Blak Powerhouse unveils 2026 visual identity ahead of January 26 return

Powerhouse and Indigenous social enterprise We Are Warriors will once again flip the script on January 26, with the return of Blak Powerhouse at Manning House, University of Sydney.

Now marking the fifth anniversary of We Are Warriors, the annual event reframes a contested national date into a night centred on Blak power, pride and positivity, bringing together First Nations music, art and community on its own terms.

The free, all-ages event will feature performances from ARIA Award winner BARKAA and rap collective 3%, alongside Ziggy Ramo, Mi-Kaisha and Birdz & Fred Leone, supported by dance, workshops, panel discussions, art installations and First Nations market stalls.

Alongside the event announcement, Blak Powerhouse has unveiled its 2026 visual identity, developed with creative agency R/GA in collaboration with We Are Warriors founder Nooky and Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa artist Matthew “Melnunnie” Brettschneider.

The identity is built around the theme of Welcome, reinterpreted through First Nations cultural frameworks rather than mainstream symbolism. The design draws on ancestral visual language from Brettschneider’s Country, using curved forms derived from symbols representing a seated person and a collective gathering.

Those forms shape a reworked “Welcome” wordmark, designed to carry layered meaning — functioning as both an invitation and a clear assertion of cultural authority, survival and resistance.

“This is a Welcome, but it’s not symbolic or passive,” said Nooky. “It’s about safe passage, protection and strength. Country isn’t Australia. Country is land, mob, ancestors and responsibility — and this space reflects that.”

The visual system extends into the physical layout of the event, with curated zones including Nooky’s Backyard and the Aretha Brown Tattoo Parlour designed to reinforce a sense of belonging and cultural safety throughout the venue.

Ben Miles, chief design officer APAC at R/GA and co-founder of We Are Warriors, said the identity was designed to be felt as much as seen.

“The idea of Welcome needed to live beyond the screen,” Miles said. “It had to carry through the space in a way that was deliberate, human and grounded.”

The event will open with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony led by Aunty Nadeena Dixon, followed by live performances and programming from 6pm to 11pm.

Blak Powerhouse 2026 takes place on January 26 at Manning House, University of Sydney.