This year marked a turning point for the Origami Folding Art and Sound Festival, held at the Japanese Gardens at Gosford Regional Gallery on April 10-11.
It doubled, not just in dates but in ambition, expanding into a two-day experience and introducing Origami Kids, a dedicated program for ages 0–12.
In a climate where audiences are stepping back from going out, Gosford’s own festival pulled people in and quadrupled its audience, selling out both events with nearly 1,000 people moving through Edogawa Gardens over the weekend.
The experience was immersive and transportive, a layered world of light, sound, movement, and unexpected moments.
Playful, surreal and grounded all at once, the event fostered a shared sense of wonder created in real time.
“It’s no longer about nightlife nostalgia,” festival director Glitta Supernova said.
“It’s about showing up where culture is happening now, with creatives, in regional spaces that welcome all, and in experiences that prioritise connection over consumption.
“There is no clearer example of ambitious, inclusive arts and culture engaging a community and reflecting its own local identity, not as a concept, a bloated attendee number or a box ticking exercise, but as an iconic, memorable lived experience that happened right here in downtown Gosford.
“Community is replacing excess.
“Belonging is replacing transaction and Origami is built on that shift, on discovery, collaboration, movement and shared experience.
“Proof that bold, original artist-led work can thrive regionally, that audiences from everywhere will show up for originality and that community-led cultural infrastructure works when it’s trusted and supported.”
The Origami Kids program saw 89% Central Coast families, with a striking 76% attending a Gosford family event for the first time, a powerful indicator of cultural pull and place-making in action.
The 18+ event hosted a significant tourism footprint for Gosford with 18% from across NSW, Queensland and Victoria.
Driven by a vision of access, strength and excellence for regional arts and music in NSW, the festival continues to unfold, inviting people to be part of something larger.
The result is a milestone moment for Gosford.
This article appeared in Coast Community News, 23 April 2026.
