Across Canberra, older people are quietly and powerfully shaping our cultural life.
They are painters, singers, dancers, storytellers, photographers, gardeners, makers and mentors. They carry memory, skill and imagination, and they continue to create not in spite of age, but because of it.
From Friday 20 March to Sunday 29 March 2026, that creativity will take centre stage when UPSTAGEING Canberra, the ACT’s first large-scale Creative Ageing Arts Festival, arrives across the region.
Proudly presented by COTA ACT, UPSTAGEING Canberra is a ten-day celebration of creativity in later life, featuring performances, exhibitions, workshops and shared experiences created by older people and for the whole community.
This is not a festival where older people sit quietly in the audience.
This is a festival where they lead, make, perform, teach and inspire.
A festival that will unfold across Canberra
Rather than being held in a single venue, UPSTAGEING Canberra will unfold across neighbourhoods, halls, studios, sheds, galleries, libraries and community spaces throughout the ACT.
The program will span theatre, visual arts, music, dance, film and hands-on making, with a strong focus on participation, accessibility and joy. Some events will be intimate and reflective, others lively and celebratory. All will centre the creative contribution of older Canberrans.
Whether you are an arts lover, a community organiser, a carer, a grandchild, or simply someone who believes creativity belongs at every age, there will be something to experience, watch, join or discover.
Why creative ageing matters
Research consistently shows that creative participation in later life supports wellbeing, social connection, cognitive health and a sense of purpose. Creative ageing is not about “keeping busy”. It is about expression, agency and belonging.
UPSTAGEING Canberra embraces that philosophy wholeheartedly. It recognises older people as cultural contributors, not as an afterthought, and creates space for their stories, skills and perspectives to be seen and celebrated.
The festival is supported by Arcare Aged Care, whose sponsorship helps ensure that creativity remains accessible and that cost is not a barrier to participation.
What to expect
Across the ten days of UPSTAGEING Canberra, the community can expect to see:
- Performances created and performed by older artists
- Exhibitions showcasing visual art, photography, textiles and craft
- Workshops inviting people to make, move, sing and share together
- Storytelling and heritage projects rooted in place and memory
- Intergenerational activities connecting younger and older Canberrans
- Creative experiences popping up in familiar and unexpected locations
Some events will invite you to sit and watch. Many will invite you to take part.
Mark your calendar
📅 UPSTAGEING Canberra
🗓 Friday 20 March – Sunday 29 March 2026
📍 Across the ACT
Full program details will be released closer to the festival, with events happening in local communities right across Canberra.
For now, the invitation is simple: save the date.
Because creativity does not have an expiry date, and our city is richer when we make space for every generation to be seen, heard and celebrated.
To learn more and stay updated as the program is announced, visit the UPSTAGEING Canberra website.
Sometimes, the most powerful stories are not loud.
They simply need a stage.
