Celebrating all the diversity that the LGBTIQ+ community bring to Melbourne, Midsumma Festival has just revealed a huge lineup for 2018, boasting over 170 events (40 percent more than 2017).
Too big for one residence, Midsumma will sprawl not one, but two event hubs, Chapel Off Chapel and La Mama, while it will also consume two other major venues with the Melbourne Recital Centre and ACMI showcasing special events.
Diving into the hugely eclectic program, featured events include The Cocoa Butter Club: Midsumma Special coming in hot off the back of its sold out debut season at Melba Spiegeltent this year. The romping cabaret will be accompanied by WE ARE HERE, a stellar performance curated by Angela Bailey which sees five contemporary artists bring to life queer histories from the State Library of Victoria and Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives.
On top of that, the first Midsumma Comedy Extravaganza will go down. Hosted by Joel Creasey, the event will welcome hysterical geniuses, Lori Bell, Dolly Diamond, Bobby Macumber, Steven Oliver, Kirsty Webeck and more to the stage.
There will also be a slate of exhibitions with Never a Crime at the top. Making its home at the Abbotsford Convent, the photographic showcase, created by Lisa White, brings together alluring portraits exploring mature-aged men’s experiences of homosexual law reform and Victoria’s expungement scheme.
Other highlights include the Midsumma Youth Spectacular at the Melba Spiegeltent, Midsumma at ArtPlay, opening up a welcoming creative space for diverse families as well as Black Magic, displaying queer Indigenous voices through visual art.
Capping off the 22-day extravaganza is Midsumma Horizon at the State Library of Victoria. This arty party celebrates queer history, inviting revellers to get their portraits taken to then be archived for posterity in a time capsule in the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives.
