Melbourne nights come alive with new late-night event Art After Dark

Inspired by Europe’s Night of Museums, Melbourne’s inaugural Art After Dark invites the adventurous to open doors and discover the dynamic depths of a city with culture in its veins. Explore the city’s much-loved cultural institutions and revel in an inventive, artistic feast on Friday 13 – Saturday 14 May from 6.00pm – 1.00am on both nights.

NGV Australia and NGV International, Arts Centre Melbourne, Fed Square, ACMI, State Library of Victoria and Melbourne Museum will all open late for this thrilling night-time experience.

Presented by Visit Victoria and produced by The Social Crew, this dynamic and limited-time-only program of free and ticketed experiences includes live music, visual and performing arts, food and drink, encouraging visitors to escape into the city and discover something new at Melbourne’s cultural venues.

Art After Dark will see Melbourne’s famous cultural institutions come together for a late-night program of experiences. See the likes of BRIGGS, Human Nature, latenight screenings of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, never seen before installations and much more for two big nights to experience the city at its cultural creative and vibrant best.

“Art After Dark is an exciting way for Melburnians to discover something new at our unsurpassed cultural venues,” said Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula. “This new major event is supporting jobs and will bring tens of thousands of people into the CBD boosting our night-time economy.”

“We’re really excited to see these iconic Melbourne venues collaborate to curate Art After Dark – a vibrant and colourful program of new works and reintroduce some faves,” said Belinda Collins, The Social Crew creative director.

“The breadth of creativity presented in Melbourne’s art scene is one that should be celebrated and we encourage everyone to book quickly and make a night of it – or two! It’s a wonderful surprise of visual installations, music, film, exhibitions and much more. It’s time to get out there.”

Head to Fed Square on Friday 13 May for a Fed Square Live headlined by music sensation BRIGGS, supported by Kee’ahn, with her signature soulful melodies, Melbourne DJ Soju Gang and neo-soul band Izy. The deadly concert will be followed by the launch of Australian-first art installation, Constellations.

Lighting up over two nights, Constellations is a fascinating journey where the vectorial, monochromatic aesthetics of international artist Joanie Lemercier collaborates with the electronic soundscapes of producer Paul Jebanasam. Take in Art After Dark’s sights and sounds at Federation Square with a free takeaway hot chocolate, coffee, s’mores treat and glow in the dark fairy floss.

NGV Australia welcomes the return of popular exhibition, Mass, from Triennial, along with pop-up programming throughout the night to engender moments of joy and contemplation, from poetry readings to choir and DJs, Mass celebrates universally human form that links us all. NGV International’s iconic bluestone building will be transformed with a light projection curated as part of the free QUEER: Stories from the NGV Collection.

While in the Great Hall, artist Hannah Brontë’s immersive video installation, EYE HEAR U MAGIK (2020), explores how ancestral intuition has been passed down through Aboriginal people in the wake of colonisation. Visitors can revel at art across all levels as the entire venue will be open with free access to all exhibitions.

Arts Centre Melbourne will present an evening of nostalgia on stage with live performances, including from Australian home-grown heroes Human Nature on Saturday 14 May. In addition, the Art After Dark programming includes the Australian Music Vault to stay open late with curators and tour guides telling stories and engaging with visitors about local music.

The forecourt will have DJs playing from the balcony and additional food trucks will accompany the offering of the Art Centre Melbourne bars.

Melbourne’s inaugural Art After Dark takes place at NGV Australia and NGV International, Arts Centre Melbourne, Fed Square, ACMI, State Library of Victoria and Melbourne Museum on Friday 13 – Saturday 14 May from 6.00pm – 1.00am on both nights. For more information, visit: www.artafterdark.com.au for details.

Image: Australian Music Vault, The Amplifier – photo by Jason Lau