Flotsam Festival

Flotsam Festival 2026 will honour the rich history of surf culture through film and photography, including the International Masters of Surf Exhibition at Dust Temple, curated by renowned surf photographer Ted Grambeau. The exhibition brings together over 50 of the world’s most influential surf photographers, each contributing a single image that represents their contribution to the history of surf photography.

The festival will also feature a screening of You Should Have Been Here Yesterday and panel including filmmaker Dick Hoole discussing the 50th anniversary the first feature surf film produced in Queensland, Tubular Swells, and the surfers and filmmakers who helped shape modern surf culture.

Across the 15-day program, large-scale installations along the coastal foreshore and The Pink Hotel fence line will transform public space into an outdoor gallery, while photography exhibitions across the southern Gold Coast will showcase ocean-inspired work from both emerging and established artists.

On May 9-10, Flotsam’s Kirra Hub will become the heart of the festival, showcasing the current generation of photographers, filmmakers, artists and musicians through exhibitions, film screenings, installations, artist talks, workshops, exhibitions and live music.​

Festival favourite (Surf) Girls on Film will return to the program, highlighting the female perspective in surf media through film and photography, while Flotsam Oceans, in conjunction with Surfrider Foundation, promises a community-focused day bringing festival-goers together for beach clean-ups, environmental workshops and ocean conservation film screenings.

Supporting the future

At its core Flotsam Festival has several streams dedicated to supporting emerging creatives, and the future of surf storytelling will again take centre stage in 2026. Flotsam’s free outdoor Kirra Hub, supported by Division 14 Cr Gail O’Neill, will host Next Wave programming throughout the festival, providing a platform for emerging filmmakers, photographers and musicians from the region. The festival will close with Homegrown, supported by Division 13 Cr Josh Martin, celebrating local talent through film screenings, photography exhibitions and live music, including finalists from the Flotsam Homegrown Surf Clip Competition and the festival’s major photography competitions.

Presented by not for profit association Flotsam Arts Inc. and supported by the Gold Coast City Council and Experience Gold Coast, Flotsam Festival continues to grow as one of Australia’s most unique independent arts festivals, celebrating the stories, creativity and community behind surf culture.

With 15 days of exhibitions, screenings, workshops, music and events, Flotsam Festival 2026 will once again transform the southern Gold Coast into a celebration of surf culture honouring where it has been, showcasing where it is now, and supporting where it is going next.

Full program and tickets: https://flotsamfestival.com.au/events/