Shown in Australia for the very first time, exclusive to Melbourne, this exhibition contains original sketches and rare artworks from 1928 to the present day, including a world-first exhibit of artworks from Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). The Walt Disney Animation Studios have been creating extraordinary films for nearly a century, and every film begins with drawings that capture the essence of character, story and emotion. This exhibition features over 500 exceptional artworks including original paintings, sketches and concept art that have been specially selected by the Walt Disney Animation Research Library in Los Angeles, California. These rarely seen works reveal the development of beloved stories and animation techniques from your favourite Walt Disney Animation Studios films and shorts, including Mickey Mouse’s first talkie, Steamboat Willie (1928), films such as Fantasia (1940), Sleeping Beauty (1959), The Little Mermaid (1989), The Lion King (1994), Frozen (2013), Moana (2016), Frozen 2 (2019) and the studio’s latest release, Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). The five sections of this exhibition each focus on a different era of innovation, from perfecting the technique of bringing two dimensional drawings to life in the 1920s, to the creation of the first animated feature films in the late 1930s and 1940s, the stylistic innovations of the post-war years, the renaissance of the 1990s to the digital revolution and advances of present day. The exhibition charts the Walt Disney Animation Studio’s process in continuing to tell diverse and inclusive stories for contemporary audiences. Big and little kids alike can explore the five kingdoms of the world of Kumandra from the studio’s latest release Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) through a COVIDSafe touch-free giant wall map, or bathe in a room of light that reveals how animators use colour to express different emotions. You can even step inside a scene from the Disney classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Be inspired by the incredible artistry behind your favourite characters and discover how drawings are brought to life, from pencil and paper to today’s computer-generated wonders.

Live and learn with Fed Free Workshops, our deluxe masterclass program! Our Masterclasses were such a hit over lockdown, we’re ratcheting it up a notch and combining them with the old school Fed Fitness for Fed Free Workshops: our regular fitness, educational and fun-filled sessions, absolutely free at Fed Square! Choose from our limited edition summer series, or a selection of weekly year-long classes, or attend them all! From Yoga to cocktail making, photography to IT classes, if there’s something you’ve always wanted to dip your tootsies into but never quite knew how, we’ve got it covered. Sort your chakras out with our Qigong and Tai Chi, get a wiggle on with Belly Dancing or snap the best selfie in the sun! See the schedule below. BYO: Comfy clothes, water bottle, towel, and yoga mat for pilates and yoga classes. Of course the health and safety of our visitors is a priority and every person entering the square is required to scan and enter their details into a Covid-compliancy system. Workshops are capped at a maximum of 40 people. Ensure you read our Fed Free Workshop Risk Warning, below, before signing up to a Fed Free Workshop.