Darwin's streets have become even more colourful following the completion of the 2026 Darwin Street Art Festival (DSAF), marking a decade of transforming the city through public art.
As part of the 2026 festival, eight new permanent murals by Indigenous artists, two pop-up walls, and a mural in an exhibition gallery were completed, expanding the First Nations contributions to Darwin's outdoor gallery into new corners of the city, and creating two new walkable Indigenous art precincts.
The 2026 program included the creation of two new Indigenous art trails through Charles Darwin University and the Darwin Airport Resort, while building on existing mural precincts that have become part of the city's cultural identity.
The Darwin Airport Resorts trail brings together five large-scale murals by Indigenous artists across the Airport Resort precinct, connecting four existing works alongside a newly completed mural by Larrakia and Mayali artist Keelan Fejo.
The work - Manimunak Narmangol Gujokenor (Magpie Geese and Barra in the Wet) - marks the final piece of the Airport Indigenous Art Trail, transforming the precinct into an accessible, open-air gallery that showcases art to travellers in Darwin from the moment they arrive.
Larrakia and Mayali artist Keelan Fejo with his artwork featured across the Airport Resort precinct. (Image: supplied)
At the Charles Darwin University campus in Casuarina, three powerful works by First Nations artists are now on display within 200m of each other.
A collaboration by NT artist Rhenz and Larrakia artist Jason Lee towers over the entrance to the University, the incredible 'big mob storm' by FullColdBlood is just around the corner, and a work by the CDU First Nations Training and Teacher Education Hub director, Ris Pickalla, welcomes people at the bus stop.
These works are both Ris and FullColdBlood's first public murals.
"I feel extremely lucky to be given the opportunity to do the first mural of my career in Darwin, through the Darwin Street Art Festival," FullColdBlood said.
"It had always been one of my goals being an emerging artist, to do what I love on a big scale - having the support and trust from the DSAF team really gave me the best possible outcome, especially as someone starting an art career in their late 20s with no formal art background.
"It really is an eye opener for creatives, especially in places like Darwin, that your hobby doesn't have to stay a hobby."
In Parap's Vimy Lane, artwork by Bobbi Lockyer, Skye Lockyer, and a mural designed by Tjupi Artist Doris Bush Nungarrayi, in collaboration with Laundry Gallery, has also been completed this year.
"We were so proud to facilitate this incredible collaboration between Tjupi Arts and the Darwin Street Art Festival as part of Doris' solo exhibition at the Gallery," said Nina Fitzgerald, owner of Aboriginal Art Gallery, Laundry Gallery.
"It feels fitting that Doris' stories now dance across the walls of the city - carrying forward a legacy that began with the first Papunya murals more than fifty years ago."
The DSAF also collaborated with Red Dust to give opportunities to local emerging artists, which resulted in an incredible pop-up wall co-designed with Garawa Designs, at the Darwin Waterfront.
As part of the 10th edition of the festival, the Darwin Street Art Festival also collaborated with the Northern Centre for Contemporary Art to showcase the history of Modern Murals and Graffiti in the Northern Territory, for which Larrakia Artists Gindy Legs painted a stunning Bilawara design directly onto the gallery wall.
Darwin's mural collection has now reached a total of 167 permanent works, up 135 per cent from 71 just five years ago - which has helped establish the Darwin Street Art Festival as one of the Northern Territory's most significant public art initiatives.
The Darwin Street Art Festival is proudly supported by Tourism & Events NT.
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