Monash University has announced the inaugural programme for Kindred People, a major Indigenous‑led festival set to take place on Boonwurrung Country.

Running from 1 – 5 Sept 2026, Kindred People brings together First Nations artists, Elders, Knowledge Holders and communities from Australia and across the world. The programme spans performance, music, visual art, ceremony and knowledge exchange.

Guided by senior Boonwurrung Elder Professor N’arwee’t Carolyn Briggs AM, Creative Director Tom Molyneux (Gunditjmara) and an Indigenous Steering Committee, the festival reflects Monash’s commitment to Indigenous leadership, collaboration and cultural exchange, in line with the University’s Impact 2030 strategy.

A multi‑artform programme grounded in culture, knowledge exchange, and creativity

Kindred People brings contemporary artistic practice into dialogue with ceremony and cultural knowledge, creating a programme that is both globally connected and grounded in place.

Audiences can expect a range of experiences, from large‑scale theatre and dance works to intimate performances, live music, experimental sound, and visual art.

The festival is anchored by Tanderrum dambali, a ceremony welcoming audiences to Boonwurrung Country. At its centre is Kummargi yulendj gadhaba (knowledge rising up together), a two‑day knowledge exchange bringing together First Nations thinkers, artists and community leaders. Further details on speakers will be announced soon.

World premieres and major performances

The programme includes new commissions and premieres that highlight Monash’s role in supporting Indigenous‑led creative work.

The Scarecrow & Waa, a new work by Na Djinang Circus, is a Blak comedic circus tragedy exploring themes of inheritance, responsibility and renewal. Supported by a major commission from Monash, and developed in stages over the last two years, the work will have its world premiere in the George Jenkins Theatre, Monash Peninsula Campus.

Decolonising the Bells, by Noongar composer Aaron Wyatt and Speak Percussion, reimagines Federation Handbells through immersive sound, critically examining the symbolism of commemoration. It is another world premiere occurring at Kindred People, using the world-leading acoustic technology in the David Li Sound Gallery at Clayton Campus.

The festival also presents the Victorian premiere of Australian Dance Theatre’s Two Blood 雙血, alongside acclaimed international works including He Huia Kaimanawa (Aotearoa/New Zealand) and UPU, an award‑winning Pasifika theatre production which sold out during its season at the Sydney Opera House.

Music and visual art

Music and visual art are central to the programme.

Highlights include a performance by Guguyelandji and Woppaburra blues legend Marlene Cummins at The Count’s, and a free concert by Shellie Morris in collaboration with Monash students from the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance.

At the Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA) on the Caulfield campus, the exhibition Syncretic Wilds: Phasmahammer and Natasha Tontey presents works exploring speculative futures and Indigenous storytelling across Southeast Asia. The exhibition reflects on global Indigenous histories, bringing together two distinctive strategies of resistance across the Indo-Pacific region through visual art, united by a playful intermingling of futurism and ancestral cosmologies.

A gathering for community and connection

Kindred People concludes with Djeembana yalinwa (Community Day) at Clayton, featuring live music, Blak‑owned market stalls and a free concert headlined by internationally celebrated electronic music duo Electric Fields.

Across the programme, the festival creates opportunities for connection, reflection and engagement with Indigenous creativity.

The full programme is now available, with tickets on sale at: kindredpeople.monash.edu