Melbourne’s winter arts calendar is about to get a major glow-up, with the return of Now or Never, the city’s festival of art, ideas, sound and technology, bringing more than 150 events to venues and public spaces across the CBD from 19 to 30 August 2026.
Now in its fourth year, the festival will see more than 250 local and international artists present a packed program of installations, performances, talks and immersive experiences, many of them exclusive to Melbourne.
Among the most talked-about events is SOMNIA, a rare overnight concert experience inside the Royal Exhibition Building. Audiences will have the chance to sleep beneath the iconic Dome while ambient music pioneer William Basinski and Norwegian saxophonist Bendik Giske perform a live durational work designed to unfold throughout the night.
The Royal Exhibition Building will also host a celebration of influential American composer Philip Glass, featuring performances of In the Upper Room by Orchestra Victoria and Piano Etudes by Japanese pianist Maki Namekawa. Elsewhere, The Breath Haus will present a large-scale breathwork and sound bath experience featuring First Nations artists David and Daniel Wilfred from Hand to Earth.
Along the Birrarung, visitors can explore a trail of free large-scale light installations. Highlights include Taiwanese artist AKA Chang’s towering laser work Multimmersion, Upside Down V2, Emily Parsons-Lord’s mist-filled The Falls Before Us, and XYZZY REDUX, a striking digital projection across Hamer Hall created by Jess Johnson and Simon Ward.
Melbourne Town Hall will once again become one of the festival’s central hubs, hosting world premieres from Chunky Move, a major laser and sound installation from Robin Fox, and a series of late-night music events featuring local and international artists.
Acting Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell said, “Now or Never embraces Melbourne’s cool, grey winter atmosphere and turns it into something extraordinary – using light, sound and technology to completely reimagine the city.”
She added, “Our programming team continues to create experiences you simply won’t find anywhere else – from the rare chance to sleep beneath the Dome at the Royal Exhibition Building to a trail of large-scale light installations along the Yarra River.”
Last year’s festival generated more than $19 million for the local economy and supported around 1,000 jobs, further cementing its place as one of Melbourne’s most significant cultural events.
Explore the full program and book tickets at https://nowornever.melbourne.vic.gov.au
