The SoundOut Festival, Australia’s longest-running international festival dedicated to free improvisation, free jazz, and experimental music, will return for its 17th year from January 30 to February 1, at the ANU Drill Hall Gallery.

Founded and directed by saxophonist Richard Johnson, SoundOut has spent nearly two decades fostering bold musical collaboration between leading Australian artists and international innovators, but after being unsuccessful in securing grant funding for 2026, the festival has launched a crowdfunding campaign to ensure the event can proceed as planned.

“This festival has been a beacon for exploratory music for 17 years,” Johnson said. “Without community support this year, we risk losing a vital part of Australia’s cultural landscape.”

SoundOut 2026 will feature 26 artists from Australia, Denmark, France, Switzerland, the UK and China, presenting a program of cross-cultural collaboration. Across three days, audiences will experience more than 17 hours of music spanning over 24 performances, showcasing innovative approaches to sound, improvisation, and experimental practice.

This years performers are Ben Carey, Benjamin Shannon, Bruce Spink, Charles Martin, Christoph Gallio, Gabriella Hill, Jamie Lambert, Jean-Philippe Gross, Karim Camprovin Sanchez, Marc Ducret, Melanie Herbert, Miroslav Bukovsky, Nicci Haynes, Nikki Heywood, Niran Dasika, Paul Wong, Phil Durrant, Peter Bruun, Rhys Butler, Richard Johnson, Romy Caen, Samuel Blaser, Sebastien Field, Sophie Min, Tom Fell, Tony Osborne and Yichen Wang.

The festival is widely regarded as a gateway event for exploratory music in Australia, providing rare opportunities for deep listening, artistic risk-taking, and international exchange. Organisers describe SoundOut as both a cultural meeting point and a moment of collective reflection in an increasingly fractured world.

With the festival just days away, the crowdfunding campaign is close to achieving its goal, which will cover artist fees, travel, accommodation, and production costs. Contributions of any size are welcomed here.

SoundOut Festival 2026 Sessions at the ANU Drill Hall Gallery:

• Session 1: Friday, January 30, 2026, 7pm – 11:30 pm
• Session 2: Saturday, January 31, 2026, 1pm – 5pm
• Session 3: Saturday, January 31, 2026, 7pm – 11:30 pm
• Session 4: Sunday, February 1, 2026, 1pm – 5pm