Behind Gold Coast Arts: Kotzas and the Teams Shaping New Events

John Kotzas AM has been appointed Head of Arts and Culture for Experience Gold Coast, where he will oversee HOTA, Home of the Arts. The move places a single leader in charge of planning and delivery for multiple upcoming events across the city.

Appointment brings oversight to major programs

Kotzas steps into the role at a time when several festivals have set new dates. BLEACH Festival, the Gold Coast’s leading contemporary arts celebration, has shifted to October 2026. The change moves the event into spring after earlier seasonal timing.

Events scheduled across Southport and the city

Sundown, a family-friendly arts and culture event with live bands, DJs, street art and immersive visuals, is set for Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Southport. The 2nd BIG CITY LIGHTS Festival lit up Southport CBD in 2026 with over 100 artists across more than 40 locations. Netflix is also filming its reality competition Wonka’s The Golden Ticket on the Gold Coast, using a chocolate-factory theme for the production.

Scale of recent activity

The BIG CITY LIGHTS event alone placed artists at dozens of sites in one central area. These figures come directly from reports on the 2026 program and show the number of venues and participants involved in a single festival.

Experience Gold Coast and its partners continue to prepare the October BLEACH dates and other 2026 activities. Residents can check the Experience Gold Coast website and local listings for ticket information and updated schedules as they become available.