A hybrid Curated and Fringe arts and cultural festival, and Australian Event Award winner, NAFA has become a signature event held in Townsville, with hundreds of different performances, experiences, and venues for the community to enjoy as a celebration of the arts.

In the spirit of Fringe Festivals across the globe – NAFA has an inclusive, organic and open access side that features all forms of art and performance. ‘Open access’ means that unlike most arts festivals, no one is in charge of deciding which shows get to take part. There are no curators, no program directors, no themes or content criteria that artists have to fulfil when registering their show.

The festival is formed around the mantra: anyone with a story to tell and a venue to host it. No matter who you are, where you come from or what artform you represent, everyone is welcome at NAFA. As the festival grows the ‘open’ access definition also extends to the audiences to ensure the removal of any barriers that prevent people from attending, be that physical, societal, financial, or otherwise.