Incoming Perth Festival artistic director Anna Reece knew she had achieved something special when she started seeing dogs accompanying their owners to the cultural hub at the East Perth Power Station. For Reece, this was the ultimate sign that the city had truly embraced the festival.
A City Rediscovering Itself
"When I started seeing dogs rock up to the power station, I was like 'This is it'," Reece says about her inaugural Perth Festival experience leading the event. "Perth really showed up... that's ultimately the success of a festival."
She explains that the goal was to create spaces where people would gather simply to be together, not necessarily for ticketed events, but to experience their city in a new light and share that pride with family, neighbours, and even their pets. The strategy proved remarkably successful, with the festival attracting its youngest and most diverse audience in history.
Despite the triumph, Reece admits she initially felt terror about whether the decommissioned power station would work as a venue, a familiar fear she previously experienced while working on the 2015 Giants installation that ultimately flooded Perth's streets with crowds.
The 2026 Festival Program Takes Shape
Now looking ahead to Perth Festival 2026, running from February 6 to March 1, Reece is preparing for the return of the East Perth Power Station with added dog-friendly amenities while announcing an ambitious program featuring:
- 13 Perth Festival commissions
- 20 world premieres
- 9 Australian premieres
Festivalgoers can expect to encounter art in unexpected locations across the city, from St Mary's Cathedral and Perth Town Hall to riverside spots and under the expansive night sky.
"People come to a festival because of something that they want to see, but they leave changed by something they didn't even know they needed to see," says Reece, who is the first WA-born artistic director in the festival's history.
Building on Solid Foundations
Reece emphasises that the most successful festivals emerge from a genuine desire to bring communities together, pointing to the festival's origins with the University of Western Australia aimed at making Perth a great place for students and the broader community.
"When there's a deep intent there, that a festival is created for everybody rather than as a marketing gimmick, then we've really got solid bones," she says.
As she prepares for her second year leading the festival, Reece aims to be more present, having described her 2025 experience as somewhat out-of-body as she intently watched Perth respond to the program.
"I just love watching this city that I'm from rediscover itself," she says, noting that she often positions herself at the back of events to take in the full experience of people engaging with art throughout the city.
Perth Festival 2026 runs from February 6 to March 1, with the full program and tickets available at perthfestival.com.au.
