Bangarra Dance Theatre wins Venice Biennale award

The Australian Bangarra Dance Theatre, comprised of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers, received the top honor at the 20th Venice Biennale Dance in July‑August 2026. The company was presented with the Gold Lion (Golden Lion) for lifetime achievement, recognizing its decades‑long effort to translate Indigenous cultural heritage into contemporary dance. The award ceremony took place in Venice’s Sala delle Colonne of Ca’ Giustinian, with Biennale director Wayne McGregor and president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco presenting the prize.

Bangarra’s signature work “Terrain”, created in 2012 by artistic director Frances Rings, was featured during the event. The piece evokes the landscape and spiritual significance of Kati Thanda‑Lake Eyre, using collective choreography, sound, and lighting to embody the land rather than depict it. The jury praised the company’s unique contemporary language that honors tradition while reaching global audiences, cementing its status as a leading Indigenous Australian artistic ensemble.