RISING, Melbourne’s premiere festival of new music, art and performance, today unleashes its sweeping 2024 program, featuring 105 events, more than 480 artists, 23 new commissions, 6 world premieres, and 8 Australian premieres, set to take the city as a stage as winter begins from June 1-16.
Across sixteen nights, spanning three epic weekends, RISING will stretch down the spine of Swanston St and beyond as large scale installations, free public events and world-class contemporary music, theatre and dance, ignite the city’s streets, venues and hidden spaces. Historic arcades and back alleys will come alive with art exhibitions, performances, micro-bars, art and dance classes.
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Rising Melbourne
A transformed Melbourne Town Hall hosts a sprawling day party across the King’s Birthday long weekend. Epic and ethereal sound works echo from the Birrarung through the CBD, St Paul’s Cathedral becomes a site of mass music making, and First Nations art goes large at Fed Square.“RISING 2024 is a festival that belongs to Naarm, Melbourne. Some of the most exciting voices in art, music and performance offer moments of catharsis and reflection with mass music making in a church or summoning the cosmos in our town square.” said RISING co-artistic directors Hannah Fox and Gideon Obarzanek, “The most important part is coming together to be thrilled, bemused, shaken or delighted.” Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos shared the enthusiasm, “A packed program of amazing cultural experiences will see RISING ignite Melbourne’s winter again in 2024, bringing visitors into the city to revel in this major event filled with art, music and performance.”
From Melbourne icons The Dirty Three in their first hometown shows in 14 years, to Western Sydney drill trailblazers OneFour, US hip hop icon Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) performing two sets including a headlining show at PICA (Port Melbourne Industrial Centre for the Arts), and the singular Swedish electro-pop singer and producer Fever Ray, in Australia for the first time, RISING’s contemporary music program will take over the CBD’s most iconic venues, weaving together a diverse lineup of the best musical talents from across Australia and the globe.
Sky Ferreira
US pop star Sky Ferreira is jetting her way to RISING—and Australia for the first time since 2015. She’ll bring her blend of pop and heavy metal heart to the intimate upstairs space at The Forum in what’s sure to be the hot-ticket performance of the festival. Known for her honest anthems and overcoming industry challenges, her performance is set to captivate with both new singles and classics from her decade-long career.
Keep reading about the festival here.
