At an award ceremony in Venice, Bangarra Dance Theatre has been recognised with the prestigious Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Dance by the Biennale Danza 2026, the Dance Department of La Biennale di Venezia, becoming the first Australians and the first company to receive the esteemed award since its inception. The Golden Lion acknowledges a lifetime body of work and artists who have transformed, evolved and brought new urgency to the language of dance, infusing it with the vital force of their cultures. Historically awarded to choreographers and dancers, Bangarra has become the first company to receive this prestigious honour. The award ceremony took place in Venice, where Bangarra Artistic Director and Co-CEO Frances Rings collected the award, alongside previous, long-term Artistic Director of Bangarra Stephen Page. They were supported by 12 of the Bangarra dancers and members of the company, in Venice this weekend to present the European premiere of Frances Rings’ seminal work, Terrain as part of La Biennale Danza 2026.
Director of the Dance Department of La Biennale di Venezia, Sir Wayne McGregor, says of this year’s award, “Since the start of my directorship, I have aimed to profile and advocate for the outstanding artists and companies whose influence and impact extend beyond their remarkable work alone. Highlighting and honouring the artists selected for this year’s Golden and Silver Lions exemplifies this ambition – not least because they are individuals and collectives who have caused a seismic shift in our understanding of dance and the cultural context in which it is performed. Their integrity, passion, commitment and power have often driven radical change, frequently overcoming great challenge and resistance.”
On accepting the prestigious award, Mirning woman Frances Rings, Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Bangarra Dance Theatre said, “This is an incredibly exciting day for Bangarra Dance Theatre and our entire Bangarra family past and present. For Australia and our many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to be internationally recognised with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Dance is truly an enormous honour. It is incredible to have this validation from an international organisation with the prestige of the Venice Biennale, recognising that Bangarra’s impact has rippled across the globe. This award recognises all those who have been part of the Bangarra story. The work we do we don’t do alone. We do it in collaboration, with our First Nations communities, Elders and cultural consultants, with hundreds of alumni, dancers and creatives, our staff and Board. Importantly, this award recognises the visionary impact of Stephen Page who elevated the company and First Nations stories, creating the company Bangarra is today. And our founders Uncle Rob Bryant, Cheryl Stone, Carole Y. Johnson, who alongside the founding Bangarra dancers, created the company in 1989. It is these shoulders that we stand on today as we take Bangarra into the future.”
“Receiving a global acknowledgement is extraordinary, let alone being a First Nations company. It makes you appreciate the amount of work, energy and focus that has sustained Bangarra Dance Theatre for over 30 years, and continues to do so today. It is a wonderful recognition of Bangarra’s exploration of the crossover between contemporary and tradition. We are deeply humbled and profoundly grateful for the Biennale di Venezia’s recognition of our distinctive Dance Theatre language with this Golden Lion Award” Bangarra’s previous Artistic Director (1991 to 2022), Munaldjali and Nunukul man Stephen Page, commented.