Around Melbourne

Dreading winter? Here’s something to brighten your mood: Rising, Melbourne's annual festival of art, music, dance and performance, returns from May 27 to June 8 – and the final part of the program has just been announced. “Free art after dark, fresh live music, late-night dining and artist-led conversations, clubs and lounges create even more doorways into the festival’s expansive program of new art, stories, music and dance,” says Rising artistic director and CEO, Hannah Fox. ‘l’ Opening weekend sees Fed Square and Hamer Hall transformed by ‘Midéegaadi’, a spectacular projection and sound installation by Native American artist Cannupa Hanska Luger. Originally shown in New York’s Times Square, the projections will illuminate both sites as part of Calling Country: The Land Speaks Back, alongside works by Djirri Djirri Women's Dance Group. Relax in deck chairs with hot drinks and First Nations food while soaking up the atmosphere beneath the city lights. Fed Square will also host one of the festival’s most intriguing experiences: Sapporo Supper Club: Chīsai 小, the world’s smallest ramen-ya. Running Thursday to Saturday throughout the festival, this tiny dining space seats just two guests at a time for Hokkaido-style ramen and expertly poured Sapporo beer.  Hungry for more? Moon Bites returns with a late-night dining trail designed for pre- and post-show meals. Venues including Cathedral Coffee, Mr Mills, Melbourne Supper Club, Dom's Social Club and Bottega will serve...

Sax in the city? Yes, please. The Melbourne International Jazz Festival (MIJF) returns from October 16–25, bringing world-class jazz to venues across the city. Since 1998, MIJF has championed contemporary jazz – from cutting-edge improvisers to legendary names – with more than a third of performances free to attend. The first artist announcement has just been made for the 2026 program, with the red-hot line-up set to include: Dee Dee Bridgewater and Helen Sung: Hamer Hall, October 24Three-time Grammy Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater returns to Melbourne after a decade away. Renowned for her bold phrasing, scat flair and reinterpretations of the Great American Songbook, she joins pianist Helen Sung for an intimate duet performance. Sung, a Guggenheim Fellow, blends lyrical sensitivity with intricate harmonic ideas, moving fluidly between jazz and classical influences. At Hamer Hall, they promise an expressive set spanning Ellington, Sondheim and more, with plenty of improvisational dialogue. Tigran Hamasyan: Melbourne Recital Centre, October 23Armenian pianist and composer Tigran Hamasyan brings his genre-fusing sound back to MIJF with Manifeste. He blends jazz improvisation with progressive rock energy and Armenian folk motifs. At the Melbourne Recital Centre, expect a set that moves between structured composition and improvisation. The Bad Plus: Melbourne Recital Centre, October 21Boundary-pushing collective The Bad Plus return for their final Australian appearance on...