Across January and February, you can see a kaleidoscope of completely free events spanning music, arts, films, performance and more.
In pre-Covid times, Fed Square has often been a mecca for free events; youth organisation The Push holding free festivals there in the past, NAIDOC using the grounds as a base point for their activities, and most notably, the Australian Open using it is a hub for a variety of activations and exhibitions.
Fed Square has come alive for summer with something for all types of people. Fed Square’s jam-packed program covers art, movies, music, and more, it’s a great way for families to enjoy what Melbourne has to offer this summer.
What you need to know
- You can experience a kaleidoscope of diverse, free events at Fed Square this summer
- Events include musical performances, art exhibitions, films and interactive experiences
- Summer at Fed Square runs from January 14 to March 31, 2022
Stay up to date with what’s happening in Melbourne here.
Kicking off with music, Fed Square’s iconic main stage will transform into a world class festival, in what’s shaping up to be a massive summer of live music gigs. They’ll feature talented artist Dylan J, who has toured with acts like Bliss N Eso, proud Noongar woman BUMPY whose jaw-dropping voice will transport you, Melbourne rockers The Grogans, soul-pop star Akosia, and the Grammy-nominated funk icons Hiatus Kaiyote.
But it doesn’t stop there, even more artists fill the music bill, featuring a foray into the classical world with the popular Candlelight Concert Series by Fever, where Fed Square will be lit up by candlelight, and you can hear some talented musicians perform a variety of new and old favourites.
On the art side, St Kilda’s design collective ENESS have built a wonderous outdoor installation, featuring a beautiful koi fish garden that’ll intrigue young and the young-at-heart alike.
There’s another cool art event taking place called the Fed Oasis, where the Fed Square’s deck chairs (you’ve no doubt spent some time on) are transformed into beautiful art pieces by local graffiti artists, George Rose, Mysterious al and Sofles
If you’re keen to go on a bit of an adventure around Melbourne to find some hidden gems, look no further than the Urban Silo Trail, another great addition to the summer line-up. Miniature wheat silos in the middle of Melbourne’s CBD will be transformed into stunning art pieces, and you’ll get to see some truly phenomenal work curated from award winning artists Juddy Roller, encompassing street artists like Adnate, Kitt Bennet and Jimmy Divine. This runs between January 21 and March 31.
From January 28 until February 10, Fed Square’s Atrium plays host to an amazing photo installation called Reconstruct (the) Normative, constructed by Soraya Zaman, featuring representations of gender and sexuality that’s bound to be thought – provoking and eye opening.
Plus, if you’re a movie buff who’s over on-demand viewing, Fed Summer Films is taking over the Fed Square screen. You can catch critically acclaimed films like Jaws, Jurassic Park, and Aussie favourites like Muriel’s Wedding, Strictly Ballroom and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert from January 15 – 26.
Or, if you’re after something completely different, there’s an impressive spoken word event happening on February 19 called Connecting Worlds with Words, which will feature a number of poets from Australia and New Zealand. A performer from Fed Square, one from Narre Warren’s Bunjil Place, and one from New Zealand’s Aotea Square will be performing together on a live stream, exploring themes of connectedness through speaking.
Spending summer in the heart of the city is set to be a thumping way to kick off back to normal, you’ll get to experience some of Melbourne’s best performers, see our best artists, and some momentous interactive experiences, and it’s all for free.
For more info, check out Fed Square’s website here.
