Youth Week: Kickstart takeover the Queen Street Mall stage 2026

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Visible Ink is partnering with Imagine Music and The Buttery to present a live music gig for young people to showcase young performers and celebrate Youth Week in Brisbane. This event is showcasing the Kickstart Youth Music Conference taking place earlier in the day. If you are aged 12 to 25, this event is for you! Come to the Queen Street Mall to check out a great line up of emerging and incredibly talented locals performing! The event will start at 4pm with artists Ace Lau, Macca Heath and Caitlin Evans. Just after 5pm Neish will be performing with their band. Rising Meanjin singer-songwriter Neish is an act radiating emotional intensity like no other. Carefully infusing pieces of melancholy pop, folk tonalities and the aging textures of alt rock, Neish creates her own unique aesthetic and isn't afraid to transcend genre boundaries. Described as ‘visceral, vulnerable and soothing' by Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Neish writes with purpose that encapsulates personal and relatable experiences in a way that is tragically beautiful and authentic. Since launching her career in 2023, Neish has made significant noise - collecting big wins like QMA's Billy Thorpe Scholarship in 2023 and QUBE Effect's Development Award in 2025. Having supported major artists such as Dodie, Montaigne and Budjerah, Neish's performance has captured the hearts of a diverse audience. With big plans to release her debut EP in 2026, Neish is establishing herself as one of Australia's most compelling emerging voices. This will conclude with a performance from Arni Mac around 6pm. Arni Mac is a Brisbane-based alternative rock artist whose music blends raw vulnerability with a bittersweet edge. Inspired by 90s grunge, alternative rock, art rock and a touch of shoegaze, she writes songs that find beauty in the mundane, capturing scattered thoughts, quiet intensity and moments of joy through a distinctly personal lens. With a creative practice that extends beyond music into visual art, fashion and photography, Arni Mac brings a distinctive world to her work, one that feels immersive and expressive.