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Melbourne’s Unmissable Arts and Culture Moments Happening Now and Coming Soon
Craving a dose of creativity in the city? Discover the latest art and cultural news, reviews, and happenings here.
Step into the pulse of Melbourne’s cultural season — where ideas spark, stories collide, and art takes centre stage. This spring, the city is buzzing with premieres, provocations and immersive worlds that blur the line between stage and street.
From boundary-bending theatre at Malthouse to sensory marvels at the NGV, Melbourne’s creative calendar is anything but ordinary.
Here’s your backstage pass to the city’s most unmissable art and culture moments this August and beyond — a reminder that inspiration is Melbourne’s native language.
On the Edge of Something Beautiful: Lango Arrives in Footscray
Footscray’s creative heart is set to beat louder with Lango — a striking new outdoor performance space opening in November 2025 at Footscray Community Arts. Designed by MGS Architects with landscaping by Simone Bliss, the venue marries sculptural form with deep cultural resonance. Named from the Woi-Wurrung word for “on the edge,” Lango captures the west’s spirit of innovation — its sweeping shells etched with motifs by Yorta Yorta artist Moorina Bonini, symbolising Ancestors watching over performers.
With storytelling fires, riverfront pathways and community-led programming, Lango is set to become the west’s most inspired new stage — where culture, Country and creativity meet beneath the open sky.
Sitchu Tip: To mark Lango’s debut, Footscray Community Arts will host two free music events — the first on 31st January 2026, featuring neo-soul powerhouse Kaiit and DJ PGZ. Pack a picnic, claim a patch of grass by the river, and watch the west come alive under the stars.
Opening November, 2025
Footscray’s Abandoned Shopping Centre Is About to Become a Multi-Level Rave Playground
Footscray is about to throw one of the wildest parties of the year. On 15th November, Simpatico: Nightshift will take over the mostly empty Metro West shopping centre on Paisley Street, turning it into a late-night playground with two stages, lasers cutting through old shopfronts, art installations in the corridors and a bootleg karaoke room for chaos between sets.
The bill will span Jonny Rock, Karen Nyame KG, Anu, Andras with Eden Burns, plus Moopie, Hannah D b2b Suki, Babycino and Ex Ponto (live). One night only — and then it’s gone.
Book tickets here
Final release tickets $79 per person
Saturday 15th November, 2025
The GlenDronach Presents: Whisky & Film Nights at Palace Como
In a cinematic celebration of old-world glamour, The GlenDronach is bringing a touch of Highland decadence to Melbourne this November. For three nights only, film lovers can settle into Palace Cinema Como for a whisky-and-film experience curated by critic Zak Hepburn.
Think in-seat whisky butler service, caviar-topped popcorn, Spanish charcuterie and a guided tasting of The GlenDronach’s most coveted drams — including a rare release worth over $2000 a bottle. Classic cinema, exceptional whisky, pure indulgence. Need we say more?
Sitchu Tip: Book fast — these golden-age screenings are destined to sell out.
$50 per ticket
Book tickets here
November 12th to 14th, 2025
Palace Cinema Como, South Yarra
Meow Meow’s The Red Shoes — Malthouse Theatre
Cabaret icon Meow Meow makes her triumphant return this November with The Red Shoes — a glittering reimagining of the Hans Christian Andersen classic, brought to life under the direction of Kate Champion. Smoky glamour collides with razor-sharp wit and Meow Meow’s trademark brand of beautiful anarchy — where heartbreak meets hilarity and sequins share the stage with obsession. Swans, spectacle and sheer theatrical bravado — this is cabaret at its most intoxicating.
19th November to 6th December, 2025
Book tickets here
Merlyn Theatre, Malthouse, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank
A War of Words, Reignited: Much Ado at MTC
For the first time in three decades, Melbourne Theatre Company is reviving Shakespeare’s sharpest comedy — and it’s shaping up to be a knockout. Under the deft direction of Mark Wilson, Alison Bell and Fayssal Bazzi take on Beatrice and Benedick, a duo bound by wit, wounded pride and undeniable chemistry. Their war of words cuts close to the bone — fierce, funny, and fatally charming. Beatrice and Benedick are Shakespeare’s most modern lovers: bruised by history, bound by attraction, and daring to find truth in all the noise.
14th November to 19th December, 2025
Book tickets here
Southbank Theatre, Melbourne
Sydney Road’s Silver Screen Revival: A New Cinema Era Begins
After a 44-year intermission, the flicker of film returns to Sydney Road. Opening this November, Brunswick Picture House is the latest venture from the team behind Thornbury Picture House — a single-screen cinema with a bar, heritage charm, and a program built for true film lovers. The restored building will host everything from indie standouts to cult treasures, along with events that bring the community together.
A new chapter for Sydney Road, written in light, laughter, and a touch of nostalgia.
Opens November 2025
510-512 Sydney Road, Brunswick
‘ART’ Brings a Star-Studded Stage Triumph to Melbourne
Richard Roxburgh, Damon Herriman and Ryan Corr — three of Australia’s most magnetic performers — are joining forces for ART, Yasmina Reza’s internationally acclaimed comedy about friendship, ego and the chaos that erupts over one very expensive painting. Directed by Lee Lewis (Prima Facie), this sharp, witty production promises crackling dialogue and exquisite tension, delivered by a trio at the top of their game.
Melbourne audiences can catch the limited season at the Comedy Theatre from 24th April, 2026. Tickets go on sale Thursday 23rd October at 11am.
Sitchu Tip: Expect laughter, discomfort and a few too-real reflections on modern masculinity — all wrapped in perfect comic timing.
Comedy Theatre, Melbourne
Fed Square’s Free Gig Series Returns Bigger Than Ever
Fed Square is turning up the volume once again — and it’s serving up the kind of lineup that makes you proud to call Melbourne home. Psychedelic shape-shifters King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard headline with a one-off rave set (yes, really), diving deep into live modular techno on Friday 24th October. Then, Moodymann and DJ Jnett bring the house down on Thursday 27th November, blending soul, funk, and deep groove into one unforgettable night.
Round out the year under the stars on New Year’s Eve, when MzRizk, Gavin Campbell, and Barry Sunset spin disco and dancefloor magic till midnight.
Free, all-ages, and absolutely unmissable — this is Melbourne in full flight.
Fed Square, Melbourne
Terminator 2 Reimagined: A Live Electronic Score and Laser Spectacle Takes Over Hamer Hall
The future will return — louder, stranger, and far more beautiful than you remember. To celebrate the film’s 35th anniversary, Hear My Eyes will transform Terminator 2: Judgment Day into a live, high-voltage performance at Hamer Hall. Belgian electronic maestro Peter Van Hoesen and Melbourne laser visionary Robin Fox will reimagine James Cameron’s sci-fi landmark with an all-new electronic score and hypnotic light show.
Backed by the MESS Synthesiser Orchestra, this three-night event will blur the lines between cinema, concert and art installation — a pulse-racing fusion of sound, light and nostalgia. A mind-bending ode to the machine age, it’s one spectacle Melbourne won’t soon forget.
26th to 28th February, 2026
Book tickets here
Hamer Hall, Melbourne
The Talented Mr. Ripley Seduces Melbourne’s Stage
A story of envy, elegance and calculated deceit is set to captivate Melbourne this spring. From 28th October to 23rd November 2025, The Talented Mr. Ripley makes its Melbourne premiere at the Arts Centre Playhouse, direct from its acclaimed Sydney debut. Written by Joanna Murray-Smith and directed by Sarah Goodes, this Sydney Theatre Company production transforms Patricia Highsmith’s classic into a taut, noir-inflected thriller steeped in 1950s glamour.
Will McDonald (Heartbreak High) takes centre stage as the charmingly dangerous Tom Ripley — a role that dances between desire and deception. Sleek, suspenseful and dangerously seductive, it’s a must for those who crave their theatre with a touch of darkness and a glimmer of style.
28th October to 23rd November, 2025
Book tickets here
Arts Centre Playhouse
Melbourne Welcomes Back The Book of Mormon This Summer 2026
The Book of Mormon is making its long-awaited return to Melbourne in February 2026, bringing its sharp wit and irreverent charm back to the Princess Theatre. From the creators of South Park, the Tony Award-winning musical is equal parts outrageous and uplifting — a clever, laugh-out-loud satire that’s become a global phenomenon. After captivating audiences worldwide, it’s Melbourne’s turn once again to sing along, gasp, and grin from ear to ear.
Tickets are set to go on sale soon.
Waitlist here
Princess Theatre, Melbourne
Nipa Doshi’s Room of Her Own Opens at NGV
MECCA x NGV’s 2025 Women in Design Commission has crowned Mumbai-born, London-based Nipa Doshi with a world premiere at NGV International (25th September 2025 to 1st April 2026, free). The centrepiece is A Room of My Own: a handcrafted cabinet — part shrine, part dressing table — channelling kaavad traditions and the women who shaped her life. Open the doors, and abstract portraits greet you; beside them, Doshi’s debut typeface blooms across the gallery in hand-painted, architectural strokes, paired with a moving-image work. Co-founder of Doshi Levien and recipient of an MBE, Doshi brings memory, ritual and grace to Melbourne’s design season. Consider it a love letter to craft.
180 St Kilda Road, 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
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
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 Road, 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
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.
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.
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
Flinders Street Tunnels, Melbourne
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
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
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
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
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.
