Territory Music - A Visual History
Exhibition timeframe: September 2026 – February 2027.
In 2026, MusicNT marks thirty years of supporting contemporary music across the Northern Territory. To help celebrate this milestone, the newest Lightbox Exhibition ‘Territory Music: A Visual History' proudly highlights a selection of the Territory’s exceptional music stories through thirteen photographic works across our city.
Images have been drawn from MusicNT’s extensive archive, including fifteen years of the Hot Shots music photography competition and local photographers’ portfolios.
Exhibition curator, Jeremy Taylor, has selected 13 favourite photographic works capturing iconic artists and defining moments from Territory stages including intimate community performances, major festivals, emerging artists, First Nations music leaders, and the raw electricity of live shows across Darwin and beyond.
The series aims to highlight the breadth of our music culture, its regional strength, intergenerational exchange, and the powerful connection between music and place. Selected artists and their work have shaped our world locally, nationally and across the globe.
Timed to align with MusicNT’s anniversary and an upcoming music history audio project in the works, the exhibition offers connection to deeper stories about the featured artists, their music, impacts and ongoing legacies.
City of Darwin is thrilled to work with MusicNT to light up our city with local art in line with our Creative Strategy 2024 - 2030 goals. You can see this celebratory, illuminated exhibition until the end of February 2027.
13 lightboxes are located at four sites across Garramilla (Darwin) and every 6 months feature new exhibitions by local creatives. Lightbox Exhibitions transform public space into an outdoor gallery, elevating Darwin’s rich arts and cultural identity.
For more local art and artist video stories, head to our Public Art Map
To find out more about the peak body for music in the Northern Territory visit MusicNT
Artists Featured
- Larry Gurruwiwi
- Jeremy Whiskey
- Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
- Frank Yamma
- Jessica Mauboy
- Yothu Yindi
- Ted Egan
- Swamp Jockeys
- Eleanor Jawurlngali Dixon
- Mort Chiados
- Savannah Kruger
- Leah Flanagan
- PaccRecords$ x Flowpyre
Photographers and Image Sources
- Sophie Ansel
- Glenn Campbell
- David Hancock
- Renae Saxby
- Simon Simeone
- Leicholhn McKellar
- Kacie Austin
- Alan James
- Library & Archives NT, Dianne Howard Collection
- State Library Victoria
Banner image credit
Yothu Yindi band members, photographer unknown (MusicNT archives).
Photo gallery credits
Nightcliff pool lightboxes (left to right): Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu by Glenn Campbell, Eleanor Jawurlngali Dixon by Leicholhn McKellar, Mort Chiados by Simon Simeone. Photo with curator by Helen Orr.
Casuarina Library lightboxes (left to right): Jeremy Whiskey by Renae Saxby, Yothu Yindi by Alan James and Leah Flanagan by David Hancock. Photo by Helen Orr.
Dragonfly carpark lightboxes (left to right): The Swamp Jockeys by David Hancock, Ted Egan c/o Library & Archives NT, Frank Yamma by David Hancock. Photo by Helen Orr.
Smith Street mall lightbox (Knuckey Street end): Eleanor Jawurlngali Dixon by Leicolhn McKellar. Photo by Helen Orr.
