You will leave this event with new ideas and insights about how courage, wisdom and imagination can lead us towards a more compassionate, less anxious society.

Join a diverse line up of stars and strangers for a night of queer stories, unexpected tales of lives well lived and battles fought, pride, prejudice, love and humour, hosted by Maeve Marsden.

Small and Loud offers emerging theatre writers, performers, comics and musicians the opportunity to try out their freshest ideas that are still in development when they’re ready to be tested in front of an intimate live audience.

A collection of truly diverse stories – sometimes surprising and funny, often confronting and always illuminating – that paint a rich and detailed picture of what it means to come of age as an Aboriginal Australian.

How are ideas, and our expectations, around gender and sport evolving? And how does sport inform our sense of self? Who gets to play, and who gets to win, in the field of sports?

Nothing hit’s you like Holden State of Origin in Melbourne! The pre match speeches will be Auslan interpreted at the ground.

The inspirational true story of Carole King’s remarkable rise from teenage songwriter to global superstar.

X barks the spot in the new tour PAW Patrol Live! “The Great Pirate Adventure!”

What can younger Australian feminists learn from older feminists, and vice versa?

Since 9/11, the number of journalists who have been imprisoned for their work has risen steadily.

Ruben is full of anger and dancing on the edge. His sister Adele has already lost one brother, and will not lose another.

Don’t miss your chance to rediscover the real story of Oz in this fantastic musical treat featuring over 40 on stage!

One of Australia’s most eminent and awarded playwrights takes Lorca’s classic tragedy out of the villages of Spain and into the heat of rural Western Australia.

Join us for a frank and compassionate conversation about dignity and autonomy for older Australians.

Celebrate the legacy of Disney in this ice skating spectacular!

The Talk is a terribly undomesticated evening. It’s one account of what happens when you start talking about sex with your family: what ‘the talk’ is, and what it shouldn’t be.

Circus Oz Big Top will be nestled within the trees beside the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, presenting a 70-minute non-stop spectacle of acrobatic mayhem for audiences of all ages.

Join a diverse line up of stars and strangers for a night of queer stories, unexpected tales of lives well lived and battles fought, pride, prejudice, love and humour, hosted by Maeve Marsden.

A sweaty play about the petty and the profound, the mundane and the mythic, Contest asks how we might be with each other if we don’t have to win.

Midwinta Gala 2018

Successful politician Sir Robert Chiltern has it all – money, power and the love of his adoring wife. But when the mysterious Mrs Cheveley threatens to expose a dark secret from his past, will his reputation, career and marriage be ruined?

Blending lyrical, rapid-fire text with poetic imagery and domestic drama, Oil Babies is a dangerous, pithy and at times comedic work that speaks directly to the concerns we hold now.

Erth’s prehistoric creatures are unmistakably ‘alive’ and mostly friendly, in this fun, educational and unique performance that will delight all audiences from ages 5 years and up.  

Erth’s prehistoric creatures are unmistakably ‘alive’ and mostly friendly, in this fun, educational and unique performance that will delight all audiences from ages 5 years and up.  

Blasted will give Malthouse Theatre audiences the chance to experience the power and controversy of Sarah Kane, and the play that shook the world.

Have You Tried Yoga is a window into the invisible or very visible life of those living with chronic illness and disability.

Get ringside for a rare theatrical combo: engrossing storytelling paired with the visceral thrill of live boxing.

So you think you know Hamlet? A hilarious rethink of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy – only this time Ophelia gets all the best lines.

This savage new performance work from the award-winning team behind GROUND CONTROL (Next Wave 2016) and ANGRY SEXX (Melbourne Fringe 2014), asks how do we tear down the monument of masculinity, and what tools can we find in the dirt?

One of the most-read and famous children’s books of all time, ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ emerges off the page in a masterful theatrical experience for the whole family.

Wodonga Brass presents this traditional Carols by Candlelight.

While synopses and pitches are useful marketing tools, they can also play a much more important role.

Expect open dialogues about racism, ableism, misogyny, transphobia, queerphobia, unacknowledged class privilege and an understanding of their influence on mental health.

Four performers. One hundred apocalypses. Sixty minutes.

Features site-specific installations, interventions and improvised performance works – designed to connect audiences to the indirect and not so subtle politics inherent in everyday architecture.

In an increasingly connected world where the question of immigration is often an anxious or heated one, being a newcomer can be uncomfortable, funny and weird. But it also makes for some great stories.

The Emerging Writers’ Festival launches its 2018 programme with a night of performances that reimagine the past and paint a picture for the future.

A performance that is shared equally between dog and handler..this work highlights the intimate and instinctive connection between humans and dogs.

Set to the rhythm of the sun, we start by paying our respects to Country and Elders before setting off on our pilgrimage across the Festival. Each day of Next Wave, a new artist leads us through a new Ritual.

Meet Next Wave programmers, ask questions, and hear about how to put together a killer application for the next Next Wave.

An overactive imagination just might save your life!

PLASTIC SHAKESPEARE continues the MUSC tradition of reconfiguring Shakespeare in inclusive, interesting and playful ways

“This is so stunningly beautiful and touching “children” of all ages should come away with a smile” – Susan Hetherington, ABC

The grand finale of the VCE Season of Excellence 2018, Top Acts showcases extraordinary performances by VCE composers, dancers, musicians and actors.

An overactive imagination just might save your life!

“This is so stunningly beautiful and touching “children” of all ages should come away with a smile” – Susan Hetherington, ABC

Be entertained by special performances from musicians featured throughout the festival whilst enjoying sumptuous cheese and wine among friends.

The artists of these two exhibitions are jointly delivering an Artist Talk/Yarning Circle together. Come and learn from them.

At the Athenaeum Theatre in May, plunge into a discussion of history, hope and American upheaval with this exceptional author.

Instead of relying on medication, for Depression, does the answer lie in changing the way that we’re living?

Tough decisions must be made, but at the end of the day we’ve all got to eat. Crunch Time is a performative dinner party designed to model the processes of democracy.

How is it possible to understand the trials and realities of the refugee experience?

Hannie Rayson’s one-woman show Hello, Beautiful! This hilarious and personal evening with one of Australia’s best-loved playwrights will make you feel as if you’ve been listening to stories told by your new best friend.

Come over to our place and get your Festival off to a cracking start, courtesy of our friends at Archie Rose!

Set to the rhythm of the sun, we start by paying our respects to Country and Elders before setting off on our pilgrimage across the Festival. Each day of Next Wave, a new artist leads us through a new Ritual.

An undeniable, unclassifiable and prolific talent, Eileen Myles writes poetry, fiction (most famously, Chelsea Girls), non-fiction and art criticism.

A celebration of dance for all ages and all levels of ability.

A celebration of dance for all ages and all levels of ability.

A celebration of dance for all ages and all levels of ability.

Step into the control room with artists, experts and emergency services to help us build an imaginary scenario as we map out how a rapidly spreading infectious disease might affect Melbourne.

Based on the Oscar-winning film, PRISCILLA is the hilarious adventure of three friends who hop aboard a battered old bus bound for Alice Springs to put on the show of a lifetime.

What is the emotional cost of writing memoir, and how do you cope with the fallout?

An audio-describer, a short statured performer, a wheelchair-using actor, and an award-winning poet with Marfan Syndrome take to the stage. What could possibly go wrong?

Auslan interpreters will be present for pre and post match entertainment at the MCG.

“Transformative and Wild! SEE GRUMBLE!” – Peaches 

TBA

Melbourne’s hottest queer comedy troupe, slathering audiences with intoxicating queer madness.

Both brutally honest and gloriously unpredictable, UK rising star Sophie Willan makes bold, unapologetic work that is raucously funny and completely original.

It just keeps getting taller and taller!

With a cheeky, charming and unique observational style, Larry explores his life as a working-class, gay Glaswegian with hilarious honesty

In dark times, the idea of hope can seem revolutionary. Living in a dangerous, unpredictable and rapidly changing world can leave us feeling helpless. But there are reasons to be hopeful.

“Bravo. Go see it.” 5 stars! The Age

Lately she has been realising that things aren’t always what she first thought they were and her brand new show I Get It Now is the hilarious culmination of these discoveries.

It just keeps getting taller and taller!

This is a unique 2 day workshop for interpreters and language consultants.

Immature? Unprepared? Scared of teenagers? Steve Bugeja was perfect for the job.

The Centre’s fallen out of Western politics. Fin Taylor picks it up, dusts it off and mounts a full attack on the present-day Left and its moral high ground.

Join Mudcrabs as they present three one-act plays featuring the best comedy writing the University of Melbourne has to offer.

Randy quit comedy, found God and moved to the suburbs. Now he’s furious.

Tommy Little is as stupid as they come. Lucky for the rest of us stupid makes for great comedy

Cal’s made some awful decisions – relationships, jobs, the ‘90s. She’s made some great ones as well, she just didn’t realise at the time. People say that everything happens for a reason, but what if it’s just a terrible reason?

Join Melbourne’s Arts Industry at the iconic Comedy Theatre on the 9th of April as they celebrate and applaud the achievements of their talented peers.

Fun for the whole family as Garfield tries and find adventure.

Masterfully combining physical comedy, characters and original music, The Travelling Sisters are ‘insane geniuses of sketch comedy’.

Jordan Shanks (friendlyjordies) is a satirist comedian, live radio host and YouTube video/podcast creator. 

We’ve all got fears and anxieties, Geraldine is plucky enough to face hers.

A charity music festival with 100 percent of the proceeds going to help young Australians with disabilities across the country!

In an industry that encourages rawness and vulnerability via humour and personal storytelling, where is the ‘too far’ line in terms of personal revelations?

This lineup of experienced Australian Rules journalists (and fans) will unpack the highs and lows of the year in women’s footy.

Michelle Ashley & James Blyth have worked together as interpreter and consultant on a number of productions, and will share with you their approaches and strategies when interpreting for children and their families.

Lead by Marc Brew, this masterclass is an inclusive and accessible opportunity for artists, performers, dancers, movers, theatre-makers and choreographers with and without disability.

An exclusive evening with acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton as he delivers a powerful meditation on lost boys and the riptide of toxic masculinity.

This a ticketed event that brings the entire community together to celebrate Ballarat’s wonderful diversity!

Cunnane discusses what it’s like writing the words that would shape hearts and minds of a nation, and the world. He’ll also share his thoughts on the American presidency then and now.

What makes a great book cover, who decides and how do they know?!

Come to Banyule’s annual kids Arts Festival where everyone gets to play, create, experiment and have fun!

Melbourne Art Book Fair

Architecture in its Continuums is a new publication written by Leon van Schaik AO that is concerned with the fundamental nature of architecture, its relation to society, and the ways in which it is practiced, researched and taught.

Prof Lynette Russell considers the lives and cultures of Australian people before Europeans arrived on the continent in the 18th century and their responses to the often cataclysmic events that accompanied colonialism.

Come and see the culturally vibrant and diverse community of Casey. 

A performance-lecture-cum-DJ-set, delivering the explosive, action-heavy journey into climate politics you’ve been waiting for!

Sign on and suit up – a range of performers and speakers, and those new to swimming, will guide you and cheer you on, in a collective contemplation of home and histories of Australian immigration.

Performance artist Caroline Garcia instructs you in the bootylicious basics of dancing with your pelvis while taking you through twerking’s history within the African diaspora

Wowzzzeee unites people through the making and wearing of onesies! Become part of the Wowzzzeee universe with a wowzzzeee of your own – a onesie with the WOW factor!

New-Zealand-born and Brussels based Kate McIntosh (All Ears) is guided by her ongoing fascinations with the misuse of objects, playfulness with audiences and offbeat humour.

Rest Area is the invocation and repetition of a familiar desire and a familiar gesture. In the back of a stationary truck, discover an unlikely bedchamber, where you’re invited into a stranger’s embrace.

Six women are about to explode. Which one are you? Join the mother, the dumpee, the drama nerd, the bride, the widow and the diva as they balance gladness, sadness and madness.

The Storytime program is for children aged 3-5 years, their parents and carers.

A riveting investigation into the world of birds and into our connection with them.

ChillOut, Australia’s number one Queer Country Pride festival, ­is held in the gay capital of regional Victoria – Daylesford – in Hepburn Shire.

An irreverent but tender memoir of a father, a son and a question of faith.

Wyndham City would like to invite you to join with us to celebrate International Women’s Day.

In her new memoir, “Rebel with a Cause”, Jacqui Lambie shares her story in detail.

Australian Music Vault Talks

When do words inspire and when do they incite? When is speech free, and when is it hateful? Fighting words, funny words, insulting words and incendiary words – for better or for worse, language moves us and it matters.

Join host Maeve Marsden, along with a line up of stars and strangers, for a night of queer stories, unexpected tales of lives well lived and battles fought, pride, prejudice, love and humour.

Blood on the Southern Cross is an exciting, night-time sound-and-light show, telling the important story of the Eureka Uprising.

Direct from the UK, this acclaimed National Theatre production is the winner of five Tony Awards and seven Olivier Awards, including Best Play for both.

Learn from one of the most prominent psychotherapists and thinkers of our time, and an invitation to explore the deepest questions about meaning and fulfilment in our lives.

Direct from the UK, this acclaimed National Theatre production is the winner of five Tony Awards and seven Olivier Awards, including Best Play for both.

The Storytime program is for children aged 3-5 years, their parents and carers.

Think community meets high art meets LGBTIQ culture. Park Lounge will welcome you into Werribee’s heart and leave you wanting more

In this special exhibition curated by Angela Bailey, artists bring their own sensibilities of identity and practice to interpreting these collections, and bring to life actual or imagined queer histories.

For all Mrs Browns’ die-hard fans, you are in for the biggest treat. For those who haven’t experienced Mrs Brown’s Boys live, For the Love of Mrs. Brown it is not to be missed.

Travel to the past, celebrate the future and make history on the closing weekend of Midsumma Festival.

Enter an explosion of sequins, circus and irreverence backed up by an all-star live band. KillJoy dances with truth and fantasy, politics and reality, sexuality and secrets. Come join the Evolution!

He loved himself. She loved her brother. (Adult content (which might include Nudity, Sex scenes, Trigger warnings, Coarse language); Nudity; Violence )

Since its inauguration in 2016 the Midsumma Australia Post Art Prize has quickly established itself as the nation’s leading queer art award and exhibition.

Dive deep into art ‘queery’ with this dynamic panel of nationally and internationally celebrated queer artists, and hear firsthand about their personal and professional experiences.

NGV Triennial Discussion

Gather your friends and allies together as we take to St Kilda’s Fitzroy Street, to rejoice in our diversity and achievements, at Victoria’s annual queer march @midsumma