Carriageworks has announced its summer program, with events spanning art, music, dance, theatre, fashion and design from November 2026 to January 2027. The season includes the Australian premiere of David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away), an immersive exhibition running from October 22 to January 24, alongside international music acts, First Nations-led performances and design markets. The music lineup covers everything from rock to electronic, with American rock supergroup A Perfect Circle performing in Australia for the first time since 2013 on Thursday, December 10. UK electronic music brand Teletech will bring Australian act blk. and a local lineup to Carriageworks on Saturday, December 19. Curated by The Presets, Foreverafter will feature Cut Copy, Ladyhawke, Bag Raiders, Bang Gang DJs, FUKHED and more on Saturday, January 23. On Saturday, January 30, Melbourne electronic producer SWIM will perform with a full orchestra. For theatre and cabaret, Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett brings circus, aerial acts, live music and outrageous comedy to Carriageworks from Thursday, October 8 to Sunday, November 8. Dance and performance bring First Nations storytelling and contemporary choreography to Carriageworks this summer. NAISDA marks its 50th anniversary with Practice. Process. Protocol., a full-day symposium-in-action exploring how First Nations and non-Indigenous artists can work together while respecting cultural authority, story and protocol, on Saturday, November 21. From Thursday, November 26 to Saturday, November 28, NAISDA presents Goeyga Buya. Banal. Djarrawawuy: Sun Cycle, a dance work following the sun from sunrise to sunset, featuring NAISDA's Developing and Practising Artists alongside cultural song and dance from Moa Island in the Torres Strait and the Dätiwuy Clan of North East Arnhem Land. In January, Sydney Festival's Dance Reflections program brings three contemporary dance works to Carriageworks. Belgian choreographer Cassiel Gaube's Soirée d'études draws on house dance, with three dancers exploring its rhythms and movement on Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10. From Saturday, January 9 to Monday, January 11, choreographers Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Radouan Mriziga put a new spin on Vivaldi's The Four Seasons with Il Cimento dell'Armonia e dell'Inventione, connecting the music to changing seasons and humanity's relationship with nature. Marrugeku's world premiere of Ngurragabu runs from Wednesday, January 20 to Saturday, January 23, imagining a future shaped by environmental destruction through dance, immersive projections and a set inspired by a petrified mangrove forest. Fashion, design and collecting get their own dates on the Carriageworks calendar. The Finders Keepers Sydney Design Market returns from Friday, November 13 to Sunday, November 15, bringing together independent designers and makers. The University of Sydney Graduate Show runs from Thursday, December 3 to Saturday, December 5, showcasing the next wave of design talent. Affordable Art Fair runs from Thursday, November 5 to Sunday, November 8, with works available to buy, while The Hobby Hangout XL Sydney brings more than 500 vendors selling trading cards and entertainment collectibles to Carriageworks on Sunday, November 1. David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) Thursday, October 22 marks the Australian premiere of David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away), an immersive experience created by David Hockney and Lightroom London. The exhibition explores six decades of the artist's work through 360-degree visuals, sound and storytelling, narrated by Hockney himself and featuring an original score by Nico Muhly. THE WORKS THE WORKS returns across December and January with six warehouse music events presented by Finely Tuned. The series opens on Saturday, December 5, with Pegassi, a Belgian DJ known for high-energy sets that fuse techno, trance and eurodance. On New Year's Eve, Thursday, December 31, house music heavyweight Armand Van Helden takes over, bringing dancefloor anthems including 'You Don't Know Me' and 'My, My, My'. The January lineup continues with Rossi., Dean Turnley and Jamback on Wednesday, January 6 and Sam Alfred b2b Job Jobse on Thursday, January 7. On Friday, January 8 you can catch UK electronic act Overmono, made up of brothers Tom and Ed Russell, who are known for their breakbeat-driven sound and collaborations with artists including Joy Orbison and Fred again. And on Saturday, January 9, Dutch DJ and producer KI/KI will bring her high-energy blend of hard trance and acid techno to the stage, with pounding four-to-the-floor beats and euphoric melodies that channel the rebellious spirit of '90s rave culture. All six events are for ages 18 and over. SOUTHEAST Aboriginal Arts Market The SOUTHEAST Aboriginal Arts Market returns on Saturday, November 28 and Sunday, November 29, curated by Wiradyuri and Kamilaroi artist Jonathan Jones. This year, 28 independent Aboriginal artists and collectives will offer traditional and contemporary artworks for sale, including ceramics, jewellery, weaving, carving, textiles, photography, paintings and prints. All proceeds go directly to the artists, making the market a way to support their work while exploring creative practices from across New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania. It's one of several First Nations events this summer, alongside the NAISDA and new work from Indigenous intercultural dance company Marrugeku. Wake in Fright From Wednesday, December 2 to Saturday, December 19, Zahra Newman leads Griffin Theatre Company's solo adaptation of Kenneth Cook's novel Wake in Fright, directed by Declan Greene and staged in Bay 20, Sydney's home for independent storytelling. The play follows a teacher stranded in an outback town, with Newman taking on every character in the production. Carriageworks Twilight Christmas Market On Tuesday, December 22, the Carriageworks Farmers Market swaps its usual Saturday morning setting for an evening edition. The Carriageworks Twilight Christmas Market brings together seasonal produce, food gifts and entertaining essentials just days before Christmas. The regular Carriageworks Farmers Market continues every Saturday until December 19, with produce including cherries, watermelon and fresh seafood. Fresh-cut Dural Christmas trees will also be available over three consecutive weekends from Saturday, November 28. The market takes a short summer break before returning on Saturday, January 16, 2027. Plan your summer and explore the full program. Images: Supplied
