Media Release – BCCB#4 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Burrinja and Yarra Ranges Council are proud to present the fourth Burrinja Climate Change Biennale (BCCB#4), a region-wide celebration of arts, ideas and action running from Saturday 22 August to Sunday 25 October 2026.

Under the theme Art. Activism. Adaptation. Hope, BCCB#4 brings together artists, activists, academics, filmmakers and community leaders to explore creative responses to the climate crisis through a diverse program of exhibitions, screenings, talks, performances, workshops and immersive experiences presented across the Yarra Ranges.

Imagined, planned and delivered in close partnership with Yarra Ranges Council, this year's Biennale will activate venues including Burrinja, Yarra Ranges Regional Museum and The Memo in Healesville, creating opportunities for audiences to engage with climate issues through culture, creativity and conversation.

Burrinja CEO & Creative Director Melanie Burge said the Biennale reflects both the challenges and strengths of the local community. "Burrinja's foundation is deeply embedded in community strength and activism. The Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Ranges are home to so many artists, thinkers and passionate community-builders, and their residents have lived experience of the impacts of climate change. Burrinja is proud to offer a space for creative resistance, inquiry and hope."

Across nine weeks, BCCB#4 will present over 30 experiences, including exhibitions, film screenings, a virtual reality installation, panel conversations, a keynote presentation, musical performances, workshops, a play reading and guided nature walks.

A major highlight of the program is the Acquisitive Award Exhibition, featuring works by more than 40 artists from across Australia. Offering a $3,000 acquisitive prize, the exhibition received a record 99 submissions this year, reflecting both the extraordinary imagination of contemporary artists and the growing urgency of climate-related concerns.

Burrinja’s Curator, JD Mittmann, says “Burrinja received an overwhelming number of outstanding applications. It speaks to the extraordinary imagination and creativity of the artists who submitted works, while also reflecting the growing urgency and concern surrounding climate-related issues.”

The Biennale's ideas program includes Regenerative Futures Talks, a free series of thought-provoking conversations co-curated by Burrinja, Yarra Ranges Regional Museum and RMIT University's Regenerative Futures Institute. Held across three Saturday afternoons, the talks bring together academics, artists, activists and First Nations Peoples to examine questions including how economies and material culture might be redesigned to heal rather than harm, how climate action can be communicated effectively, and how communities can build resilience in the face of increasing environmental challenges.

Yarra Ranges Regional Museum Director Megan Sheehy said the partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration across disciplines, going on to say: "At Yarra Ranges Regional Museum we aim to create hope and inspiration for our shared future. We are delighted to partner with Burrinja to deliver a region-wide Biennale this year, working across the boundaries that traditionally separate history, science, art and research to activate the Yarra Ranges community's extraordinary creativity and long history of care for Country."

The program also features BCCB#4 Films, curated by Environmental Films Australia, showcasing Australian and international short and feature-length films exploring climate activism, adaptation and pathways forward.

Additional highlights include a keynote presentation by leading climate scientist Professor David Karoly and performances by acclaimed regenerative living advocates and musical innovators Formidable Vegetable.

The full program will be announced and bookings will open on Wednesday 15 July 2026. The Biennale will officially launch with the opening of the Acquisitive Award Exhibition on Sunday 23 August 2026.

BCCB#4 is proudly supported by Community Bank Upwey & District.

Media opportunities, including interviews, previews and photography, are available.

Contact - Kinnear Miller
Marketing Manager
kinnear.miller@burrinja.org.au

Main Artwork Image - The Shape of Absence by Greg Oakley