REGIONAL ARTS FUND: LAVA Arts Festival
17/9/26
From 26th-28th June this year, the first biennial LAVA Arts Festival was held in Murwillumbah, NSW. Funded by The Regional Arts Fund and produced by Creative Caldera Incorporated (a dedicated group of local artists and art professionals), the festival dedicated three days to local artistic expression, collaboration, and cultural exchange. Ultimately, it brought together the Tweed community to explore and celebrate their unique identity, and shows us why funding regional arts programs is so important.
The Lava Arts Festival is a multidisciplinary arts festival based in Murwillumbah, Northern NSW and features a dynamic program including both local and visiting artists. More than 52 exhibitions and events were held over the course of the weekend, including three unique, site specific artist projects funded by the Regional Arts Fund.
One stand-out event was the WE RESPECT, WE CONNECT, WE DANCE, WE BELONG (WDWB) Workshop, facilitated by the Kinship Doobai Dancers. This was a public, participatory dance workshop and performance inviting audiences (mob and community members) to connect deeply with Country, kinship and spirit through movement.
When asked what they liked most about the festival, audiences reported that they festival made the ‘town come alive’ and attracted a significant number of visitors, with 10,000 total attendees over the weekend.
The festival also developed partnerships across the arts, business, tourism and other community groups in the local area. This helped the producers deliver the festival and create new opportunities for artists and creative practitioners across the region.
LAVA created employment and professional development opportunities for more than 200 creatives in the region through 52 exhibitions or events. These creatives developed skills in event production, project management, marketing, curation, installation, audience engagement and working with venue production. Importantly, LAVA provided a platform for artists and creative practitioners to build networks, gain visibility and develop relationships that can lead to future opportunities.
This festival, by bringing the community together, inviting visitors to Murwillumbah, and providing employment opportunities for local artists, has had a significant impact on this regional area. It ignited inspiration and creativity, celebrated the diversity of the region, and stimulated the economy, showing that funding regional arts activities through the Regional Arts Fund has a wide-ranging and ongoing impact.
LAVA Festival will be held again in 2028 and will continue to serve as a platform for artistic expression, collaboration, and cultural exchange, bringing the community together to explore and celebrating Murwillumbah’s vibrant arts scene.
Learn more: www.lava-arts.com.au
Unkle Franc at the LAVA Arts Festival, Opening Ceremony 2026. Photo by Sally Singh.
This project was supported by the Regional Arts Fund, part of the Australian Government’s Arts and Cultural Development Program managed by Regional Arts Australia. Regional Arts NSW administers this grant in NSW and is proud to have been involved in making this project happen.
Cover Image: WE RESPECT, WE CONNECT, WE DANCE, WE BELONG (WDWB) Workshop, facilitated by the Kinship Doobai Dancers at the LAVA Arts Festival 2026. Photo by Sally Singh.