As Blacktown Arts enters a new chapter following the closure of The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre, our commitment to creativity, connection and opportunity across western Sydney remains!
Our 2026 program has a strong focus on artist and community opportunities, including Magnify: Live Arts, Blacktown City Creative Arts Fund and the Blacktown Shorts Film Festival. We’re also expanding engagement in the digital space through programs such as Digital Stories and the Blacktown Arts Digital Artist in Residence program, creating new ways for artists and audiences to engage and connect.
As the year unfolds, we look forward to welcoming both familiar and new faces as we continue to shape this next chapter together.
See full program below.
Image: Film still from ‘One Degree of Separation’, by Justin Cueno and Nicole Yagdulas, 2026, courtesy of artist
To celebrate the 2026 NAIDOC Week's theme of '50 Years of Deadly' and also acknowledge local Elder Uncle Danny Eastwood’s profound impact on the arts, culture and community of Blacktown, the iconic Rainbow Serpent makes it journey across the Max Webber Library Windows.
We kick off 2026’s edition of Digital stories with Filipino-Australian local photographer and videographer, Justin Cueno.
Applications have closed. Blacktown Short Film Festival is back for 2026! The fbi.radio award winning program is seeking short film proposals from western Sydney filmmakers.
Calling all local artists and creatives! Have an arts and cultural project that you want to bring to life? The Blacktown City Creative Arts Fund is back for 2026!
This program encourages artists to experiment with new ideas, become part of a cohort of fellow residents, and be supported by guest mentors and the Blacktown Arts team.
Coming soon! Learn how to craft paper garlands in the comfort of your own home, follow along as Monica Rani Rudhar shows each step of her process, turning simple materials into a gift for a friend or an adornment in your home.
The Blacktown Arts Digital Artist in Residence program invites an artist for a 3-month online residency to develop a digital artwork to be presented online.
The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre is closed.
Blacktown Arts supports artists through annual opportunities across prizes, exhibitions, funding opportunities, and studio spaces for local creatives.
Explore Blacktown City’s rich arts and cultural collections.
Blacktown City’s annual acquisitive art prize open to artists across Australia, with a prize pool of over $23,500.