Parrtjima has appointed acclaimed First Nations artist, designer and creative director Jacob Nash as curator for 2027, bringing one of Australia's most respected creative voices to the popular Aboriginal-led festival.
Nash's appointment will build on Parrtjima's proud legacy, bringing his renowned creative vision and experience to a festival that continues to showcase Aboriginal culture, stories and creativity in new and engaging ways.
Parrtjima will light up Mparntwe (Alice Springs) April 9-18, celebrating Aboriginal culture through contemporary art, technology and storytelling against the spectacular backdrop of the Tjoritja/MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory's Red Centre.
The festival returns amid growing international recognition for the Red Centre's immersive art scene, which was named among Lonely Planet's World's Top 25 Experiences in Best in Travel 2027, with Parrtjima highlighted as one of the region's must-see cultural attractions.
Helping shape Parrtjima's next chapter, Nash draws on an extensive career celebrating First Nations stories through art and performance.
He spent 12 years as Head of Design at Bangarra Dance Theatre, designing every production during his tenure, including Wudjang: Not the Past, Dark Emu, Terrain and Bennelong, and earning a Helpmann Award for Best Scenic Design in 2018.
Nash's career also spans theatre design for Sydney Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, Belvoir and Ilbijerri, as well as production design on Spear and both seasons of Cleverman.
He continued his commitment to First Nations storytelling as Creative Artist in Residence at Sydney Festival from 2022 to 2026, where he curated the festival's Blak Out First Nations program.
His multidisciplinary practice also includes co-directing works projected onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylon for Vivid Sydney across five years, alongside public art and nationally recognised portrait photography.
Through his independent practice, Hunt Quietly Studio, he continues to explore stories of people, culture and Country across multiple disciplines.
Further details of the Parrtjima 2027 program will be announced in the coming months.
"There's nowhere else in Australia where culture, Country and light come together like they do at Parrtjima," Nash said.
"Aunty Rhoda Roberts had a vision for a festival in the heart of Australia, a platform for First Nations artists to share their stories on Country, under the night sky. Over eleven years she brought that vision to life, showcasing artists from the Centre and beyond and carrying their work out to the world. To be entrusted with that legacy, I am deeply honoured.
"I'm looking forward to working with the Arrernte community, the Reference Group and First Nations artists from across the country, listening to what this place wants to say in 2027 and shaping a festival that speaks to the whole nation. I can't wait to get started."
Tourism and Events NT chief executive Suzana Bishop said Jacob Nash is one of Australia's most respected First Nations creatives.
"Jacob is one of Australia's most respected First Nations creatives, and his appointment brings a wealth of experience, cultural knowledge and creative vision to Parrtjima," she said.
"With the Red Centre's immersive art scene recently recognised by Lonely Planet as one of the world's top experiences for 2027, there's never been a more exciting time to discover the region's extraordinary arts and culture offering.
"With Jacob helping shape its next chapter, we look forward to building on the festival's reputation as a celebration of Aboriginal creativity and a compelling reason for visitors to experience the Red Centre."
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