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Rising, Melbourne’s flagship festival of new art, music and performance is turning up the heat as the weather starts to chill. From May 27 to June 8, our city will be turned into a sprawling stage of bold ideas, immersive performances and electric shows across theatres, halls, galleries and public spaces.
The 2026 program has just dropped, and one of the biggest highlights is set to be an appearance by hip-hop icon Lil’ Kim, whose rap performances celebrate the legacy of the genre.
Over at Arts Centre Melbourne, visionary European director Florentina Holzinger presents her explosive new work A Year Without Summer – a genre-bending musical comedy that tackles medical science, mortality and our obsession with progress.
Dance also takes centre stage. The globally renowned Royal Family Dance Crew will stage an arena-sized takeover of Hamer Hall, followed by a free public dance event at Fed Square packed with their signature high-voltage Polyswagg choreography.
Meanwhile, the historic Flinders Street Ballroom will reopen as a lively participatory dance academy. As part of the multi-room music marathon The Land of 1000 Dances, festivalgoers can step onto the floor for classes on everything from jazz and jive to Bollywood and ballet.
Rising’s “festival within a festival”, Day Tripper, features a stellar line-up including Kae Tempest, Saul Williams and Kahil El'Zabar. The Vinyl Factory: Reverb at ACMI is a multi-sensory journey into sound and vinyl culture, while Voiceless Mass by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Raven Chacon takes place inside St Paul's Cathedral.
Excited? You bet we are. You can view the full program for Rising and start planning here.
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