The North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA) is an annual celebration of arts, culture, inclusion, and community. With world-class programming each year, NAFA not only enriches the local community but also strengthens Townsville’s standing as a destination for artistic excellence.

Attracting over 60,000 visitors annually and featuring more than 100 performances, the festival offers a dynamic range of shows, experiences, and venues that showcase the diverse arts scene of North Queensland. NAFA supports local talent, nurtures emerging artists, and champions Indigenous-led arts initiatives, promoting greater cultural diversity and inclusion across the city and region.

Our journey began during the 2018 Commonwealth Games when Townsville was named one of the four Event Cities. Out of this, Festival 2018 was born, igniting a spark in our community for more cultural celebrations. Recognising this demand, Townsville City Council committed to establishing an annual arts and cultural festival, and in 2019, NAFA was born. 

Since its inception, NAFA has become a creative powerhouse, drawing over 248,545 audience members, providing opportunities for over 5,000 artists, and contributing more than $29M to the local economy. It has firmly cemented its place as a signature event in Townsville, offering a vibrant and ever-evolving celebration of the community’s artistic spirit and cultural richness.

NAFA has earned many prestigious awards including:

  • 2023: Winner - Excellence in Accessible Tourism, North Queensland Tourism and Events Awards

  • 2023: Winner - Best Queensland Cultural, Arts or Music Event, Australian Event Awards

  • 2022: Winner - Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards

  • 2022: Runner Up - Best Major Event, North Queensland Tourism and Events Awards

  • 2022: Finalist - Australian Event of the Year, Australian Event Awards

  • 2022: Finalist - Best Cultural, Arts or Music Festival, Australian Event Awards

  • 2022: Finalist - Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards

  • 2020: Winner - Best Regional Event, Australian Event Awards

  • 2019: Winner - Best Community Event, Australian Event Awards

  • 2019: Finalist - Event of the Year, Australian Event Awards

  • 2019: Finalist - Best New Event, Australian Event Awards

  • 2019: Finalist - Best Cultural, Arts or Music Festival, Australian Event Awards

  • 2019: Finalist - Australian Event of the Year, Australian Event Awards

After 6 years under Townsville City Council, in 2025 the festival transitioned to an independent organisation – Northern Arts. This new chapter allows the festival to step into the next stage of growth, embracing new ideas while strengthening community involvement and keeping regional artists at its core.

Strategic Plan

NAFA has implemented its 2025-2028 Strategic Plan outlining our organisation’s vision, mission, guiding principles, values and strategic goals for the next 3 years. The Strategic Plan is a roadmap to growing the festival year-on-year to showcase the best of regional Queensland to the world.