Across regional Australia, water shapes landscapes, ecosystems, industries and livelihoods. It runs through culture, memory and identity. It moves between flood and drought, crisis and recovery — revealing the systems communities depend on to live, adapt and endure.
At Artlands 2026, water is the lens, not the topic. It is a connector that opens multiple entry points into conversation, linking Country, culture, creativity and the future of regional Australia.
Through this framework, artists, First Nations knowledge holders, scientists, industry voices and policymakers will explore a central question:
What can creativity reveal about the systems shaping regional Australia's future?