Melbourne’s Unmissable Arts and Culture Moments Happening Now and Coming Soon

Step into the heart of Melbourne’s dynamic art and culture scene this winter, where creativity and expression are front and centre. From vibrant theatre premieres to immersive exhibitions and thought-provoking installations, the city is alive with experiences that push boundaries and inspire.

Whether you’re seeking a mind-blowing journey at the NGV or diving into experimental performances at the Malthouse Theatre, there’s something for every culture enthusiast.

Here’s your guide to Melbourne’s must-see arts and culture events this August and beyond – your passport to unforgettable experiences in the city awaits.

School of Rock: The Musical is Coming to St Kilda This November

Melbourne, get ready to turn the volume up — School of Rock: The Musical is about to shake the National Theatre with power chords, pint-sized prodigies and more heart than you can cram into a guitar case. Directed by Regional Tony Award winner Cody Riker, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, this cult favourite swaps textbooks for Telecasters as Dewey Finn leads his prep school class from Bach to AC/DC.

A fresh, diverse Melbourne cast revives Jack Black’s 2003 classic with live instruments, big laughs and even bigger riffs. But take note — it’s a strictly limited season, running 1st to 9th November.

Book tickets here

The National Theatre, 20 Carlisle Street, St Kilda

Wicked Part 1 Sing-Along Screening at Fed Square

Wicked fans, this one’s for you. On 21st October, the Big Screen at Fed Square transforms into Oz for a one-night-only sing-along screening of Wicked Part 1. Come in pink, green or something fabulously in-between, warm up those vocal cords for “Defying Gravity,” and revel in a night of pure musical theatre magic.

Deckchairs will be set, but BYO camping chair or picnic rug for peak comfort. Bonus: it’s the perfect prelude before Wicked For Good lands in November.

Tuesday 21st October, from 6pm

Big Screen, Fed Square

Cartier’s Dazzling Australian Exclusive at NGV

Prepare to be swept into a world of brilliance as NGV International unveils Cartier — the largest exhibition of the legendary jewellery house ever staged in Australia. Opening 12 June 2026, this Melbourne-exclusive showcase brings over 300 glittering creations: tiaras once worn by Rihanna and Clementine Churchill, Elizabeth Taylor’s ruby-studded necklace, Wallis Simpson’s famed Panther brooch, and treasures from Dame Nellie Melba. Direct from London’s V&A and staged with Studio Sabine Marcelis, this resplendent exhibition charts Cartier’s enduring legacy of artistry, glamour and innovation.

12th June to 4th October 2026

NGV International

Homegrown Pop Star Makes History As First Guest Co-Chair of NGV Gala

From performer to host — Troye Sivan is switching sides of the stage. The Grammy-nominated pop star and co-founder of fragrance label Tsu Lange Yor, has been announced as the first-ever guest co-chair of the National Gallery of Victoria’s, NGV Gala. The black-tie bash held in celebration of the world-exclusive fashion exhibition Westwood | Kawakub, will fuse art, fashion, music, and the kind of high-voltage glamour Melbourne does best.

December 6th, 8pm to 1am, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 

Tickets will be available to subscribers from September 24th.

New Year’s at the Bowl: Melbourne’s Getting Ready for Its Party Era

Forget scrambling for Ubers out of the suburbs — Melbourne’s finally getting the inner-city New Year’s Eve festival it deserves. New Year’s at the Bowl lands at Sidney Myer Music Bowl and Kings Domain gardens for two days of music mayhem to farewell 2025 and usher in 2026. Expect Underworld and Carl Cox to soundtrack the midnight madness on NYE, while Maribou State, Berlioz, Santigold and Joy Crookes bring a softer sunrise groove on New Year’s Day. Add in local heroes like Harvey Sutherland, Glass Beams and Roza Terenzi, and you’ve got the ultimate genre-spanning blowout.

Presale kicks off Monday 15th September, 12pm — Melbourne, consider your countdown officially upgraded.

Purchase tickets here

Circa’s Duck Pond Splashes Into Melbourne This Summer

Forget the ballet you thought you knew — this January, Melbourne’s Princess Theatre becomes the stage for Circa’s Duck Pond, a dazzling reimagining of Swan Lake and The Ugly Duckling. Here, classical ballet pirouettes into contemporary circus: soaring aerials, gravity-defying acrobatics and sly humour entwined with the kind of beauty that leaves you breathless. Conceived by visionary Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz, Duck Pond has bewitched London and Sydney — and now it’s Melbourne’s turn. Glass of champagne in hand, lights fading to a hush, you’ll be swept into a world that’s part love story, part spectacle, and wholly unforgettable.

From $69.90

Book tickets here

14th to 25th January, 2026

Princess Theatre, Melbourne

Spiegel Haus Arrives: Melbourne’s Dazzling New Home of Cabaret, Culture and Rooftop Revelry

Melbourne’s nightlife is about to reach new heights with the launch of Spiegel Haus Melbourne, a two-level entertainment playground set to transform the Golden Square car park on Lonsdale Street. Opening this October, the precinct will feature multiple performance venues, a rooftop dome bar with panoramic city views, and a bold program of food, music and art. Kicking off the season is the internationally acclaimed Blanc de Blanc Encore — a champagne-soaked spectacle of cabaret, circus and vintage French glamour. With world-class performances, collaborations with local creatives and a rooftop made for summer nights, Spiegel Haus is Melbourne’s new cultural heartbeat.

Open from Wednesday 29th October

Wednesday to Sunday, various times

Tickets from $69

Get Set For: Interval Festival

Melbourne’s getting a sonic glow-up this September, with the debut of Interval Festival taking over the sculpture-strewn lawns of the Heide Museum of Modern Art. Think: electronic beats under open skies, art-drenched surrounds, and a lineup that reads like your DJ wish list (hello Demi Riquísimo, Baron Von Trax, Duskus, Prizefight and LA LA Luke). Equal parts bush doof and biennale, it’s made for dancers, dreamers and deep-thinkers.

Purchase tickets here

Friday 26th September

Heide Museum of Modern Art

Darebin FUSE Festival Presents Deadly Darebin: A Radiant Celebration of First Nations Artistry

From 31st August to 14th September, Darebin stirs with Deadly Darebin — a vibrant thread within the FUSE Festival, honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices through music, dance, film, workshops and immersive art experiences. Among its highlights is Bunjil & Paliyang (13th to 21st September), a spellbinding fusion of Kulin Nation songlines, orchestral music and dance that weaves Creation stories of eagle, bat, swan and brolga, inviting audiences to soar across Country’s skies and waterways.

The luminous 27-metre puppet Tarutharu, the Kaurna Skink (5th to 7th September) brings to life a story passed down through generations, draped in the evocative artistry of Elizabeth Close and Jack Buckskin. En Masse (4th to 10th September), a life-sized projection installation, delves into the fragile balance between the individual and the collective, told through haunting dance and film by Rawcus Ensemble and choreographer Amelia J O’Leary. On 2nd September, FUSE Films screens First Nations stories on the big screen, featuring Jazz Money’s lyrical WINHANGANHA alongside the stirring documentary Lady Lash.

The festival opens with Ganbu Gulin: wudhanu yuwanguth on 31st August, a moving celebration featuring Emma Donovan, Doe Eyes, Torres Green and the Djirri Djirri Dancers — a soulful homage to Country and culture. Discover the full programme and embrace a season where ancient stories and contemporary voices entwine beautifully.

31st August to 14th September

Various venues across Darebin

FUSE Festival

Darebin knows how to put on a show — and for two brilliant weeks this spring, the city comes alive with FUSE, a contemporary multi-arts festival that transforms streets, parks, theatres and hidden corners into a kaleidoscope of performance, sound and spectacle. The program is stacked: from large-scale installations and open-air concerts to kid-friendly workshops, exhibitions, film, dance and the much-loved opening gathering Ganbu Gulin: wudhanu yuwanguth on Wurundjeri land. It’s bold, inclusive, endlessly creative — and a reason to experience Darebin at its most electric.

Sunday 31st August to Sunday 14th September

Darebin

Melbourne’s Laak Boorndap: A Dreamlike Garden to Take Root in 2026

Beginning in 2026, Laak Boorndap will rise as an 18,000sqm elevated sanctuary within Melbourne’s Arts Precinct, a verdant tapestry where nature, culture, and ancestral spirit converge. Designed by visionary studios HASSELL and SO-IL with horticultural visionaries Nigel Dunnett, James Hitchmough, and Jac Semmler, this garden promises to be more than greenery — it will be a living constellation.

Here, visitors will wander through six thematic gardens that echo the resilient Australian landscape, each bloom and blade a story whispered in the language of Country. Wrapped around NGV, Hamer Hall, and the Australian Ballet Centre, Laak Boorndap invites us to slow, to reconnect — like First Peoples tracing the stars, learning the land’s secrets and stories.

Named by Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Gail Smith, the garden honours this timeless relationship to Country, offering a serene refuge from the city’s ceaseless hum. Day and night, its art installations and sculptures will flicker like stars — points of light guiding visitors through an ever-changing cultural constellation, inviting reflection, play, and belonging at the heart of Melbourne’s creative soul.

Find out more here

Arts Precinct, Melbourne

Deep in the Groove: Collingwood’s Basement Goes Micro

Collingwood has scored a new late-night heartbeat, and it’s pulsing beneath Langridge Street. Smith St Basement is Melbourne’s newest micro-club — 100-capacity, 4am licence, Funktion-One sound — the sort of space where sweat, sound, and scene fuse into something electric. Born below New Guernica, the venue brings the city’s underground full circle: intimate, unruly, and charged with the thrill of discovery. Its debut night belongs to Reasons collective, serving up house and techno the way it was meant to be — close, loud, and deeply communal.

Reasons collective takeover, Friday 29th August, 10pm to 4am

0 Langridge Street, Collingwood

Eclipse Cinema: Collingwood’s Indie Movie Sanctuary Comes Alive

Collingwood’s industrial past has flickered back to life with the opening of Eclipse Cinema, a 64-seat arthouse theatre carved from a former Sherrin football factory. Led by Mark Walker of Geelong’s Pivotonian, the new single-screen space revives the name and renegade spirit of the original early 20th-century Eclipse on Smith Street. Now showing: bold festival circuit discoveries, cult essentials, and weekly Almodóvar marathons. With velvet intimacy and a taste for cinematic rebellion, Eclipse is already rewriting Melbourne’s movie night — and cinephiles are flocking.

Now open

Watch for all the latest updates here

32 Wellington Street, Collingwood

My Brilliant Career Returns: A Five-Star Riot of Song, Spirit and Sybylla

Miles Franklin’s headstrong heroine is back — and this time, she’s singing her lungs out. Following a rapturous, sold-out debut, My Brilliant Career storms into Southbank Theatre for a strictly limited run in January 2026. With Kala Gare blazing as Sybylla Melvyn, Sheridan Harbridge’s reimagining transforms the classic tale into a feminist anthem, underscored by a whip-smart score of pop, pub rock and bush ballads. Expect sparks, swagger, and a production critics are already calling “a funny, feminist triumph.”

Book fast — brilliance rarely lingers.

23rd January to 28th February

Access subscriber pre-sale here

Tickets open to everyone Wednesday 27th August, 3pm

Southbank Theatre, The Sumner

Beneath the Tracks: Melbourne’s Banana Alley Vaults Reborn as Hard Techno Haven

Melbourne’s nightlife is going subterranean. This September, the heritage-listed Banana Alley Vaults beneath Flinders Street will pulse with a new energy as Stamina opens its doors — or more accurately, its tunnels. From the team behind Nerve, the city’s reigning techno den, comes a dedicated hard techno club inspired by Europe’s most storied undergrounds. Think cavernous arches, industrial patina, and sound so clean it slices through the air.

Every Saturday night, from 13th September, the vaulted chambers will fill with the thump of local and international DJs at the forefront of the genre, wrapped in a production design that elevates rave culture into something almost cinematic. Ashby Projects have reimagined the raw brick and history-steeped corridors into a space that celebrates both heritage and hedonism — a place where Melbourne’s past and its nocturnal future meet beneath the rumble of passing trains.

Opens 13th September

Pre-sale registration: Opens 21st August

Early bird tickets: $15 for pre-sale sign-ups

Flinders Street Tunnels, Melbourne

Troy Reimagined: Malthouse’s Mythic Spectacle Arrives This September

Step into a world where gods clash and mortals wrestle with fate — Troy at Melbourne’s Malthouse is a visceral reinvention of the ancient Greek legend, crackling with raw emotion and poetic force. With an extraordinary Australian cast led by Paula Arundell, Elizabeth Blackmore, and Mark Leonard Winter, this production breathes contemporary urgency into timeless tales of love, loss, and war.

Prepare for a theatrical journey that pulses with mythic grandeur and intimate humanity.

4th to 25th September, 2025

Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne

Queenscliff Music Festival Just Dropped a Floating Stage — Yes, Really

The Queenscliff Music Festival is turning the volume up for 2025 with its third artist drop: 16 rising stars across folk, rock, punk and soul — plus a brand-new floating ferry stage for waterfront gigs on the move. Set against the stunning Bellarine coastline, the beloved three-day festival continues to champion fresh Australian talent, with Emilia Fol, Ally Row, Kit Genesis and Public Figures joining a stacked lineup that already includes The Cat Empire, Thelma Plum, Little Birdy, Pierce Brothers, The Waifs, King Stingray, Didirri + Rowena Wise, Tex Perkins & Matt Walker, Cosmic Psychos and more. It’s a genre-spanning celebration of punk, funk, blues and indie charm — ferry good, if you ask us. This year also sees a collab with Port Fairy Folk Festival, spotlighting emerging regional voices. Tickets are on sale now.

Purchase tickets here

28th to 30th November, 2025

Multiple venues across Queenscliff including the heritage-listed Uniting Church, and Maritime Museum Boatshed

Linden Postcard Show

Back for its 35th year, the Linden Postcard Show returns this September with over 1,000 original works spanning the full creative spectrum — from first-timers to art-world darlings. Held at the ever-iconic Linden New Art in St Kilda, this beloved open-entry exhibition champions community, creativity, and connection. Come for the art, stay for the inspiration.

Saturday 6th September to Sunday 2nd November, 2025

26 Acland Street, St Kilda 

Strap In: AMERICAN PSYCHO – THE MUSICAL Slashes into Chapel Off Chapel

Blood, business cards, and brutal commentary — American Psycho – The Musical lands in Melbourne this September, and it’s everything your dark little theatre-loving heart could hope for. With Conor Beaumont as Bateman, a killer cast of local heavyweights, a live-on-stage DJ, and a slick 80s soundtrack, this is not your average night at the theatre.

Directed by Mark Taylor, it’s savage, stylish and unnervingly relevant. Capitalism’s never looked so chic — or so terrifying.

4th to 20th September

Book here

Chapel Off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran

The Fitzroy Gasworks Is Getting One Hell of a Glow-Up

What was once a gritty industrial relic is now on track to become Fitzroy’s most exciting new postcode. The Fitzroy Gasworks site — dating back to the 1860s — is shedding its soot-covered past in favour of 1,200 new homes (20% affordable), a 650-student senior high school, sports centre, public open space and even a tram stop. It’s urban renewal with actual personality — and an eye on community.

Developers have officially been shortlisted to deliver the final stage, which means this heritage site’s next chapter is well underway. Expect lush landscaping, smart design, and plenty of local flair. Because in Fitzroy, even the gasworks can’t help but turn into somewhere you’d actually want to live.

433 Smith Street, Fitzroy

Australia’s First Environmental Art Gallery to Open in the Grampians

This winter, the natural beauty of Gariwerd/Grampians will become the backdrop for a bold new chapter in Australia’s cultural story. The WAMA Foundation has announced the opening of the National Centre for Environmental Art — the first gallery of its kind in the country, dedicated entirely to exploring the relationship between art and the environment.

Set to open in Halls Gap in winter 2025, the centre will offer visitors a thought-provoking new reason to journey into Victoria’s ancient ranges — one that blends landscape, ecology, and contemporary creativity.

The gallery will launch with End & Being, an ambitious and hauntingly beautiful solo exhibition by acclaimed Western Australian artist Jacobus Capone. Known for his multidisciplinary practice spanning video, photography, painting and performance, Capone’s work offers a meditative reflection on ecological grief, time, and human impact on fragile environments.

More than just a gallery, the National Centre for Environmental Art will become a destination — a place where art, science, and nature intersect in one of the most biodiverse and culturally rich landscapes in the country.

Wama Foundation and The National Centre for Environmental Art, 4000 Ararat-Halls Gap Road, Halls Gap, Victoria

Kimono at NGV International

NGV International unveils Kimono this June, a stunning exhibition celebrating the timeless elegance and artistry of Japan’s iconic garment. Featuring over 70 exquisite pieces—from rare Edo-period silks adorned with delicate seasonal motifs to avant-garde creations by contemporary designers like Jotaro Saito and Issey Miyake—this immersive showcase explores the kimono’s profound influence on global fashion and culture. Visitors will be captivated by the fusion of tradition and innovation, with intricate craftsmanship and luxe textiles set against a sophisticated, evocative display. A must-see homage to heritage, style, and enduring beauty.

Opens June 4th until October 5th

NGV International

A Dolly Parton Musical is Coming to Melbourne in June

Dolly fans, rejoice! Here You Come Again hits Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre in 2025 — an irresistibly fun musical packed with her biggest hits like Jolene and 9 to 5. Starring Tricia Paoluccio as Dolly and Dash Kruck, this feel-good show blends heart, humour, and rhinestones in a toe-tapping journey of love and self-discovery. Don’t miss the sparkle!

October and November dates available

Book tickets here

Comedy Theatre, Melbourne

Rebecca to Bring Atmosphere to Southbank Theatre Later in the Year

Rebecca is set to arrive on Melbourne’s stage later this year with a gripping new production directed by Anne-Louise Sarks. Based on Daphne du Maurier’s iconic gothic tale, the play explores themes of infidelity, obsession, and the haunting legacy of Rebecca, the first wife of a wealthy widower. Performed by a stellar cast including Pamela Rabe, Nikki Shiels, and Bert LaBonté, this atmospheric thriller promises to captivate with its dark twists and psychological tension. A must-see for fans of classic suspense!

30th September to 5th November

Book your tickets here

Southbank Theatre, The Sumner, 140 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank

French Impressionism Returns to Melbourne’s NGV International in 2025

More than 100 iconic works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cassatt, and more will make their grand return to NGV International for French Impressionism, opening 6th June 2025. Direct from Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, this exclusive Melbourne Winter Masterpieces® exhibition promises a rare second chance to experience some of the world’s most beloved paintings, including several never-before-seen in Australia.

An unmissable moment in the city’s cultural calendar.

NGV International

Martin Grant Brings Jaw-Dropping Style to the Ian Potter Centre

Paris-based Australian fashion designer Martin Grant is set to make waves at the Ian Potter Centre with a stunning exhibition showcasing his signature sleek tailoring and timeless silhouettes. Known for dressing some of the world’s most stylish women—including Cate Blanchett and Lady Gaga—Grant’s work embodies effortless sophistication with a modern edge.

This exhibition isn’t elaborate or boastful. Instead, it’s a thoughtful curation of Martin Grant’s generous donations, encapsulating the incredible work his fashion house has produced throughout the years. You’ll be greeted by six structured black coats as you enter the exhibition, before being lead into a room wherein you’ll gaze upon a gigantic hoop skirt that commands attention. Our favourite part has to be the final room, wherein illustrious gowns are softly spotlights by overhead lights. Perfectly hung in the air, sitting on mannequins that were custom-made for each unique dress, each garment has a weightless, other-worldly air to it. Martin Grant’s retrospective exhibition is a must-see for any fashion lover and art-enthusiast alike.

Tickets and details here

28th March 2025 to 26th January 2026

Ian Potter Centre, Fed Square, Melbourne

In The Heights Brings the Heat to Melbourne

Breaking news: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights is storming into Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from 1st August 2025, and it’s impossible to resist. A high-voltage mix of hip hop, salsa, and Latin beats, this Tony Award-winning sensation pulses with raw energy, big dreams, and even bigger heart. Fresh off sold-out runs, the electrifying production stars Ryan González (Moulin Rouge!), Olivia Vásquez (West Side Story), and more. Directed by Luke Joslin with dynamic choreography by Amy Campbell, this is a firecracker of a musical—loud, joyful, and deeply human. Melbourne, get ready.

Purchase tickets here

Melbourne Comedy Festival

Nipa Doshi to Unveil Groundbreaking Work as 2025 MECCA x NGV Women in Design Commission Recipient

Nipa Doshi, the Mumbai-born, London-based designer renowned for fusing craft, storytelling, and function, has been named the 2025 recipient of the prestigious MECCA x NGV Women in Design Commission. A defining moment for Australian design and cultural discourse, this annual commission highlights global female designers pushing creative boundaries.

Doshi’s new work, A Room of My Own, is a striking, handcrafted cabinet inspired by Indian Kavad shrines—an intimate fusion of personal ritual and memory. Designed as both a dressing table and a shrine, it reveals abstract portraits of women who shaped Doshi’s life, from a 1970s Bollywood star to a maternal neighbour and a compassionate nurse. This poetic yet functional piece embodies her signature style—blending cultural heritage, intricate craftsmanship, and narrative depth.

A globally celebrated designer, Doshi’s work has been showcased at MoMA, the V&A, and the Art Institute of Chicago. As the fourth designer in this five-year commission, she joins a legacy of trailblazing women. A Room of My Own will be unveiled at NGV International on 25th September 2025, marking a milestone in design’s evolving conversation on gender, identity, and tradition.

From 25th September, 2025

Free entry

NGV International, Melbourne

Malthouse Theatre 2025 Season Revealed 

Malthouse Theatre’s 2025 season promises a dynamic mix of bold stories, innovative performances, and unforgettable experiences. Highlights include A Nightime Travesty, a provocative First Nations musical exploring Australia’s colonial past, and Truth, a gripping exploration of whistleblowers like Assange and Manning. Also on offer are The Red Shoes, The Birds, and Troy—epic tales of myth, power, and resistance, with immersive audio, spine-tingling horror, and poetic drama. With ECHO and The Orchard, Malthouse sets the stage for a year of groundbreaking theatre that will challenge, captivate, and leave audiences in awe. Don’t miss it!

As Melbourne continues to shine with its vibrant arts and culture scene, there’s no shortage of ways to immerse yourself in creativity this summer. Check out our guide to what’s on around the city this month, and don’t miss the chance to explore the top art galleries in Melbourne, where the best of local and international talent is on display.