For many Australians, National Reconciliation Week arrives each year with a familiar set of conversations around acknowledgment, awareness and allyship. But increasingly, awareness alone no longer feels sufficient.
We can no longer blame a lack of education around First Nations histories and issues — only our willingness, or unwillingness, to keep learning.
Running from May 27 to June 3, National Reconciliation Week marks two significant milestones in Australia’s history: the 1967 referendum and the High Court’s landmark Mabo decision. More than a symbolic observance, it remains an annual call to action — a reminder that reconciliation is not passive, performative, or confined to a single week on the calendar.
This year’s theme, All In, asks Australians to move beyond gestures and commit actively and wholeheartedly to reconciliation in everyday life. Because meaningful change doesn’t happen in isolation, nor does it rest solely on the shoulders of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
For businesses and organisations, that may mean interrogating whether diversity commitments extend beyond surface-level statements.
For individuals, the actions can seem smaller, but they matter no less: listening to First Nations voices, engaging respectfully, reflecting on Australia’s histories, speaking up when it counts, and remaining open to discomfort and learning.
National Reconciliation Week also offers an opportunity to celebrate and connect through storytelling, art, music, workshops, film screenings and community events taking place across the country.
Below, the events, exhibitions and experiences helping Australians go All In this National Reconciliation Week.
NSW
The First Inventors Documentary Screening
Drop by the Jones St foyer in UTS Building 2 during National Reconciliation Week (May 27 – June 3) for screenings of The First Inventors, the acclaimed series directed by Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt.
Exploring over 65,000 years of First Nations innovation, the series uncovers the science, storytelling and ingenuity behind the world’s oldest living culture. Episodes screen hourly from 10am–5pm on weekdays, alongside a mini exhibition inspired by the series. Entry is free and walk-ins are welcome, however you can book tickets here.
Sing With Barayagal Choir
Celebrate with a special performance and interactive singing workshop led by Barayagal Choir at Green Square Library. Open to all ages and backgrounds, the event takes place from 6:30-7:30pm on May 28, inviting attendees to learn about First Nations culture, stories and song through a collective performance of Beds Are Burning — Midnight Oil’s iconic anthem calling for justice and reconciliation.
Hosted as part of Reconciliation Australia’s 25th anniversary celebrations, the free workshop welcomes everyone to sing alongside communities participating across the country.
You can book tickets here.
Bridge Tenant Art Show 2026
Held at Mothership Studios during National Reconciliation Week, Bridge Housing’s 2026 Tenant Art Show celebrates 10 years of community storytelling through art.
Curated by Dennis Golding, the exhibition showcases works by social housing residents exploring connections to home, culture, Country and community. Featuring poster artwork by Aunty Jenny Thomsen King, the free exhibition offers a powerful reflection on lived experience and local creativity.
Tickets can be booked here.
QLD
Shields: Design & Functionality Exhibition
Join the team at UQ Anthropology Museum for daily guided tours of Shields: Design and Functionality during National Reconciliation Week. Featuring 133 Aboriginal shields alongside contemporary works inspired by traditional designs, the exhibition explores shared histories, cultural connections and Indigenous artistic practices.
Running from May 27 to June 3, the tours offer a thoughtful opportunity to engage with First Nations storytelling, craftsmanship and living cultural traditions. Entry is free, and you can book tickets here.
The Dreaming Collective Reconciliation Breakfast 2026
Hosted by The Dreaming Collective at Pier 33, this year’s National Reconciliation Week Breakfast brings together community, business and government leaders to reflect on meaningful action towards reconciliation.
The morning will feature a Welcome to Country by Uncle Lyndon Davis, live music from Al Bartholomew and a keynote address by Natalie Williams, a proud Kamilaroi and Gubbi Gubbi woman and founder of Stori.Rise. Tickets are $66pp, and can be purchased here.
Meals For The Mob
Hosted by SecondBite and FareShare, Meals for the Mob offers a hands-on volunteering experience, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities facing food insecurity. Across a 3.5-hour kitchen session, participants help prepare and pack culturally appropriate meals while learning about the ongoing impact of food insecurity within First Nations communities.
Designed for corporate groups, the initiative combines practical action with education, encouraging teams to engage meaningfully with reconciliation through community care and collective impact. Running May 25 to June 9, from 8:30am–4pm daily, ticketing information can be found here.
VIC
Light Up For National Reconciliation Week
Each evening during National Reconciliation Week, Fed Square will illuminate in pink, light blue and light green to honour two pivotal moments in Australia’s reconciliation journey: the 1967 referendum and Mabo Day.
Together, they recognise the fight for First Nations rights, citizenship, recognition and the landmark Native Title decision that overturned terra nullius.
Mabo Day Concert
Celebrate Mabo Day (annually observed on June 3 to commemorate the life of Eddie Koiki Mabo) with an evening of live music, cultural performances and community at Fed Square’s The Edge, taking place from 6pm – 8:30pm.
Honouring the legacy of Eddie Koiki Mabo and the landmark decision that overturned terra nullius, the free event will feature Island food, spoken word, sing-alongs and a headline performance by Kee’ahn. Registration is required and can be found here.
Explore Future Country At The The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia
Presented by National Gallery of Victoria and Country Road, FUTURE COUNTRY is a major exhibition spotlighting the next generation of First Nations artists and designers through a national mentorship initiative.
Pairing eight emerging creatives with established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentors, the exhibition explores themes of ancestral memory, truth-telling and cultural continuity across weaving, sculpture, photography, sound and design.
Featuring deeply personal and innovative works, the free exhibition runs daily from 10am–5pm at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square, until September 13. More information can be found here.
WA
National Reconciliation Week Breakfast Broadcast & Great Southern Pilot’s RAP Launch
Held at Albany Entertainment Centre on May 27, this National Reconciliation Week gathering invites the Kinjarling | Albany community to come together for a morning of reflection, conversation and connection.
Beginning with tea, coffee and pastries from 8:15am, attendees will join a live breakfast broadcast from Boorloo (Perth) featuring First Nations leaders, storytellers and cultural performances. Morning tea will follow before the official launch of the Great Southern Pilot’s RAP at 11am, presented alongside partners Reconciliation Australia and Lotterywest.
‘The event forms part of ongoing reconciliation efforts shaped by Menang Elders, community voices and Country. Registration can be found here.
Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Workshop
Presented by Auspire – Australia Day Council WA, this four-hour interactive Aboriginal Cultural Awareness workshop will run from 12:30pm–4:30pm, located at Bishops See; Ground Floor Conference Centre.
Facilitated by a First Nations leader, the session explores cultural protocols, unconscious bias, racism and cultural safety through practical role play and discussion, equipping participants with tools to foster more respectful and informed relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. Tickets can be found here.
SA
Exhibition: Karen Briggs Illustrations
Running from May 25 to July 13 at Coventry Library Stirling, this exhibition showcases illustrations by Yorta Yorta artist Karen Briggs. Open daily from 10am, the display features artwork from Going Fishing with Nana, the artist’s recent picture book published by Magabala Books. Booking isn’t required, with more information available here.
On Country At The Market
Running from May 27 to June 3 at Adelaide Central Market, On Country at the Market celebrates National Reconciliation Week through food, storytelling and live cultural performances. Open daily from 7am–5:30pm, the program includes Welcome to Country ceremonies, cooking demonstrations, live music, family story time and an alcohol-free pop-up bar, alongside limited-edition gift bags featuring artwork by Colleen Raven Strangways.
Nunga Screen Hopgood Theatre
Head to Hopgood Theatre on May 27 from 7pm–8:30pm for Nunga Screen, a free community film night celebrating First Nations storytelling during National Reconciliation Week.
Presented by Country Arts SA, the program features short films spanning comedy, music, documentary and drama, with stories exploring culture, identity, family and connection to Country from emerging and established First Nations filmmakers across Australia.
Bookings can be made here.
NT
Trivia Night
Head to Darwin Trailer Boat Club on May 28 from 7pm – 9:30pm ACST for an evening of trivia, food and sunset views. Hosted by Variety – the Children’s Charity NT and Miriam Rose Foundation, the event will feature questions centred on reconciliation, community and First Nations initiatives, alongside classic trivia night games and fundraising.
Tickets are $20pp (or $200 for a group of 10) and can be found here.
Water: First Peoples Poetry Workshop
Held at Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory on May 29 from 9:30am–12pm, Water: First Peoples Poetry Workshop is a First Peoples-only session led by award-winning Yankunytjatjara poet Ali Cobby Eckermann.
Participants will craft original poetic responses to artworks at MAGNT, with the opportunity to contribute to a forthcoming First Peoples NT Poetry Anthology set for publication in 2027. Tickets can be booked here.
Mabo Day / National Reconciliation Week BBQ
Head to Raintree Park on June 3 from 11:45am–1:45pm for a free community BBQ marking Mabo Day and National Reconciliation Week.
Co-hosted by Reconciliation Northern Territory and Power and Water, the event will also feature Larrakia Nation’s Arts in the Grass program, supporting connection through culture, conversation and community. More information can be found here.
ACT
Indigenous Stargazing
Head to Australian Parliament House on May 28 from 6pm–7:30pm for an evening of Indigenous astronomy and stargazing led by proud Gamilaraay/Yuwaalaraay astronomer Peter Swanton.
Presented alongside the ANU Astronomy Society, the free event explores First Nations sky knowledge before moving outdoors for telescope-guided stargazing on the Parliament House lawns. Rug up for the Canberra chill and make sure to book your spot ahead of time, here.
One Mind, One Heart + Q&A
Head to Arc Cinema on May 28 at 7pm for a screening of One Mind, One Heart, a documentary exploring the rediscovered Yirrkala Bark Petitions and their enduring significance in the fight for Aboriginal land rights.
Directed by Larissa Behrendt, the screening will be followed by a Q&A with Behrendt and Professor Peter Yu. Tickets are $22pp and can be found here.
TAS
National Reconciliation Week Breakfast – Pataway/Burnie
Taking place on June 2 from 7am to 9am at the Burnie Arts Centre in Pataway / Burnie, Reconciliation Tasmania’s National Reconciliation Week Breakfast invites community members to gather for a morning of reflection, learning and conversation.
Part of the organisation’s statewide NRW program, the event centres Tasmanian Aboriginal voices through powerful storytelling, truth-telling and discussions designed to foster understanding, strengthen relationships and inspire meaningful action towards reconciliation across Lutruwita / Tasmania.
Tickets are $99pp for general admission and can be found here.
National Reconciliation Week Breakfast– Launceston On Kanamaluka
Another National Reconciliation Week breakfast taking place in Lutruwita / Tasmania, the Launceston on Kanamaluka / River Tamar gathering will be held on June 3 from 7am to 9am at the Tailrace Centre. Hosted by Reconciliation Tasmania, the event invites community members, leaders and organisations to come together for a morning of reflection, storytelling and discussion, centring Tasmanian Aboriginal voices and experiences through powerful conversations designed to inspire meaningful action towards reconciliation.
Tickets are also $99pp for general admission and can be found here.
