open air venue.
Dani Cabs in Poncho: Keep It Up
Bring the Kids
There’s a wonderful array of family friendly events to enjoy at BLEACH* so be sure to bring the kids along for some very cool cultural experiences. Monster Trucks is a fluid art gallery curated by local artist Dion Parker, influenced by Stephen King's horror story, where trucks take over the human world. Don't worry though, these trucks are people friendly and will inspire delight from little people as they roam the Gold Coast streets.
Created by the colourful dance troupe Everybody NOW, Roller Coaster is a music theatre production with humour and heart. Based on real stories, this action-packed skating spectacle celebrates hope and how the rough and tumble ride of life on wheels can save you, just when you need it the most. It’s a ticketed show complete with an energetic live band, held on HOTA's incredible outdoor stage.
Monster Trucks. Image: Peter Mathew
First Nations Celebrations
As the sun rises on Burleigh Beach for the launch of the festival on August 3rd, Kalkadunga man William Barton and violinist Veronique Serret weave poetry with the spiritual sounds of didgeridoo to create songlines, inspired by the Australian landscape. Aunty Delmae Barton (Wiliiam’s mother) welcomes people to the land, with her deep and soulful vocals.
First Nation artist, Lisa Sorbie Martin, has been commissioned by BLEACH* to create an instillation that connects the community. The vibrant flags of It's a Celebration will be threaded across Burleigh, creating an outdoor gallery and a sense of place.
As part of the River Song on the Nerang River, musical duo Yirinda will perform from a floating barge, blending ancient language with mesmerizing harmonies. A mesmerizing collaboration between Butchella man Fred Leone and contrabassist Samuel Pankhurst.
Alfresco Music
Choose from an array of live music dotted around the city in beautiful outdoor venues from rustic rural sheds to the shady Botanical Gardens. Historic sheds on private properties throughout the Currumbin Valley will swing open their barn doors, to an array of live music. The Acoustic Life of Sheds is a musical adventure where audience members take a road trip to four different shed venues, culminating in a picnic feast at Currumbin Valley Harvest.
The Gold Coast Regional Botanic Gardens in Benowa is the backdrop for a series of live music events throughout BLEACH* from the Botanic Melodies to songstress Katie Noonan’s show Blue, celebrating 50 years of Joni Mitchell.
For an event where you can make music yourself, head to the North Burleigh Hub for a drumming workshop by Heartbeats - get up and dance to the beat of the drum as stories of love and adversity are told throughout the music, with the ocean as the backdrop.
Keen to check out more Gold Coast events? Check out our What's On page.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Destination Gold Coast acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we are situated, the Kombumerri families of the Yugambeh Language Region.
We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, and recognise their continuing connections to the lands, waters and their extended communities throughout Southeast Queensland.