Melbourne has a reputation as Australia’s most events orientated state and rarely a week goes past without the city celebrating art, music, film or sport. Melbournians are spoilt for choice by the sheer wealth of entertainment and events available throughout the year in their vibrant city.
Cultural Melbourne
After one visit to Melbourne, you cannot fail to appreciate why it is internationally renowned as the arts and cultural capital of Australia. Lovers of opera, art, music, dance and comedy will be in awe of the dazzling array of entertainment on offer all year, in and around the city. Diverse culture can be found at every turn from the city lanes to regional centres such as Heidelberg and Elwood. The area of Southbank is a cultural hub and home to the Victorian Arts Centre, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Australian Ballet, Melbourne Symphony, the Victorian College of the Arts and Playbox Theatre Company.
Each year the Melbourne Fringe Festival spices up the city’s cultural calendar with an entertaining programme of groundbreaking and daring performances ranging across all art forms.
Theatre
Theatre lovers are spoilt for choice as every night of the week curtains rise on stages across the city, to reveal the latest Broadway sensation or
a new take on an old classic. In the summer months, visit the Royal Botanic Gardens for outdoor performances of Shakespeare.
Comedy
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival attracts a wealth of talent from around the world and, for several weeks in March, laughter can be heard throughout the city. Throughout the rest of the year the numerous venues host comedy evenings ranging from established stand-up comedy acts to open mic nights.
www.comedyfestival.com.au
Galleries
The city’s many galleries are packed with quality works reinforcing Melbourne’s reputation as a leading influence on Australian art. Melbourne is also home to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Australia’s oldest public gallery and home to one of the country’s most important art collections.
For 17 days each October, the Melbourne International Arts Festival features unique international and Australian attractions in the fields of dance, theatre, music, opera, visual arts and includes free and outdoor events.
www.melbournefestival.com.au
Music
Whatever your taste in music, you can find it in Melbourne. The city’s pub culture sees many local acts playing at smaller venues whilst international artists regularly play the big entertainment centres. Annual music events include the International Music Festival to Melbourne in February and the Umbria Jazz Festival.
Museums
Melbourne’s museums document the city’s history and offer exhibitions as diverse as the city itself, from Aboriginal pieces to the sets of cult TV show
Neighbours! The recently built Melbourne Museum, with its distinctive roofline and grand proportions, is the largest museum not only in Australia but also in the whole Southern Hemisphere.
Gay And Lesbian
No one can argue that Melbourne isn’t gay and lesbian friendly. Melbournians are proud of their liberal views to sexuality and seize the opportunity to tell the world as often as possible! Key events in the calendar include:
- The Midsumma Festival which takes place over three weeks in summer, and is a gay and lesbian celebration of events including a pride march, carnival day and picnic.
- The Melbourne Queer Film Festival which is held every March, and shows local and international features, documentaries and short films during this ten-day festival.