OpenField Arts Festival

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OpenField Arts Festival

OpenField Arts Festival is a multidisciplinary contemporary art festival in Berry NSW. Save the date: June 13-15 2025.

OpenField is a new multidisciplinary arts festival to be held 22nd - 25th of June in the town of Berry NSW. Social Media Community Guidelines: https://www.openfield.org.au/openfield-community-guidelines

27/10/2026

CALLING ALL ARTISTS!
Have you got an idea that could transform an outdoor space into something extraordinary?

OpenField Arts Festival is inviting Expressions of Interest from artists interested in being part of our 2027 program.

We're particularly on the lookout for bold, imaginative and visually striking large-scale outdoor sculptures and installations that will surprise, delight and engage audiences across Berry.

Our 2027 curatorial theme, 'Heads in the Clouds', invites artists to dream big, challenge perspectives and explore the possibilities between imagination and reality.

We're especially interested in works that:
✨ Make a strong visual impact
✨ Are suitable for outdoor display with straightforward installation requirements
✨ Respond to our Heads in the Clouds theme
✨ Are playful, engaging and encourage audience interaction

OpenField is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run contemporary arts festival, and artists selected for the main program are paid a participation fee.

HOW TO APPLY
Send a one-page Expression of Interest outlining your proposed artwork or project, including images or sketches, website or social media links and a brief artist biography.

Send to [email protected]
Applications close: 30 November 2026 (close of business)

Know an artist whose work would be perfect for OpenField?
Tag them below or share this opportunity with your creative networks!

We can't wait to see what you dream up.

OpenField Arts Festival | 25–27 June 2027 | Berry, NSW
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25/10/2026

HEADS IN THE CLOUDS ☁️
It's time to let our imaginations wander…

We are delighted to unveil 'Heads in the Clouds', the curatorial theme for OpenField Arts Festival 2027.

It's a theme that invites us to dream, imagine, question and look at the world from a different perspective.

What does it mean to have your head in the clouds?

Perhaps it's about escaping reality, getting lost in imagination or embracing the wonderful and unexpected.

Or perhaps it's about dreaming of a better future, questioning the world around us and imagining how things could be different.

'Heads in the Clouds' is an invitation to do both.

Written by Emerging Curator Vashti Pearce, the theme encourages artists to explore the space between dreams and reality, imagination and action, wonder and critical reflection.

As Vashti explains:
"Heads in the Clouds is an invitation to dream, but it's also an invitation to question."

We're incredibly excited to see how artists interpret this theme through installations, performances, sculpture and creative experiences across Berry.

And for the artists following along, keep your eyes on this space!
An exciting Expression of Interest opportunity for our 2027 program is coming very soon.

Let the dreaming begin.

OpenField Arts Festival | 25–27 June 2027 | Berry, NSW
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19/10/2026

SAVE THE DATE! OPENFIELD IS BACK!
Berry is set to become a canvas for creativity once again as OpenField Arts Festival returns from 25–27 June 2027!

Now entering its third biennial festival, OpenField continues to grow as a celebration of contemporary art, bringing together local, regional and visiting artists for three extraordinary days of creativity, discovery and connection.

Expect art in unexpected places. Immersive installations, performances, exhibitions, conversations and experiences that transform Berry's historic buildings, streets and community spaces into something entirely new.

And in true OpenField spirit, most of the festival will be FREE, making contemporary art accessible for everyone to enjoy.

Behind the scenes, our volunteer committee and curatorial team are already hard at work bringing the next festival to life, and we have some exciting announcements to share.

So mark your calendars, spread the word and start planning your visit to Berry.

25–27 June 2027. Three days. One town. Art everywhere.
We can't wait to welcome you back!
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14/10/2026

ART YOU CAN STEP INSIDE 👀
When you think of art, you might imagine standing in a gallery, admiring a painting or sculpture from a distance.

But what if you could step inside the artwork itself?

At OpenField, contemporary art isn't always something you simply look at. Sometimes it's something you walk through, listen to, interact with or become part of.

An ordinary room might be transformed by light and sound. A familiar building might become an entirely new world. An installation might invite you to explore, touch, contribute or experience something from a completely different perspective.

This is part of what makes contemporary art so exciting. It can engage all our senses, spark our imaginations and blur the line between the artwork and the audience.

And the best part? You don't need to understand it to experience it.
Just step inside, explore and see where it takes you.

That's the magic of OpenField. Art isn't always something you observe. Sometimes, you're part of the story.

Put these dates in the diary and come and explore with us in 2027.
OpenField Arts Festival | 25–27 June 2027 | Berry, NSW

07/10/2026

LOOK AGAIN.
A familiar place can become something else entirely when an artist asks us to experience it differently.

At OpenField 2025, artist Alex Davies transformed the Woodchop area of the Berry Showground with 'The Very Near Future – Part 4' - an immersive work using sound and light to draw audiences into an imagined, shifting reality.

Suddenly, a place many locals had walked past countless times asked for our attention in a completely new way.
We had to look.
We had to listen.
We had to smell.
We had to stop and take it all in.

That’s one of the things we love about contemporary art. It can change the way we experience an ordinary building, landscape, object or place - encouraging us to slow down, notice the details and see something familiar through a different lens.

Sometimes, you just need to look again.

OpenField Arts Festival | 25–27 June 2027 | Berry, NSW

30/09/2026

You don’t need to know the artists.
You don’t need to understand contemporary art.
And you definitely don’t need to know what you’re supposed to think.

At OpenField, all we ask is that you come curious.

Wander into a historic building. Follow a sound. Stop to watch a performance. Look at something from a different angle. Ask questions. Join in. Have a conversation. Love something. Be puzzled by something else.

Because contemporary art isn’t about having all the answers. Sometimes the most interesting part is simply discovering how something makes you think or feel.

OpenField brings art out of traditional gallery spaces and into the streets, buildings and landscapes of Berry, creating opportunities to stumble across something completely unexpected.

Bring the kids. Bring your friends. Bring your parents. Bring absolutely no knowledge of art whatsoever.

Just come curious.

OpenField Arts Festival
25–27 June 2027 | Berry, NSW

Art is everywhere. Everyone is welcome.

22/09/2026

At OpenField, art can…
Move. Make noise. Fill a building. Take over a street. Ask a question. Make you laugh. Make you think. Or invite you to become part of it.

That’s the beauty of contemporary art - it doesn’t have to sit quietly on a wall. It can surprise you, challenge you, delight you and appear where you least expect it.

Across three days, OpenField transforms Berry into a place of creativity and discovery, with art taking many different forms in spaces right across town.

So, the question is…
What will art do at OpenField 2027? 👀

We can’t wait for you to find out.

OpenField Arts Festival | 25–27 June 2027 | Berry, NSW

17/09/2026

More than 155 artists and participants brought OpenField to life at our last festival - filling Berry with ideas, installations, performances, conversations and unexpected moments.

Now, a new OpenField is beginning to take shape.

Behind the scenes, we're busy building our 2027 program and we can't wait to introduce you to the artists and creative minds who will help bring it to life.

Who will shape OpenField 2027? You'll have to stay tuned.

OpenField Arts Festival | 25–27 June 2027 | Berry, NSW

13/09/2026

OpenField isn’t contained within four gallery walls. For three days, Berry itself becomes the canvas.

Contemporary art, installations and performances appear throughout the town - taking over historic buildings, familiar spaces and places you might never expect to encounter art.

From the Berry Courthouse and historic Museum to the CWA building, Berry School of Arts and Berry Showground Grandstand… and yes, even the entire main street.

It creates a truly immersive festival experience. You don’t simply arrive at OpenField - you wander through it.

Turn a corner. Step inside a building. Follow a sound. Look up. Discover something unexpected.

And along the way, experience the beautiful town of Berry from an entirely different perspective.

OpenField Arts Festival
25–27 June 2027 | Berry, NSW

Art is everywhere. Everyone is welcome.

01/09/2026

OpenField Arts Festival is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

This support will empower us to further innovate and create unforgettable experiences for our community.

A huge thank you to Visit NSW for their belief in our vision. Stay tuned for upcoming event details and get ready to be part of something truly special in 2027.
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Address

Berry
Berry, NSW
2535

Website

http://www.openfield.org.au/

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