A major new festival is coming to Melbourne in August 2023, taking the best bits of Melbourne Music Week and Melbourne Knowledge Week, in what's sure to heat up your winter imaginations.
The City of Melbourne, which will stage the major combined event, is now calling on creators and thinkers to submit expressions of interest – innovative concepts, ideas and experiences that forge connections between technology and art.
The new annual festival will replace the best elements of Melbourne Music Week and Melbourne Knowledge Week with a new name and exciting details to be revealed in the coming months.
Melbourne’s major new festival
- A major new festival is coming to Melbourne in August 2023
- It will combine Melbourne Music Week and Melbourne Knowledge Week
- The City of Melbourne is offering funding up to $50,000 for concepts and ideas
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
It will be held in August, during a time that is currently a quieter period for major events, and will likely turn Melbourne’s cold and dreary winter landscape into a global arts haven, with RISING Festival set to return for its second proper iteration in June.
The yet-nameless festival will feature cutting-edge concepts through a program of free and ticketed events, including digital works and installations across the city, contemporary music, immersive dining experiences, public talks and more. Events will take place both before and after dark, as the City of Melbourne aims to position the city as an innovative place to learn, play and be entertained.
It will bring together an exciting mix of local and internationally renowned changemakers, future thinkers, innovators and pioneers with a highly visual program. The program will include everything from artificial intelligence, virtual reality, gaming and audiovisual experiences to music performances, public installations, digital exhibitions and provocative talks.
“This new festival will bring together Melbourne’s untapped talent and innovation, and we’re calling for the best minds to make history and get involved in this inaugural event,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp said.
“We’re making Melbourne’s events calendar more magnetic – bringing the best of our creative and knowledge sectors together to showcase what is unique about our city. No one puts on a show like we do, and we want to continue to push the boundaries and reach new audiences across the globe. It’s events like this that drive visitation and boost spending at our local businesses.”
Funding of up to $50,000 will be available to support the development of ideas in the lead up to the event. For more information and to apply, visit the City of Melbourne website.
