RISING, Melbourne’s premier festival of music, art and performance, has unveiled its full 2026 program, with more than 100 events set to take over the city from 27 May to 8 June.
The winter festival will transform theatres, town halls, railway ballrooms, civic squares and galleries across Naarm/Melbourne into shared spaces for large scale performances, installations and live music. Organisers say the program will bring together artists and audiences from Australia and around the world as the city heads into the colder months.
In total, the 2026 program features 376 artists and includes seven world premieres and 11 Australian premieres. Events will span major venues and smaller spaces across the CBD and beyond, with a mix of international headliners, new Australian works and large free public experiences.
Among the headline events is Florentina Holzinger’s new performance epic at Arts Centre Melbourne and a major arena show from The Royal Family Dance Crew at Hamer Hall. The internationally known dance group will also stage a free public event at Fed Square.
The historic Flinders Street Ballroom will reopen for the festival as a participatory dance academy, inviting audiences to take part in classes and performances. Elsewhere, the multi room music marathon Day Tripper returns, while ACMI hosts the Australian premiere of The Vinyl Factory: Reverb.
Other highlights include Pulitzer Prize winning composer Raven Chacon presenting Voiceless Mass inside St Paul’s Cathedral. At The Substation, performer Narcissister will transform the venue with her large scale installation Voyage Into Infinity.
The program also features a landmark hip hop performance from Brooklyn rapper Lil’ Kim, bringing a global music icon to Melbourne as part of a lineup that moves between cathedrals, clubs, theatres and public squares.
RISING Artistic Director and CEO Hannah Fox said the festival reflects the role music and movement play in shaping the city.
“Melbourne is a city shaped by music and movement, always moving forward and reinventing, remixing and birthing new sounds and styles from dolewave to bounce, from traditional Wurundjeri dance to the Melbourne Shuffle.” says RISING Artistic Director and CEO Hannah Fox. “Music and dance are universal ancient languages and remain the most loved way we gather as a community – from folk dance to the rave, and from sticky carpets to arenas.”
Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Creative Industries Katie Hall said the festival would again showcase the city’s creative sector while inviting the public to take part.
“RISING festival returns to rev up Melbourne this winter with an open invitation to Victorians and visitors to celebrate our city at its creative best.” says Parliamentary Secretary for Creative Industries Katie Hall MP, “Alongside a roster of incredible local and international artists there are plenty of free experiences on offer and opportunities for people of all ages to unleash their inner artist thanks to the first ever Australian Dance Biennale which will offer classes for all ages alongside incredible performances.”
Presale for RISING subscribers begins at 12pm on 12 March with early bird pricing across the program. General tickets go on sale at 12pm on 16 March.
