Superposition is a new arts and culture festival conceived for the Blue Mountains that entangles artists and audiences with landscapes of profound natural and cultural significance. Drawing inspiration from quantum physics, where multiple states exist until observed; geological stratigraphy, where rock layers tell the story of the mountains; and wave superposition, where energy waves interact to create bold new forms - the festival creates meaningful intersections between art, music, nature and community.
Set in the UNESCO World Heritage listed Greater Blue Mountains, Superposition brings together local, national and international artists to thoughtfully engage with the environment, community and contemporary issues. Superposition celebrates the intricate connections between creative practice, ecological systems, and community knowledge.
Superposition acknowledges and pays deep respect to the Dharug and Gundungurra peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the sacred skies, ancient mountains, living waterways, and enduring geologies where our festival takes place. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, recognising that the Blue Mountains have been a place of ceremony, gathering, storytelling, and knowledge-sharing since the first sunrise.
The Space Between the Current and the Possible
November 26th - 29th 2026
PROGRAM STREAMS
At first light, the Dawn program presents site-responsive works across the escarpment, creating sound-based and sensory works that draw audiences into heightened attention and presence. Free commissions and guided experiences reframe familiar landscapes through subtle artistic intervention.
DAWN
Day programming occupies both natural and built environments throughout the Blue Mountains, with commissioned installations, exhibitions and performances that explore the entanglement between creative practice and place as well as a series of exhibitions, walks and workshops.
DAY
As light fades, Dusk activates sites through works responding to the shifting conditions. Sonic & immersive moments unfold across the threshold between day and night, exploring how perception alters as familiar landscapes transform.
DUSK
Come out to play. Dark brings together experimental sound, ision, parties & planetary systems. Developed with the Dark Sky Initiative and Linden Observatory, it includes star knowledge experiences, parties, screenings, performances and gatherings under the night sky.
DARK
FESTIVAL DIRECTORS
Thom Smythis a Sydney-based creative producer and cultural programmer working across contemporary performance, queer culture and community-embedded practice. He is the founder of Unfunded Empathy and the co-creator of Queer PowerPoint, which has been presented across the region including RISING, Taipei Pride, Sydney Festival, Festival of Live Art Auckland and Darwin Festival. As Producer at Performing Lines, he produces work with Bundjulung/Ngapuhi choreographer Amrita Hepi , queer icon Betty Grumble and dj & composer Paul Mac. His producing work is characterised by a commitment to risk-taking, artist care and building genuine community around cultural events. He brings particular expertise in emerging artist development, event production and the kind of sustained relational work that makes ambitious projects viable.
M: 0416 002 560
E: thom@unfundedempathy.com
THOM
Sam Watson-Wood is a multidisciplinary curator and cultural programmer with over two decades of experience. She is the founder and director of Friends with Strangers, a socially-engaged cultural organisation working at the intersection of artistic excellence and social impact. She curates and produces multidisciplinary art experiences with a focus on building platforms where communities can gather and imagine more equitable futures. Prior to Friends with Strangers she served as Executive Producer and Artistic Adviser at Performance Space, Festival Director of Art Month, and Director of Programs and Partnerships for Sydney Contemporary. She has worked extensively with artists and organisations across the Asia-Pacific region, with a sustained interest in collaborative practice, political and ecological urgency, and art that reaches beyond institutional audiences.
M: 0418 155 186
E: sam@friendswithstrangers.com.au
SAM