Rising's First Peoples art trams are back on the tracks in Melbourne

Melbourne's public transport network has once again become a moving art gallery, with six striking new First Peoples art trams hitting the tracks as part of this year's Rising.

Launching on June 2, the latest edition of this public art project transforms six trams into vibrant canvases celebrating First Peoples culture, storytelling and creativity. These trams will travel across the city's network for the next 12 months, bringing contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art to commuters.

Curated by Taungurung woman Kate ten Buuren, the 2026 program explores the power of Blak imagination. Each tram showcases the work of an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander artist with connections to Victoria, creating an exhibition on wheels that glides daily through Melbourne's streets.

Leading this year's line-up is the prestigious Legacy Tram, created by Wadawurrung elder and senior artist Aunty Marlene Gilson OAM. Renowned for her richly detailed multi-figure paintings, Gilson's work reclaims and reframes histories of Country, weaving cultural knowledge, memory and storytelling into the public realm. Her acclaimed practice has been exhibited everywhere from Ballarat to the Venice Biennale, and her contribution brings a powerful intergenerational perspective to this year's project.

Joining Gilson are five other celebrated artists: Natasha Carter (Dja Dja Wurrung, Yorta Yorta and Jaru), Mitch Mahoney (Boonwurrung and Barkindji), Jenna Mayilema Lee (Larrakia, KarraJarri and Wardaman), Zena Zada Cumpston (Barkandji/Kurnu) and Sonja Hodge (Lardil). Together, their works transform Melbourne's iconic trams into moving expressions of culture, identity, connection and future-thinking.

Rising's program also includes Blak Art on the Move, a new public program designed to deepen audiences' engagement with the artworks. The series, running until June 8, will include artist talks, workshops and guided public art tours, offering opportunities to learn more about the stories, histories and ideas behind each tram.

And over the next 12 months, keep your eyes on the tracks and be sure to hop on one of these rolling masterpieces.

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