- Crisafulli Government secures major event with exclusive musical written by and starring Grammy Award winner.
- The Last Ship will be the first international production to be staged at Queensland Performing Arts Centre's newest venue, Glasshouse Theatre.
- Renewed production expected to net $11 million as visitors flock to see one of Sting's few international appearances.
The Crisafulli Government has landed a huge cultural coup through the Destination 2045 Events Fund, with renowned Grammy Award-winning icon Sting set to perform in Brisbane as part of an exclusive global tour of his acclaimed original musical The Last Ship.
With music and lyrics by Sting, and inspired by his childhood, The Last Ship follows the story of a community in the north of England grappling with changing tides as they prepare for the local shipyard to close.
Securing The Last Ship is a direct result of the Crisafulli Government's bold Destination 2045 Events Fund, in which we highlighted a vision to position Queensland as a global tourism leader and double the value of visitor expenditure to $84 billion by 2045.
Brisbane will host 29 performances from 9 April to 3 May 2026.
The original Broadway production of The Last Ship was nominated for two Tony Awards.
In a bid to attract more premium international acts, the Crisafulli Government has today announced Mr Tony Cochrane AM has been appointed Special Envoy for Major Events in Queensland.
Mr Cochrane has more than 45 years' experience in event promotion and sports administration and will become a key ambassador to secure international performers to the Sunshine State, in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said landing The Last Ship was a key part of making Queensland the events capital of Australia.
"Queensland is the home of the holiday and we're beyond thrilled to be welcoming the Australian exclusive to Queensland as the very first international show to take place at Glasshouse Theatre," Minister Powell said.
"Through Destination 2045, we're attracting major cultural events just like this, that deliver lasting benefits to our communities, support local jobs and businesses, and showcase Queensland's vibrant arts and tourism offering to the world.
"Huge cultural events like this drive visitation and economic value and we predict that having Sting perform this special show in Brisbane will attract more than $11 million into the local economy as people flock to the city for this unforgettable event."
Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said Queensland's new world-class theatre was worthy of a worldwide megastar.
"We promised the new Glasshouse Theatre would attract acclaimed artists and it doesn't get much bigger than multi-Grammy Award winning legend Sting," Minister Langbroek said.
"Today's announcement marks an exciting new chapter for QPAC.
"Glasshouse Theatre will showcase extraordinary talent and elevate live performance experiences for Queenslanders and visitors, while contributing significantly to the economy."
Tony Cochrane said bringing the biggest acts and events to Queensland would bring huge benefits for communities right across the State.
"I'm a proud and passionate Queenslander and I was honoured to be asked to step into this important role as we develop a world focus on Brisbane and Queensland in the lead up to the 2032 Games," Mr Cochrane AM said.
"I look forward to working collegiately across Queensland with stakeholders and communities to put our State on the world stage.
"Queensland has such an untapped potential and when we get this right all corners of the State will benefit."
