27 May – 8 Jun

RISING: Melbourne

RISING, Melbourne’s premiere winter festival of new art, music and performance, returns to showcase the city in all its moon-lit glory.

Over 12 nights, RISING turns up the volume on the music and movement that shapes Melbourne. Featuring Lil' Kim, Kae Tempest, Daniel Avery, Florentina Holzinger and plenty more.

Log off and let loose.

Date	Times
Wed 27 May	10:00am - 10:00pm
Thu 28 May	10:00am - 10:00pm
Fri 29 May	10:00am - 4:00am
Sat 30 May	10:00am - 10:00pm
Sun 31 May	10:00am - 10:00pm
Mon 1 Jun	10:00am - 10:00pm
Tue 2 Jun	10:00am - 10:00pm
Wed 3 Jun	10:00am - 10:00pm
Thu 4 Jun	10:00am - 10:00pm
Fri 5 Jun	10:00am - 4:00am
Sat 6 Jun	10:00am - 10:00pm
Sun 7 Jun	10:00am - 10:00pm
Mon 8 Jun	10:00am - 10:00pm

Part of RISING

An image of two men, Saul Williams and Carlos Niño, standing in a field of yellow wildflowers with green hills in the background.

RISING: Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends

Saul Williams and Carlos Niño perform their mountain-born live album of spiritual jazz-poetry.

A room with coloured vinyl records displayed on illuminated shelves and a person standing in front a mixing desk with four turntables.

22 May – 31 Aug

RISING: The Vinyl Factory – Reverb

ACMI and RISING present The Vinyl Factory: Reverb, a major exhibition of vinyl culture and music.

RISING: TR/ST

TR/ST bring floor-filling, electro-goth from Toronto on their first trip to Australia.

The five members of the indie rock band Wednesday, all looking at the camera, slightly smiling, standing outdoors in a forest setting.

31 May – 1 Jun

RISING: Wednesday

Wednesday bring their slacker poetics, gnarly riffs and an Asheville twang.

The musical artist Saint Levant, wearing dark trousers and a white shirt holding a saxophone by his side, leaning against a wall, with buildings in the shadows behind him.

RISING: Saint Levant

Fluid, futuristic Arabic sounds from pop’s rising star.

A band performs live on a stage with purple lighting and bright blue light beams shining outwards from the back.

RISING: Day Tripper

The festival-within-a-festival returns.

Vintage black and white photograph of a dance class taking place inside the ballroom on the third floor of Melbourne's Flinders Street Station, shows a group of young people in white tops and black shorts performing a dance routine in a large hall with a wooden floor and arched ceiling.

27 May – 8 Jun

RISING: The Land of 1000 Dances

Experience RISING’s very own dance academy in the historic Flinders Street Ballroom.

A dynamic modern dance performance on a dark stage, with cloaked figures in the background and three dancers centre stage, one leaping in the air.

RISING: Love Lock and Forever & Ever

Lock into two mesmerising works from Sydney Dance Company.

The organ pipes inside St Paul's Cathedral, with a circular stained glass window on the rear wall behind the organ.

RISING: Voiceless Mass

A Pulitzer Prize-winning composition in St Paul’s reckons with history, power and silenced voices.

A live concert event at Fed Square at night, with a large, enthusiastic crowd gathered near a stage barrier.

RISING: God Save The Queens

A free, all-ages block party amplifying Pasifika culture heads to Fed Square as part of RISING.

English electronic music producer Daniel Avery, with shaggy tousled hair half covering his eyes, looking at the camera, wearing a jacket and seated at a table.

RISING: Daniel Avery

UK producer Daniel Avery is an auteur of otherworldly club bangers.

The four members of the band Dry Cleaning in a dimly lit domestic interior, standing or seated around a kitchen table with a jigsaw puzzle in pieces in front of them.

RISING: Dry Cleaning

London art-rockers Dry Cleaning arrive with their sardonic wit, surreal imagery and Secret Love.

Welsh musician Cate Le Bon wearing a fluffy white jumper, holding her clenched fists up to her cheeks, gazing intently at camera, she has a shaved head and is standing in front of pale pink draped fabric.

RISING: Cate Le Bon

Welsh songwriter Cate Le Bon is here with her surrealist pop mastery.

A large group of dancers from the Royal Family Dance Crew, in white tops and red pants perform a high-energy routine on a dark stage with dramatic lighting.

RISING: Defend The Throne – The Royal Family Dance Crew

Polyswagg dance royalty showcase their most iconic moves at RISING.

RISING: Seun Kuti & Egypt 80

Sean Kuti and Egypt 80 arrive with pioneering afrobeat and live-affirming energy.

A person wearing a gold crown and bright red tights sitting on a vintage armchair, giving a peace sign. Another person in a top hat and a light-coloured outfit is sitting next to them, holding a white parasol over both of them. They are in a room with a white textured wall and a patterned rug.

27 May – 7 Jun

RISING: We Come To Collect – A Flirtation, With Capitalism

Off-Broadway comedy-theatre that drags us into the darkness with a wink and a snarl.

Artwork featuring a bright yellow flower against a patterned background.

27 May – 8 Jun

RISING: Flower Power

Flower Power shares First Peoples’ knowledges, ecologies and ongoing resistance.

People milling around Fed Square at night.

Melbourne's essential night-time events

From hidden laneway markets to epic pop-ups, Melbourne gets lit once the lights go out.

Three people striding into the Regent Theatre tiled entry with lights and city street in the background.

Regent Theatre

This landmark theatre is one of Melbourne’s premier live performance venues.

A crowd of people sitting on picnic blankets at an outdoor cinema at sunset.

The best pop-up and outdoor cinemas in Melbourne

Find the best outdoor cinema, pop-up theatres and free movies.

Discover more

Festivalgoers holding tiger-themed items, flags and signs.

South Asian Festival

Experience South Asian culture with street food, music and dance, stalls, fireworks and more.

A crowd of people with umbrellas watching a purple-lit stage outdoors.

Guide to Diwali in Melbourne

Find where to celebrate Diwali in Melbourne at these blockbuster festivals and events.

A group of young women wearing off-the-shoulder gowns in a formal setting.

Celestial Events Starfall Ball

A magical night where fantasy book lovers come together to celebrate in true fairytale style.

Federation square on a sunny day overlooking Flinders Station and the city skyline

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.