Out Of The Box is a festival for children eight years and under at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC). This year’s Out Of The Box places children at the centre of the festival as artistic collaborators and experts in imaginative play. Out Of The Box Festival takes place from 17 – 22 June 2025.
Out Of The Box events
There are a wide number of shows and activities suitable for audiences of tiny tots to terrific tweens at the Out Of The Box Festival. We’ve got an overview of everything you need to know and everything you need to see! Don’t miss out!
QPAC’s famous Out Of The Box Festival
Here’s what you need to know about Out Of The Box 2025!
The Queensland Performing Arts Centre hosts colourful, diverse, daring, and darling variety of performances and shows that are designed to captivate and entrance young audiences. There are also in-theatre activities and workshops designed to make this experience one that your little ones will never forget.
For this year’s festival, they have been inspired by the theme of Hope, and as Paulo Friere acknowledges, not as an aspiration but a necessity, and especially in the lives of children in a post-COVID world.
Out Of The Box acknowledges the importance of diversity, creativity and performing arts when it comes to helping to shape children into fully-rounded individuals. It’s a celebration of colour, light, dance, drama, action and wonder, and it’s one that lucky children have had the opportunity to experience for over 25 years!
How much will Out Of The Box 2025 cost?
Ticket prices vary depending on the performance and activity. Click here for more information.
What shows can we see at Out Of The Box 2025?
There are 13 shows to see at this year’s Out Of The Box Festival at QPAC. Here’s a quick overview of each.
The Gruffalo
After sell-out seasons across the world, including London’s West End and Broadway, The Gruffalo returns to QPAC! Join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in this magical, musical adaptation of the classic picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
Searching for hazelnuts, Mouse meets the cunning Fox, the eccentric old Owl and the party mad Snake. Will the story of the terrifying Gruffalo save Mouse from ending up as dinner for these hungry woodland creatures? After all, there’s no such thing as a Gruffalo – is there?
Songs, laughs and scary fun for children aged 3+ and their grown-ups! Find out more information here.
Wolfgang in the Stars
Join the boy-genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart as he embarks on an interstellar journey to seek inspiration for his beloved early masterpiece, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”. As he floats through the wonders of zero-gravity, he encounters a cast of quirky characters from dancing space dinosaurs to zany aliens, every moment is packed with laughter and excitement. But there’s a catch. To share his enchanting song with the world, Wolfgang must navigate through cosmic chaos and find his way back to Earth. Will he conquer the challenges of the universe and return in time for his grand performance?
This world premiere of Wolfgang in the Stars is a dazzling delight for audiences of all ages, filled with sparkling acrobatics, side-splitting gags, and stunning video projections transporting you to a world where music and imagination collide. Buckle up and prepare for lift-off!
Check out more information here.
Where is the Green Sheep?
Where is the Green Sheep? is an immersive visual theatre experience based on the beloved children’s book by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek. We meet the Blue Sheep who loves his blue flowers and the Red Sheep who loves to cartwheel in the fields, the Bath Sheep who loves bubbles and the Bed Sheep who loves to bounce … But where is that Green Sheep?
Blending puppetry and animation, this beautiful production invites young audiences to join our three farmers on their quest to find the elusive green sheep. Co-created with students from Bankstown West Public School, this delightful production integrates their voices as narrators, ensuring the work resonates deeply with young audiences.
Gurril Storm Bird
Gather around the campfire in the forest to hear the story of Gurril, the young boy who came face to face with the Rainbow Serpent.
Celebrating the culture of the Gimuy Walubara Yidinji people of Cairns, Gurril Storm Bird recounts how Gurril learns a valuable lesson as he discovers just how powerful Gudju-Gudju is. Adapted from the prize-winning children’s picture book by Trevor (Bumi) Fourmile, this immersive new work features traditional song and movement and is created in collaboration with jarjum (child/ren) from Hymba Yumba Independent School (HYIS), Yidinji Traditional Owners and First Nations creatives.
Presenting a contemporary take on an age-old story, Gurril Storm Bird is an engaging and educational experience of First Nations storytelling.
Club Origami
Shall we see what we can make with a single square of paper?
As you scrunch the paper, see how your imagination begins to dance …
Dive into the magical world of Club Origami, an immersive and interactive dance show inviting family audiences to create, imagine and explore whole new ways of thinking, playing and moving.
Dance, fashion and live music meet the magic of origami to sweep us up on a spirited and inspiring adventure in a land made purely of paper and play.
Check out more information here.
The Lost Ending Library
Spark awe and wonder in this immersive experience for children!
Enter The Lost Lending Library to discover a magical world: a celebration of books, stories and the awe-inspiring journeys they take us on. Creative minds are required to enter its doors and contribute to its collection.
This immersive and intimate experience for children aged 5 years and older, their parents, caregivers and teachers is a feast for young imaginations.
You can check out more details here.
Wonderbox
Sensorium Theatre – Australia’s leading theatre company making work specifically designed for young audiences with disability and their friends – invites children to roll the dice and set out along a safe, exhilarating pathway into the unknown.
Inside a giant puzzle-box of illusions, kooky-carnival friends with magic in their pockets lead audiences into an immersive multi-sensory wonderland of fantastical large-scale projections, strange tiny delights, and infectious live music. Every child’s curiosity is celebrated and rewarded with wondrous surprises.
Bluey Pupptery Workshop
Join us for a fun-filled, hands-on puppetry workshop inspired by everyone’s favourite blue heeler. Kiddos will make their own Bluey-inspired puppet and bring them to life in a playful and interactive puppetry demonstration. It’s the perfect chance to get crafty and explore creative play and storytelling.
Designed for kids 4 years and over. Parents are strongly encouraged to join the fun!
Click here for more information.
Sing on Country
Join Aboriginal and Torres Strait Songkeeper, Jessie Lloyd, to learn about our beautifully diverse country through song, language, and dance.
In this fun and engaging workshop, Jessie will share a fresh collection of songs from across the country. Kids will sing about the colours and meanings of our First Nations’ flags and learn the traditional names of Australia’s capital cities.
Through a newly released Aboriginal & Torres Strait Songbook, Jessie aims for these songs – and many more collected through her Mission Songs and Ailan Songs Projects – to build on the songlines of Aboriginal Australia, a body of traditional songs that carries the 60,000-year history of the world’s oldest living culture.
Little Chefs
Calling all Little Chefs! Get ready for a delicious adventure where your child can learn the joy of cooking while creating fun, healthy recipes. This hands-on workshop is designed for young culinary enthusiasts, where they’ll explore basic kitchen skills like mixing, chopping (safely, of course!) and assembling colourful, nutritious snacks.
Under the guidance of QPAC’s experienced chefs, children will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and dive into the world of cooking, making dishes that are both tasty and good for them.
Suitable for children 5 years and older, this interactive session will inspire a love for nutritious eating, encourage exploration of fresh ingredients and ignite their passion for cooking and healthy living.
Check out more information here.
Mindful Me
This unique workshop is designed to introduce children to the soothing practice of meditation through artistic expression. The engaging and interactive session combines the calming effects of mindfulness with the freedom of visual art, creating a fun and supportive environment for young minds to explore their emotions.
Through guided meditation exercises, children will learn how to quiet their minds, improve focus, and enhance emotional awareness. They’ll then bring their reflections to life through visual art. This workshop not only fosters relaxation but also encourages self-expression, boosting confidence and helping children develop a deeper understanding of their inner world.
Whether they are new to mindfulness or have experience, this session is a wonderful opportunity to support their emotional well-being while sparking their creativity, nurturing both the mind and spirit!
Click here for more information.
Green Sheep: You and Me Workshop
Deepen your experience of Where is the Green Sheep? in this playful one-to-one workshop.
Following your adventure with Where is the Green Sheep?, share a playful, hands-on experience designed just for you and your child. This special one-to-one workshop has been designed for one child and one adult guardian to share together, offering a gentle and imaginative journey to explore the mystery of the Green Sheep through movement, sensory play, and creative storytelling.
For Mothers
Come and create meaningful resources that reflect your cultural and personal stories in this special, nourishing workshop for mamas and bubs in their first 1000 days (conception to the age of three). Every morning, mothers can engage in creative practice with their bubs while exploring the importance of connection to country, our ancestors and arts and culture as part of our Motherhood journey.
Based in Gimuy / Cairns, For Mothers is a creative and cultural project developed by global indigenous artists and mamas Lia Pa’apa’a (Samoan/Luiseño) and Johannah Maza (Yidinji/Mer/Irish) who work to empower mums through design, craft, food and weaving, creating meaningful resources for their babies and families.
Click here for more information.
QPAC’S Out Of The Box Festival
This festival is an exciting chance for families from Brisbane and beyond to engage in a broad series of performances and workshops designed for young children at one of Australia’s best venues. Make sure your family does not miss out and book your day passes today at the QPAC website!
Looking for more family fun? Check out the list of all the family friendly festivals around Brisbane here.
