Five Melbourne Events Happening in Early 2020 that Every Culture Vulture Should Add to Their Calendar
Fulfil your New Year's resolution to get more culture into your life with these buzzing events.
Five Melbourne Events Happening in Early 2020 that Every Culture Vulture Should Add to Their Calendar
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Fulfil your New Year's resolution to get more culture into your life with these buzzing events.
It's no secret that Melbourne is considered the cultural capital of Australia, and is world-renowned for its arts scene. And, when summer rolls around, its the time of year when our city's calendar really booms. From an emerging art fair and a streetball tournament to a subcultural dance-off and a massive LGBTQI+ disco party, the early months of 2020 are looking pretty impressive.
It's time to start sorting through the lot and filling up your days with all things culture. That's why we've teamed up with our mates over at inner city-inspired brewer Atomic Beer Project to bring you five events happening in 2020 that every Melbourne culture vulture should add to their calendar ASAP.
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The annually anticipated design series that is MPavilion has returned to Queen Victoria Gardens just in time for summer. Each year, a new temporary structure is erected and, this season, it’s a minimalist design by celebrated architect Glenn Murcutt AO. Open through March 22, the space acts as the premier location for free arts and culture events in Melbourne. As part of this year’s massive program, members of creative arts program Signal will take the stage for a dance battle on Friday, January 17 from 6–9pm. It will span dance forms including hip hop, breaking, vogue, waacking and popping — showcasing the diversity of Melbourne’s subcultural dance forms. The kiosk will be open for nibbles and drinks to enjoy alongside this energetic night, too. And, as always, the event is completely free.
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Intrepid BBC filmmaker Louis Theroux is headed to Aussie shores for a second tour this summer with his latest stage show, Without Limits. And, as always, you can expect big things from the ‘king of documentaries’. He’ll hit the stage at the Melbourne Convention Centre for two shows on January 19 (1pm and 6pm). Theroux will be joined by local media personality Julia Zemiro, and the two will embark on a two-hour discussion that provides insight into Theroux’s life — as well as behind-the-scenes ‘secrets’ from over two decades of his work. Those have included topics like the opioid epidemic, the San Fernando Valley porn industry and the Church of Scientology, to name a few. While you wait for his arrival, check out a preview of the new show here.
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Melbourne’s favourite LGBTQI+ festival Midsumma will return for three weeks from January 19, and bring with it a whole heap of colourful cabarets, interactive art installations and 11-hour carnivals. As part of the jam-packed program, you can also attend the after-hours Lunar New Year Disco at the Melbourne Museum on February 7. The ‘queer street dance battle’ will be hosted by Drag Race Thailand‘s Pangina Heals and Taiwan’s Chrissy Chou. Contestants will battle in the vein of the 1970s LA queer nightlife scene with waacking and punking competitions. For those looking to enter the tournament, you can choose your competition when purchasing your tickets. And you can even get pointers from the pros during Waacking Intensive and Punking Dramatics workshops with the two hosts. Attendees will also enjoy the rare chance to view the museum’s permanent galleries and back-of-house collections at night.
Image: Dean Acuri.
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Australia’s leading streetball tournament is back again for 2020, taking over Prahran’s Princes Park from February 8–9. The park’s outdoor court has developed some of Melbourne’s top basketball players and is a bedrock for emerging professionals in the sport. In order to qualify for the Summer Jam, players must first register for the St Kilda Open Run (which took place on December 8) or the Prahran version (coming up on January 19).
The day will include five-on-five championships, three-on-three championships and a slam dunk competition. For spectators, there’s plenty in store apart from the tournament as well — think live music and DJ sets, food trucks, streetwear pop-up shops and a beer garden slinging Atomic Beer Project brews to boot. For more information or to register, head here.
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Art aficionados and novices alike should make tracks to The Facility in Kensington when The Other Art Fair returns. The highly lauded international event showcases the work of 120 emerging artists and will take place from May 21–24. Each artist is selected by a panel of distinguished industry experts, and all artists will be present, so you can chat to the maker behind your selected works.
For those new to art buying, there’ll be artworks starting from just $100, and you can check out these handy buying tips on the OAF website. Alongside the perusing and purchasing opportunities, the event also features immersive performances, activations and workshops, along with food stalls and DJ sets. Full details are still to be released, but you can mark the dates down now and keep an eye on the website for when tickets go on sale — typically it’s $25 to the opening night party, $20 online or $25 on the door.
Step outside your comfort zone and celebrate creativity with Atomic Beer Project’s hop-driven brews. To see the full range, visit the website.
Top Image: Jackson Grant.
