ACRAA Conference 2026
Australian War Memorial
4 - 6 August 2026
We are pleased to confirm that ACRAA Conference 2026 will take place from 4–6 August 2026 at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
The conference will commence on Tuesday 4 August with a special Welcome Dinner, bringing our community together to celebrate the start of the conference in one of Australia’s most significant cultural institutions. This will be a memorable evening to connect, reflect, and share in the stories that shape our sector.
The main conference programme will run across Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 August, welcoming both retailers and suppliers to join the conversation over two days of insights, ideas, and connection.
The Supplier Market will take place on the evening of Wednesday 5 August, with the programme designed to allow suppliers time earlier that afternoon for setup.
This year’s conference theme is:
Reignite: Celebrating Stories, Strengths and Selves
An opportunity to pause, reflect and celebrate the mahi/work we do as cultural retail professionals, and the stories, skills and people that make our sector so special.
If you are joining us for the first time, or would simply like to revisit the 2025 conference highlights, we invite you to watch our short presentation video featuring memories from last year at the Art Gallery of NSW. It is a wonderful snapshot of the connections, conversations and energy that makes ACRAA so special.
Secure your Early Bird ticket before 30 June and join us in Canberra.
For those of us still seeking budget and leave approval to attend conference, we've prepared a document that may help in submitting a strong travel and attendance request. You can download the document by clicking HERE.
Further details, including speaker announcements and programme highlights, will be shared in the coming months.
We look forward to seeing you in August.
ACRAA Conference Scholarship
We are pleased to announce the return of the ACRAA Conference Scholarship for 2026.
This year, two scholarships will be awarded, one to an Australian-based member and one to a member from Aotearoa New Zealand, supporting cultural retail professionals to attend the ACRAA Conference.
The scholarship aims to support professional development and strengthen connections across our cultural retail community.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Have not previously attended an ACRAA Conference.
- Demonstrate financial need.
- Be employed by an organisation that is a current ACRAA member in good standing.
Scholarship Details
- Two scholarships of $500 AUD will be awarded (one Australia, one Aotearoa New Zealand).
- Funds may be used toward conference registration and/or travel expenses.
- Recipients are required to attend the full conference and submit a short post-conference report.
Applications are now open - apply before 31 May 2026 to be considered.
