From Lil’ Kim to Lucy Guerin: your guide to Melbourne’s Rising Festival
Melbourne's Rising Festival returns in 2026 with a strong emphasis on music and contemporary dance, featuring both local and international artists. The festival launches its inaugural Australian Dance Biennale, highlighting Melbourne's vibrant dance scene. From interactive dance workshops to youth-focused theatre and robotic performances, the event offers diverse experiences across the city.
- ▪The 2026 Rising Festival places a major focus on music and contemporary dance, reflecting Melbourne's status as Australia's live music capital.
- ▪The festival features the first Australian Dance Biennale, showcasing the city's strength in dance performance.
- ▪Interactive events include Land of 1000 Dances at Flinders Street Station Ballroom and Monsteen, a teen-focused theatre production with audience-driven storytelling.
- ▪Furby Chorus and Friends presents a choir of reprogrammed vintage Furbies and other robots performing together in Emporium Melbourne.
- ▪Notable performances include Florentina Holzinger’s A Year Without Summer, described as body horror, and appearances by artists like Lil’ Kim and Lucy Guerin.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.