Overview
Melbourne's summer festival calendar scored a wild and wonderful new addition with the announcement of Can't Do Tomorrow. Taking over the warehouses of Kensington's famed underground space The Facility, the new street art festival will dish up a dynamic festival of contemporary culture from February 20–29, 2020. And it's just announced its big boundary-pushing program.
A melting pot of creativity, music, discussion and art, the ten-day fiesta promises to be immersive, eclectic and entirely thought-provoking. A lineup of more than 100 artists, galleries, crews and collectives will transform the former wool stores into a large-scale smorgasbord of urban art for you to feast on, interact with, experience and even buy. Organisers are even describing it as "an outlandish Eden".
Headlining the event will be a giant hand-painted boat floating in a shipping container by Archibald Prize finalist and Melbourne artist Michael Peck. Elsewhere on the program, new media artist Nick Azidis will take over the exterior walls and tunnel of The Facility with mind-bending projections, UK artist Mysterios Al will transform an area into a multi-dimensional work with "hidden secrets" and street artist Kaffeine's Infinite Thanks will celebrate LGBTQI+ icons with paintings and stories inside a shrine, which you'll also be able to add your own offerings to.
Milk Bar by Callum Preston
Callum Preston — who's behind Melbourne's famed milk bar installation, above — will also create a new immersive work inspired by 80s gangster movies. You'll feel like you've stepped into Scarface as you walk through and touch the piece.
Street artists Ruskidd, Jason Parker, Unwell Bunny, LucyLucy, David Hooke, Steve Leadbeater and Heesco are some of the other big names announced today, with the full program set to drop in January. As well as looking at (and contributing to) the artists' works, you'll be able to chat to them, thanks to a series of talks and workshops. Rone, who recently transformed a deserted 30s mansion into a haunting installation earlier this year, is one of the artists who'll be sharing their tips.
To round out the festivities, there'll also be live music, pop-up food stalls and bars and warehouse parties at Tallows Club, which will be open until 1am throughout the festival.
Can't Do Tomorrow will take over The Facility, at 2R Chelmsford St, Kensington, from February 20 to 29, 2020. Tickets are on sale now. The full program is slated to drop in January — we'll let you know when it does.
Images: The Facility by Alex Jovanovic