SYDNEY.- Step into a year of bold contemporary art at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA Australia), where over 50 artists from across Australia and the globe are showcased across 10 powerful new exhibitions and three new artist commissions. A focus on First Nations artists and multidisciplinary activations bring the Museum to life. From emerging voices to acclaimed names, the MCA highlights the vibrancy and diversity of contemporary art at its boldest, most joyous, and most experimental.

Kicking off the 2026 program on 5 March, the MCA brings Egyptian artist Wael Shawky’s acclaimed moving image operatic work Drama 1882, a highlight of the 2024 Venice Biennale, to the Museum for its Australian premiere.

In May, Tony Albert, one of Australia’s most prominent First Nations artists, will bring his signature humour and energy to the MCA for the Museum’s major winter show Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir (21 May 2026 –19 October 2026), his largest exhibition to date. This exhibition is supported by Destination NSW.

Through the year, commissions from Australian artists Nell and John Prince Siddon, Walmajarri man of the Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia will delight visitors with their fearless fun and a touch of surreal pop on the Museum’s iconic rooftop Sculpture Terrace (August) and the vast Foyer Wall (April). In May, the MCA’s facade will be transformed for Vivid Sydney by a nightly light projection by an MCA Collection artist.

In June, Primavera 2026: Young Australian Artists returns, presenting the work of the next generation of artists from across the country.

In July, one of Australia’s foremost contemporary sculptors Hany Armanious will take over the Macgregor Gallery transforming found objects into hyperreal forms, inviting visitors to discover the beauty and wonder in the everyday.

The MCA Collection continues to be a major draw card for visitors from Australia and abroad. In August, Australian artists will take the global stage in Collection: MCA x Tate, with a powerfully curated framing of Australian art now, featuring key works from the 2016–2022 MCA x Tate International Joint Acquisition Program.

Following the success of Ancient Feelings by British artist Thomas J Price, in September the MCA Australia unveils the second Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission on Warrane/Sydney Harbour, continuing its commitment to public art and place-making. The 2026 Lawn Commission artist will be announced later in the year.

October brings the extraordinary life and career of Sydney-born Robyn Kahukiwa (1938–2025, Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Konohi, Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare), one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s preeminent painters, to the MCA in her first major exhibition in Australia.

Closing the year in November 2026, MCA Australia will present its major Summer International Exhibition. Details to be announced soon.

Beyond the Museum’s walls, MCA Australia’s influential C3West program, working with contemporary artists and communities in Western and Greater Sydney, launches three new projects. Meanwhile, MCA Australia's touring exhibitions of Maria Fernanda Cardoso: Spiders of Paradise and Primavera 2023: Young Australian Artists continue to exhibit across regional Australian galleries.

Throughout the year MCA Australia will be offering free entry days thanks to its Into Art Partner Telstra. The Museum will also extend its opening hours every Thursday night until 9pm.

MCA Australia Director Suzanne Cotter said: “Australian artists and ideas are at the heart of an immensely varied and creative global contemporary art scene, and the MCA is the home of that conversation here in Australia. In 2026 we offer a dynamic program that spans Sydney and across NSW of inspirational experiences, big ideas, big questions and big thinking. I am excited to welcome visitors to enjoy and make connections with the remarkable energy of contemporary art and artists in the world today.”

NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper said: “The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia is set for another spectacular year, with bold, innovative exhibitions that will engage local and visiting art lovers. By curating some of the very best contemporary artists from around the world, the MCA not only enriches our state’s vibrant arts scene but also attracts visitors from across the country and the globe, supporting businesses and jobs and showcasing NSW as Australia’s leading destination for world-class cultural experiences."