The latest and greatest of what’s on Melbourne.
If you want to know what to do in Melbourne today, this weekend or beyond, we’ve got you sorted.
Browse our listings to see what’s on at Fed Square – and if you’ve got any questions, ask away through our Chatbot!

Find out what to do in Melbourne.
Fed Square is Melbourne’s (Naarm) leading destination for major arts and community festivals, exhibitions, talks, workshops and conferences, free live music and big screen action. 
To help plan your next visit, check out what&#8217;s on, below.

The latest and greatest of what to do in Melbourne today.
If you want to know what to do in Melbourne today, we’ve got you sorted.
Browse our listings to see what’s on at Fed Square – and if you’ve got any questions, ask away through our Chatbot!

The latest and greatest of what to do in Melbourne tomorrow.
If you want to know what to do in Melbourne tomorrow, we’ve got you sorted.
Browse our listings to see what’s on at Fed Square – and if you’ve got any questions, ask away through our Chatbot!

Festival

Join us on Sunday 2 May to celebrate Maythe4th at Fed Square in Melbourne #MayThe4thBeWithYou
The day will include:
<ul>
<li>Character Appearances from local fan groups.</li>
<li>Exclusive activations and photo opportunities, in celebration of Disney+ Original Series The Bad Batch.</li>
<li>Jedi Experience: fledgling Padawans are invited to train like the Jedi and learn the ways of the Force!</li>
<li>TIE-fighter: Join the dark side as you get your photo with our life-size replica TIE-fighter.</li>
<li>Toy Box Photo Opportunities: Hop into these life-size Toy Boxes alongside your favourite heroes and villains; The Bad Batch, The Mandalorian and Stormtroopers!</li>
<li>Zing Pop-Up Stall: Exclusive Star Wars product from Zing, the home of pop culture.</li>
<li>LEGO Zone: 12-2pm.</li>
<li>Crepes For Change Food Truck.</li>
<li>Enjoy a BB-ATE burger meal at Transport Hotel.</li>
<li>Cosplay competitions from 12pm, prizing provided by Zing and Booktopia.</li>
</ul>
Why May 4th? Because, as it happens, fans invented a clever turn of phrase based on the classic Star Wars slogan “May the Force Be With You” back in 1978: “May the FOURTH Be With You”.
In recent years, Star Wars fans have claimed May 4th as their day, a day that has also given Lucasfilm an opportunity to give back to the Star Wars community that honours that galaxy far, far away.

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Star Wars May the 4th

The livestream on 29 November 2022 will not be going ahead and will return on 6 December, our apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Escape the stress and busyness of modern life to discover the peace of meditation for yourself in these free 30-minute meditation sessions, suitable for beginners and regulars alike &#8211; Classes brought to you by <a href="https://meditateinmelbourne.org/">Kadampa Meditation Centre Australia</a>.
Press play below to watch the livestreams.

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Lunchtime Meditation

The Atrium

Calm in the City is a 2011 not-for-profit community initiative, which engages with the city communities to bring calm into the heart of the city.
Calm in the City offers a gift to the city communities. It’s aim is simple – to enable meditation and calm to be easily accessible for all and for the art and practice of meditation to be communicated and experienced through the use of simple language and creative means.
These are free 30-minute meditation sessions, suitable for beginners and regulars alike – Classes brought to you by Calm in the City. <a tabindex="-1" title="https://www.calminthecity.org.au/" href="https://www.calminthecity.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.calminthecity.org.au/</a>
Calm in the City will also be streaming their morning meditation classes in 2024, to join the stream <a href="https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYlcOyvqjsqHtHv_YlAEtoqVPh8gJX_NkYk#/registration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.

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Morning Meditation

Free

<h2>Exercise your mind, body and soul in an inspiring location to start your week.</h2>
You will feel refreshed, rejuvenated and energized with Tai Chi, the Chinese martial art that helps promote health and relaxation.
Expert instructors from Tai Chi Australia will run a free class every Tuesday morning at Fed Square.
Click here to view our full suite of <a href="/fed-free-workshops/">Fed Free Workshops</a>

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Tai Chi Chuan. Chinese martial art

Tai Chi

Exhibitions

<h2>Figures of Love is a new exhibition presented by Fed Square, as part of a partnership with Open Canvas.</h2>
Open Canvas is a social enterprise that works to support artists and crafts-makers who have experienced disadvantage due to homelessness, mental illness or other forms of adversity. Support is provided by providing a platform for artists to present their work professionally and earn an income, and through the provision of art materials.
This exhibition is the first of two exhibitions to be presented at Fed Square, showcasing 40 works from 20 Open Canvas artists.
&#8216;Figures of Love&#8217; presents work from Open Canvas artists representing a range of styles and in varied media, including linocut; collage; oil on canvas; watercolour, pastels, pen, marker or ink on paper; and sculpture.

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Open Canvas exhibition: Figures of Love

<h2>ACMI&#8217;s centrepiece exhibition</h2>
Journey through the past, present and future of the moving image through interactive experiences, digital innovation and captivating stories.
From the first projections and optical illusions to the birth of film and beyond, moving images have the power to spark imagination, share stories and shape history. Discover how inventors, innovators and artists at the turn of the 20th century wielded light, split time and captured motion, heralding a technological revolution that continues today.
Featuring ancient shadow puppets, Victorian-era magic lanterns, original cameras, iconic costumes, movie sets, sketches, clips and contemporary art, The Story of the Moving Image traverses time, countries and cultures in a mesmerising exploration of an art form that changed the world and illuminated our collective humanity.
Five distinct sections frame the major moments in moving image history, including the origins and future of cinema, production design and the creative process, Australian culture and stories, the rise of videogames, and how screens inform, influence and empower us.
These stages come to life through <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/interactive-experiences-at-acmi/">interactive experiences</a> that let you animate shadows, craft optical toys, experiment with time, assemble film scenes and create soundscapes in a custom Foley studio.
These moments can be collected with the <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/lens/">Lens</a>, a free tool that collects your favourite objects, artworks and creations in the exhibition. It also animates the Constellation, connecting what you collected to the cosmos of screen content outside ACMI.

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Visit_our_centrepiece_exhibition_The_Story_of_t.original

The Story of the Moving Image

The Main Square

ACMI

<h2>Story telling in all forms is crucial to sharing and understanding historic and popular culture.</h2>
Deadly Narratives: Recent Collection Highlights brings together Victorian Aboriginal narratives represented by 5 years of art collecting by the KHT since moving to the Birrarung (Yarra) Building at Federation Square in 2015.
The deadly narratives are told through a range of media including acrylic on canvas and board, prints, ceramics, textile, pokerwork possum skin, weaving and jewellery.
Deadly Narratives showcase the unique and important place the KHT collection holds in Victoria and nation-wide. The collection highlights in the exhibition reflect the strong, vibrant and living culture of south east Australia, representing individuals and communities that continue to connect to place and country.
Featured artists: Frank Hood, the Pitcha Makin Fellaz, Mandi Barton, Patrice Mathaymiles Mahoney, Marlene Scerri, Lisa Waup, Lucy Williams-Connelly, Steaphan Paton, Josh Muir, Monique Grbec, Marlene Gilson, Kait James, Uncle Greg Muir, Lee Darroch, Raymond Young, Cassie Leatham, Isobel Morphy-Walsh, Peter Waples-Crowe, Marilyne Nicholls,  Laura Kirby and Daniel Kelly

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Deadly Narratives: Recent Collection Highlights

Upper Square

Koorie Heritage Trust

<h2>&#8220;The way we grow, harvest, transport, sell and eat our food is the most destructive human activity on the planet&#8221; &#8211; Joost Bakker</h2>
Imagine solving the world&#8217;s biggest problem&#8217;s by simply changing the way we live. <a href="https://www.futurefoodsystem.com/">futurefoodsystem</a> is attempting just that.
Joost Bakker&#8217;s living, no-waste eco-house is situated smack bang in the middle of Fed Square&#8217;s River Terrace, complete with aquaponics, solar power, micro-farms, a charcoal tank and rooftop garden.
From February until November, 2021, futurefoodsystem was home to celeb foodies Matt Stone and Jo Barrett, who spent their days harvesting, cooking and eating the food this 100% sustainable modern urban farm produces – while all waste produced by the house is fed back into the house&#8217;s systems: a closed-loop.

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futurefoodsystem

River Terrace

The People's Place

<h2>It was a crazy year for us all and it&#8217;s no wonder Fed Square is flipping dining on its head and turning inside out!</h2>
Fed Square is now open. Reconnect with your much-loved city in the heart of Melbourne and enjoy a colourful outdoor dining experience that&#8217;s never been done before in the square.
We’re talking extra (ample) seating, roomy outdoor comfort zones you can order food from thanks to <a href="/events/fed-oasis">Fed Oasis</a> and some seriously good food and drink options from long-time favourites each offering a uniquely Melbourne experience that we’ve all missed so dearly, along with the views to match!
Plus we&#8217;re hosting an incredible outdoor activation for you to explore &#8211; the amazing <a href="/events/futurefoodsystem">futurefoodsystem</a>.
Of course health and safety of our visitors is a priority and those entering the square will be asked to scan and pop their details into a Covid-compliancy system.

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Dining In, Turned Inside Out

Fed Cam 📷

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.
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.

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Fed Free Workshops

The annual Flag Raising Ceremony officially marks the beginning of NAIDOC Week in Victoria. It brings members of the community together to publicly commemorate the importance of NAIDOC week.
The event honours continued connection to culture, Country and language of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The proceedings include a Smoking Ceremony, Welcome to Country, speeches, performances and a one minute’s silence in honour of Elders who have passed, and for all ancestors who have fought for the survival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture.
The event will conclude with the official flag raising, where the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island flags will be raised along Swanston Street.
A coffee cart will be available, so you can get a hot beverage for the event.
For more information about NAIDOC Week visit: <a href="https://vicnaidoc.com.au/official-vn-events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://vicnaidoc.com.au/official-vn-events</a>
<a style="text-decoration: none !important; border: 0px !important; outline: none; border-width: 0px; outline-width: 0px; border-bottom: none;" href="https://vicnaidoc.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone" style="font-size: 16px;" src="https://fedsquare.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/naidoc-week-2024-logo.png" alt="&quot;" width="350" height="100%" /></a>

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Main Square

First Peoples

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

NAIDOC Week 2024 Flag Raising

This NAIDOC Week, celebrate First Peoples culture and histories at Fed Square, with free activities and events. This year’s theme is &#8216;Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud.&#8217;
The fire represents the enduring strength and vitality of First Peoples cultures, passed down through generations, despite the challenges faced. It is a symbol of connection to the land, to each other, and to the rich tapestry of traditions that define Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
&#8216;Blak, Loud and Proud&#8217; encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of First Peoples identity. This theme calls for a reclamation of narratives, an amplification of voices, and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality.
Explore the full NAIDOC Week program of free events and activities below.

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Swanston St Forecourt

Atrium Precinct

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

NAIDOC Week at Fed Square

Enjoy this free, inclusive event, with a stellar line-up on the main stage including Briggs and The Deans of Soul, bring the family for arts and crafts, shop at a makers’ market and enjoy delicious food at NAIDOC in the City following the NAIDOC march.
Presented as part of NAIDOC Week, NAIDOC in the City is a celebration of local First Peoples talent.
On the Main Stage, expect a vibrant mix of performances from First Peoples artists, including award-winning rapper Briggs, R&amp;B/Soul group The Deans of Soul, Mau Power, dancers Culture Evolves, pop-musician Alice Skye and a First Nations Calisthenics Club.
In the Main Square, you can shop for First Peoples designs, clothing and homewares at the Koorie Heritage Trust’s First Peoples market, with 26 First Peoples stalls showcasing a diverse array of products from artists, designers, craftspeople and makers, including clothing, arts, crafts, and gifts.
There will be merchandise give aways from Aboriginal Melbourne.
And for Elders or those looking for a quiet space, the Koorie Heritage Trust will provide a quite space in the Birrarung Building to take some time out from the event.
Other activities include face painting, basketball and free arts and crafts.
There will also be a BBQ supported by Fire Rescue Victoria with all proceeds going to Koorie Academy Basketball.
Stage Program 
Dylan Clarke 
First Nations Calisthenics Club 
Mau Power 
Briggs (Headline) 
Culture Evolve Dance Group 
Alice Skye 
Deans of Soul
NAIDOC in the City is presented by City of Melbourne in partnership with Koorie Heritage Trust and Fed Square.

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NAIDOC in the City

To mark  NAIDOC Week, KHT is partnering with Aboriginal Melbourne, City of Melbourne and Fed Square to present this First Peoples Market of over 25 stalls, showcasing art, craft, design, fashion and more – as well as free workshops facilitated by First Peoples creatives.
Market stalls by
<ul>
<li>Amber Days</li>
<li>Art by Bronwyn David</li>
<li>Bagoorrk nigitj (Women Together)</li>
<li>Barkindji Maraura Elders Environment Team (BMEET)</li>
<li>by MHJ</li>
<li>Cameron Benson</li>
<li>Chic n Co Design</li>
<li>Creed Custom Designs</li>
<li>Deadly Wears</li>
<li>Galarra Creations</li>
<li>Haus of Dizzy</li>
<li>Ilan Style</li>
<li>JanGal</li>
<li>Jazzyskye Designs</li>
<li>Karroongcraft</li>
<li>KaToBi</li>
<li>Kazzas Indigenous Arts</li>
<li>Kinya Lerrk</li>
<li>Macooloma Arts</li>
<li>Mana Dreaming</li>
<li>Marbeangrook Designs</li>
<li>Mick’s Woodcraft</li>
<li>Morgan’s Art &amp; Such</li>
<li>Nharebulagana</li>
<li>Nurratj Galnya – Dream Sweet</li>
<li>Patsy Doolan</li>
<li>Revir Ruhtra</li>
<li>Tigsart</li>
<li>Yarn Strong Sista</li>
<li>Yulaa-li</li>
</ul>
Free workshops
<ul>
<li>Gum Leaf Painting Workshop with Sammy Trist</li>
<li>Gum Nut Necklace Workshop with Tania Rossi</li>
<li>Deadly Bracelet Making Workshop with Ange Jeffery</li>
</ul>
For more information visit: <a href="https://kht.org.au/whats-on/events/naidoc-2024first-peoples-naidoc-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://kht.org.au/whats-on/events/naidoc-2024first-peoples-naidoc-market/</a>
Image design by Jenna Lee
The KHT NAIDOC Market is proudly supported by the National Indigenous Australians Agency, the Aboriginal Melbourne team at the City of Melbourne, Fed Square and SBS.

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KHT NAIDOC Market

In the late Josh Muir’s (Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta and Barkindji) painting, a figure stands, freestyling on top of a world where gum trees frame the cityscape and expand beyond the Earth’s atmosphere.
Josh was one of Koorie Victoria’s early leaders in digital art experimentation, creating an iconic personal graffiti style. His digital practice emerged out of his early painting practice, and he is known for images and videos depicting his everyday life, his trials and tribulations, and his ambitions.
The title, Bellow with Pride Don’t Hide, reminds us to live loudly, be proud in our identity and to dream of expansive futures.
<h2>Artwork</h2>
Bellow with Pride Don&#8217;t Hide 
Location: Swanston St Forecourt 
Courtesy of Koorie Heritage Trust, Justine Berg and Shanaya Sheridan 
Image credit: Christian Capurro 
2012 
Supported by Photo Australia &amp; City of Melbourne
Josh Muir had an immense impact on Australian contemporary art and Koorie Victoria. We honour his legacy and encourage people to visit his current solo exhibition JXSH MVIR: Forever I Live at the Koorie Heritage Trust Melbourne, closing 14 July. Rest in power and love Josh, forever deadly.
Fed Square and RISING present The Blak Infinite, co-curated by Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta) and Kate ten Buuren (Taungurung).

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Installation

The Blak Infinite: Josh Muir

Immerse yourself in Tarryn Love’s (Gunditjmara Keerray Woorroong) animations every night at Fed Square. ngaka – look here reflects on the connection between the Earth and the Cosmos. Brought to life in collaboration with Studio Gilay, the artwork invites you to look and learn from the stories held within the stars.
Watch as Kooyang the eel travels through the Milky Way, as he does through the saltwater currents of the ocean and the streams of freshwater rivers. As he swims, he passes Ancestors draped in possum skins who transform into stars.
ngaka – look here shows us that what we see on Earth is echoed in the stars and encourages us to contemplate the knowledge held within the night sky’s infinite expanse, while honouring the generations of storytellers who have transmitted that knowledge into the future.
ngaka &#8211; look here
ngaka     look here 
and you will find kakatheereeng 
the stars
ngaka     look here 
And you will find tanteen tyamoorn 
the milky way
but 
ngakee     see 
wanga     listen 
tyama     know 
mana     hold 
keeyn toopoongan     love
and you will find me
and you will find my kin 
and my Country 
my bloodlines
ngaka     look here
<h2>Artwork</h2>
ngaka – look here 
Location: Main Square 
Animation: Studio Gilay 
Projection: The Electric Canvas 
Duration: 3.30 minutes approx. 
2024
Fed Square and RISING present The Blak Infinite, co-curated by Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta) and Kate ten Buuren (Taungurung).

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The Blak Infinite: Tarryn Love

&#8220;If we were invaded now, and an alien wanted to know about Wadawurrung culture, I would take them to our weaver, as weavers are the holders of our knowledge.&#8221; — Kait James
By embroidering onto 1970s souvenir tea towels depicting stereotypes of First Peoples, Kait James (Wadawurrung) reclaims outdated imagery and offers alternate realities to invasion. Indigenous people fight back against invaders and win, aliens abduct people who don’t belong from the land, and a visitor asks to be taken to your leader.
Kait plays on tropes from science fiction films and videogames set in outer space, packing them with contemporary pop culture imagery, and Indigenous humour and knowledges.Alien invasion is a fantasy in sci-fi films, but for First Peoples,it is reality.
<h2>Artworks</h2>
Take Me To Your Weaver 
Location: Swanston St Forecourt 
Courtesy of the artist 
2022
Alienation 
Location: Swanston St Forecourt 
Courtesy of the artist 
2021
Invaders, Game Over 
Location: Swanston St Forecourt 
Courtesy of the artist 
2019
Supported by Photo Australia &amp; City of Melbourne
Fed Square and RISING present The Blak Infinite, co-curated by Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta) and Kate ten Buuren (Taungurung).

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The Blak Infinite: Kait James

Michael Cook’s (Bidjara) Invasion series imagines an alternate version to Australia’s colonial history by speculating on what the world would look like if the roles of coloniser and colonised were reversed.
In these dystopian photo collages, we see images of alien creatures invading iconic London cityscapes – Aboriginal people as aliens, possums on UFOs, laser-shooting fembots, and clouds of rainbow lorikeets. Like scenes from a science fiction film, these creatures wreak havoc on London streets, mirroring the devastation of European colonisation on Aboriginal communities.
By offering an alternative history (or is it perhaps a potential future?) with a comedic and satirical lens, Michael pulls into question Australia’s colonial legacy and more broadly that of the colonial project endured by First Peoples’ communities around the globe.
<h2>Artwork</h2>
Invasion 
Location: Main Square 
Courtesy of the artist, Jan Murphy Gallery and This Is No Fantasy 
2017 
Supported by Photo Australia &amp; City of Melbourne
Fed Square and RISING present The Blak Infinite, co-curated by Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta) and Kate ten Buuren (Taungurung).

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The Blak Infinite: Michael Cook

Aliens have invaded the Atrium in this installation by Tony Albert (Girramay, Yidinyji and Kuku Yalanji) and his collaborator ENOKi. The alien is a common recurring symbol within Tony’s practice, and he uses pop culture iconography as a way of reflecting on and understanding difference.
Hovering above Flinders Street is an image from Tony’s series Crop Circles in Yogya which was developed during a residency in Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 2016. In this work, Tony collaborated with locals and photographed them wearing farmers’ hats transformed into wearable UFOs, which he later embellished with stickers of widely recognisable symbols. Ideas of otherness or the ‘Alien’ are challenged through the saturation of Western popular imagery present in the work.
The aliens above you gesture to what belonging and alienation mean in Australia today. Tony asks you to question, ‘Who is the alien, why are they here, and what do they want?’
The work encourages you to interact by taking photos of yourself as you are beamed up.
<h2>Artworks</h2>
Crop Circles in Yogya #5 
Location: The Atrium Facade 
Courtesy of the artist and Sullivan + Strumpf 
2016-17
Beam Me Up, The Art of Abduction 
Location: The Atrium 
Collaborator: ENOKi (Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta) 
Design: Studio Peter King 
2024
Fed Square and RISING present The Blak Infinite, co-curated by Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta) and Kate ten Buuren (Taungurung).

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The Blak Infinite: Tony Albert

THE BEADING WORKSHOP IS CURRENTLY SOLD OUT, BUT THERE IS STILL LOTS OF AVAILABILITY IN THE <a href="/events/the-blak-infinite-beam-me-up-spaceship-workshops/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SPACESHIP WORKSHOPS</a>.
Join in the fun of Tony Albert’s BEAM ME UP, The Art Of Abduction, in a series of workshops for children and adults.
Those aged 7 and over can participate in a beading workshop led by Tony and his collaborator ENOKi, and take home your very own wearable out-of-this-world adornment. But be quick – spots are limited!
The alien is a common reoccurring symbol within Tony’s practice. Tony uses alien and pop culture iconography as a way of looking at the ‘other’ and promote conversation in understanding difference and stating that all people have a place.
Beam Me Up is an immersive installation which encourages interaction and for people to use their own technologies to engage in fun and playful ways. Tony asks audiences ‘who is the alien, why are they here and what do they want?’.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone, please note that children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the workshop.

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Workshop

The Blak Infinite: Beading Workshop

Move, dance and play in this interactive exhibition that will surprise and delight all ages.
Projected larger than life, Universal Everything’s parade of fantastic beings hypnotically morphs between forms and textures, from kaleidoscopic fur to molten lava, water molecules, and more. Once you’ve met the cast of colourful characters, you can jump, dance and play to bring them to life. The more you move, the more animated they become. Created from game engines, VFX software and ever-evolving algorithms, massive digital installations appear among generative artworks that grow and change in real-time, responding differently to each interaction so that no two visits are the same.
For over 20 years, UK based art and design collective Universal Everything has created vibrant experiences that mesmerise and enchant audiences. Fascinated by creating ‘soulful technology’, they&#8217;re inspired by nature, human figures and emotions. Their work explores movement, form and colour to create a world of friendly, hyperreal beings. Beneath the high-end visual effects, the creative process begins with simple hand-drawn sketches. Displayed alongside the artworks for the first time, these drawings reveal the imagination and craft behind the innovation.
Long-time innovators, Universal Everything subvert cinematic CGI, physics simulations and real-time gaming graphics to create super-sized, life affirming artworks and experiences. An ACMI curated world premiere, including four new works, Beings is Universal Everything’s largest international exhibition to date.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/beings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/beings/</a>

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Beings at ACMI

A free First Nations-led space for forging alternate futures and dialogue in support of Aboriginal rights.
In January 1972 four First Nations men—Michael Anderson, Billie Craigie, Bert Williams and Tony Coorey—set themselves up under a beach umbrella outside Federal Parliament to protest against Australian government policies oppressing First Peoples and to demand land rights. They declared their spot the Aboriginal Embassy. Within months they were joined by thousands of protesters, and Gough Whitlam was visiting to discuss their five-point plan.
Nearly 40 years later artist and activist Richard Bell, a Kamilaroi, Kooma, Jiman and Gurang Gurang man, created his work Embassy, a canvas tent that encourages rigorous discussion and First Nations lead political discourse, surrounded by painted protest signs reminiscent of the original. It was a tribute and continuance of the first Aboriginal Embassy and its groundbreaking moment in Australian political history.
Like the original, Bell’s Embassy is a space for reflecting the continued struggle for Aboriginal rights and self-determining space in Australia. It’s travelled the world—most recently to London’s Tate Modern Art Museum, installed in the infamous ‘Turbine Hall’, and to Documenta Fifteen in Kassel Germany—addressing local differences in race and politics through talks and screenings.
Now it’s back in Naarm for <a href="/events/rising-the-blak-infinite/">The Blak Infinite</a> in Fed Square. It’s free and open for screenings, with talks with activists, writers and artists each Saturday of the festival. Together guests and audiences will explore questions of social justice, land rights, environment, sovereignty, and coalition-building.
“The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is many things. To most Aboriginal people it is a symbol of resistance to the colonial power structure that still oppresses us.” — Richard Bell

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The Blak Infinite: Richard Bell's EMBASSY

The 2024 Super Netball season is almost here, so join the Melbourne Vixens for a festival of activities and entertainment at Fan Day on Thursday 4 April!
Join the Melbourne Vixens at Federation Square on Wurundjeri Country to meet your favourite Vixens, catch the 2024 dress presentation and get your merch signed.
WHAT’S ON
<ul>
<li>Meet your 2024 Vixens!</li>
<li>Hear from players and coaches on the big stage</li>
<li>Get your Vixens merch from our merch store, and have it signed by your favourite Vixens! 2024 Melbourne Vixens members get an additional 5% off merchandise at Fan Day, bringing their member discount to 15%!</li>
<li>Watch the 2024 dress presentation</li>
<li>Win giveaways and prizes</li>
<li>Develop your netball skills with the Woolworths NetSetGO Clinic &#8211; SOLD OUT
<ul>
<li> 11am-11.30am</li>
<li>Ages 5-10</li>
<li>SOLD OUT &#8211;<a href="https://netballvictoria.formstack.com/forms/woolworths_netsetgo_clinic_fan_day_waitlist"> Join waitlist</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Join in the Junior Netball Clinics
<ul>
<li>11.30am &#8211; 12pm &#8211; SOLD OUT</li>
<li>12pm &#8211; 12.30pm &#8211; SOLD OUT</li>
<li>12.30pm &#8211; 1pm &#8211;<a href="https://netb.al/4cDFlvp"> </a>SOLD OUT</li>
<li>1pm &#8211; 1.30pm &#8211; <a href="https://netb.al/49YkYHi">Register now</a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Food trucks</li>
<li>Face painting</li>
<li>Get a pic with Foxy</li>
</ul>
WHEN AND WHERE
<ul>
<li>Thursday 4 April, 11am-2pm</li>
<li>Federation Square, Wurundjeri Country</li>
<li>Supported by the City of Melbourne</li>
<li>Make sure to bring your own waterbottle! You will be able to refill this during the event for free!</li>
<li>Use public transport to Fed Square! <a href="https://www.ptv.vic.gov.au/journey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Click here</a> to find out how to travel to Fed Square from your location</li>
</ul>
TICKETS
<ul>
<li>Free event, no tickets required!</li>
</ul>
This accessible event will feature an Auslan interpreter.

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Melbourne-Vixens-fan-day

Community

Kids + Families

Sport

Melbourne Vixens Fan Day

Fed Square becomes a constellation of art and stories that share First Peoples futures, connections to the cosmos, and political discourse.
The Blak Infinite is a site for sharing First Peoples connections to the cosmos, political constellations and futures.
Across Fed Square, experience large-scale installations, new commissions and conversations by leading First Nations artists and writers. Journey through sovereign political and environmental movements, perceptions of belonging and alienation, and the stories in the stars.
Anchoring The Blak Infinite is Richard Bell’s (Kamilaroi, Kooma, Jiman and Gurang Gurang) <a href="/events/embassy/">EMBASSY</a>—inspired by the original Aboriginal Tent Embassy, pitched on the grounds of Canberra’s Parliament House in 1972. Bell’s installation continues the politically driven work of First Peoples, featuring daily film screenings and a program of talks with activists, writers and artists every Saturday of the festival.
Immersive nighttime projections by Tarryn Love (Gunditjmara Keerray Woorroong) will light up each evening in the square, sharing stories of Sky Country and the cosmos, and transporting you into celestial knowledge. Tony Albert&#8217;s (Girramay, Yidinyji and Kuku Yalanji) large-scale artwork BEAM ME UP The Art of Abduction immerses us in themes of alienation, belonging, and place through colourful installations and a children&#8217;s program.
Artworks and texts across the site explore the infinite possibility of First Peoples futures. The big screen features speculative fiction from acclaimed writer Ellen van Neerven (Mununjali Yugambeh and Dutch), expanding the limits of current realities. Artist Kait James (Wadawurrung) uses collage to subvert the loaded visual language of 70s souvenirs, while Michael Cook (Bidjara) creates fantasy worlds where the role of invader and invaded are reversed. Josh Muir&#8217;s (Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta and Barkindji) supersized artwork reminds us to reach for the stars, and imagine our wildest dreams coming true.
These works across the square offer alternate narratives and ways of seeing the world, and collectively speak to the unlimited sovereign connections held across communities in Australia.
The Blak Infinite is curated by Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta) (Shadow Spirit, 2023) and Kate ten Buuren (Taungurung). Kimberley and Kate would like to acknowledge the immense impact Josh Muir had on Australian contemporary art and Koorie Victoria. We honour his legacy and encourage people to visit his current solo exhibition at the Koorie Hertiage Trust Melbourne. Rest in power and love Josh, forever Deadly.
Further details for the Josh Muir exhibition at Koorie Heritage Trust: <a href="https://koorieheritagetrust.com.au/whats-on/exhibitions/jxsh-mvir-forever-i-live/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JXSH MVIR FOREVER I LIVE</a>
Fed Square and RISING present The Blak Infinite, co-curated by Kimberley Moulton (Yorta Yorta) and Kate ten Buuren (Taungurung).

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RISING: The Blak Infinite

JXSH MVIR FOREVER I LIVE is a retrospective exhibition of artworks by the late Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta and Barkindji artist Josh Muir (1991 – 2022).
The exhibition highlights the strength of Josh’s artistic practice and the important contribution he has made to First Peoples art and culture in South East Australia and contemporary art nationally and internationally. The works in the exhibition not only reflects Josh’s ongoing artistic legacy, but Josh himself immortalised through his art. They also showcase Josh’s love of family and community, and draw on a range of themes including cultural identity, the impacts and legacies of colonisation, mental health, addiction, personal loss and grief.
This exhibition has been proudly curated by the Koorie Heritage Trust with Josh’s mother, Justine Berg and partner, Shanaya Sheridan as co-curators.
Image credit: Josh Muir, Skip To My Lou,2015. Digital print on aluminium. Collection of Edward Lloyd.

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JXSH MVIR FOREVER I LIVE, at Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT)

Welcome to Wurrdha Marra – meaning ‘Many Mobs’ in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language. The name comes to the NGV from the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation and supports the purpose of this space in sharing the work of First Nations artists, from emerging to senior figures, and across time and place. For First Nations peoples around the world, art and design are part of a continuum where the past intersects with the present, different materials converge, and diverse perspectives come together. The central role of art in passing down important cultural knowledge is celebrated in this display through the diverse approaches that artists take to maintaining and regenerating customary cultural practices and iconography while also creating new forms of expression.
The works included in this inaugural hang are by emerging artists as well as senior figures across both time and place. Each of these artists has in their own way been at the forefront in creating new forms of expression, and in maintaining and regenerating customary cultural practices and iconography. Great individual artists, working in Aboriginal-owned art centres or independently after studying at art school, continue to shape and transform art in Australia, inspiring many others to follow their example.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/wurrdha-marra/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/wurrdha-marra/</a>
Image credit: Wingu Tingima, Minyma Tjuta (Seven Sisters) 2006, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 138.0 × 205.0 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Purchased with funds donated by Supporters and Patrons of Indigenous Art, 2006 © Wingu Tingima/Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia, Photo: Christian Markel/NGV

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Wurrdha Marra at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Thanks to a partnership with the Metro Tunnel Creative Program, you can pop down to Fed Square each Thursday arvo until the end of April to catch some truly spectacular roving performances. Physical comedy, roving musical performances, clowning, acrobatics and more – you’ll want to make a habit of it!
Schedule:
2 February &#8211; Angelic Kenetic Theatre 
9 February &#8211; Uptown Brown 
16 February &#8211; Hayley Hoopla 
23 February &#8211; Snorkelrama 
2 March &#8211; Trickbox Fire 
9 March &#8211; Sanctum Studio Production 
23 March &#8211; Queen of Hearts 
30 March &#8211; Sanctum Studio Production 
6 April &#8211; Anthony De Masi 
13 April &#8211; Sanctum Studio Production – Blue Caterpillar and Robot Monkey 
20 April &#8211; Liam Kavanagh – Le Ron Hubble 
27 April &#8211; Kinetic Theatre – Quiz on Wheels

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Performance

Pop-up Roving Performances

The Greenline Project Hub is a space for you to explore how the north bank of the Yarra River – Birrarung will be transformed into an unmissable, bucket-list destination for locals and visitors through the Greenline Project.
Come on in and meet the experienced Greenline Project team and learn more about this city-shaping initiative.
For more information about the Greenline Project visit City of Melbourne&#8217;s website <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/building-and-development/shaping-the-city/city-projects/Pages/greenline-project.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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Greenline Project Hub

Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070 presents a new vision for the lands and waters of Birrarung (the Yarra River) through the work of eight leading Australian landscape architecture and design firms. Each has developed both speculative and real-world ideas for how communities can better access, engage with and care for this important living ecosystem.
In 2017 the Victorian Government passed the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017, Australian-first legislation that identifies the river and its corridor as a single living and integrated natural entity. In Melbourne, as in cities around the world, there is an increasing understanding of the vital role the river plays in the health of the city – not only as an invaluable hub of biodiversity, but also as a way for people to connect with nature and one another, nurturing the health of our communities.
Presented by the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in association with the Birrarung Council, and guided through consultation with Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Elders, the exhibition showcases provocative and innovative design proposals by Aspect Studios, Bush Projects, McGregor Coxall, Office, Openwork, Realm Studios, SBLA and TCL. Exploring how science, knowledge systems and emerging technologies might influence or enhance our relationship with Birrarung over the next five decades, the exhibition presents innovative propositions for the future management of our waterways, highlighting the value of landscape design as a discipline. Focusing on key sites along the river – spanning Melbourne’s city centre and eastern suburbs, through to the river’s source in the Yarra Ranges – Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070 invites us to consider what we want for the future of Birrarung.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/reimagining-birrarung/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/reimagining-birrarung/</a>
Image credit: Render from ASPECT Studios ahead of the exhibition Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070 on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia from August 2024.

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Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Boho Luxe Market has the best curated selection of makers and designers.
Shop the luxe bohemian market and see the work of some of Melbourne’s most talented jewellers, fashion designers, illustrators, artists and makers and shakers. Enjoy psychic readings, a free photo booth throughout the day and a psychic medium show!
Boho Luxe Market has become a much-loved event on the Melburnian calendar always creating a beautiful vibe and memorable experience for our visitors. There will also be:
<ul>
<li>Free psychic show 10-11am (so arrive early!)</li>
<li>The best vegan food and drinks</li>
<li>Psychic readers and inspirational talks</li>
</ul>
Boho Luxe Market has become a much-loved event on the Melburnian calendar always creating a beautiful vibe and memorable experience for visitors.
Follow Boho Luxe Market on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/boholuxemarket" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/boholuxemarket</a> 
Follow Boho Luxe Market on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/boholuxemarket/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/boholuxemarket/</a>
Image credit: Marie Luise

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Boho Luxe Market

In Conversations are a series of masterclasses and forums with directors and creators in the world of cinema.
Go beyond the screen and get closer to the themes, ideas and talent of the 2024 festival through MIFF’s engaging panel and conversation events. MIFF talks events are fantastic opportunities to spend time with brilliant international and local festival guests, ranging from filmmakers and academics to critics and commentators.
Fed Square is the Official Venue Partner of MIFF In Conversation.

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The Edge

Talk

MIFF 2024: In Conversation

Take a masterclass with visionary American director David Lowery, exploring his storied career.
Taking time out from his Bright Horizons jury duty, multi-award-winning filmmaker David Lowery will spend an hour speaking about his work to date. His feature films include Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner Ain’t Them Bodies Saints (MIFF 2013); the live-action adaptation of Pete’s Dragon (2016); A Ghost Story (2017), starring Rooney Mara (La Cocina, MIFF 2024) and Casey Affleck; The Old Man &amp; the Gun (2018), with Robert Redford and Sissy Spacek; and the Dev Patel–led fantasy epic The Green Knight (2021). He has edited films such as Shane Carruth’s Upstream Color (MIFF 2013), and directed a segment of the anthology film The Year of the Everlasting Storm (MIFF 2021). He is the writer and director of the upcoming A24 film Mother Mary, which stars Anne Hathaway and Michaela Cole and features original songs by Jack Antonoff and Charli XCX.
Presented by The University of Melbourne. Fed Square is the Official Venue Partner of MIFF In Conversation.

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MIFF - In Conversation: David Lowery

Ahead of the world premiere of the MIFF Premiere Fund–supported film Ellis Park, join musician and composer Warren Ellis and director Justin Kurzel to talk about their work and recent collaboration.
Ballarat-born Warren Ellis is a member of The Dirty Three and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and performed with Grinderman. His award-winning film scores with frequent collaborator Nick Cave include The Proposition (2005), The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), Blonde (2022) and, recently, Back to Black (2024). His book Nina Simone’s Gum was published in 2021, and the animal sanctuary he co-founded in the forests of Sumatra is the subject of the film Ellis Park.
Known for his bold, uncompromising vision and strong visual storytelling, award-winning director Justin Kurzel’s filmography includes Snowtown (2011); Macbeth (MIFF 2015), starring Marion Cotillard and Michael Fassbender; True History of the Kelly Gang (2019) and the MIFF Premiere Fund–supported Nitram (MIFF 2021), which was nominated for the Cannes Palme d’Or. He is the director of Ellis Park.
Presented by The University of Melbourne. Fed Square is the Official Venue Partner of MIFF In Conversation.

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MIFF - In Conversation: Warren Ellis & Justin Kurzel

Spark your curiosity at Asia TOPA Radar. 
Peek behind the studio door, get the scoop from leading artists across the Asia Pacific and find out what’s fueling their creativity! Connect with community and mingle to the tunes of the guest DJ, all the while eating delicious snacks provided by arts / food collective Nongkrong.
Head to Fed Square for Asia TOPA Radar’s exciting return.
About Asia TOPA 
Asia TOPA is a site for celebration and exchange, centring Asia Pacific artists and their ideas. Creating new connections between artists, audiences and communities, Asia TOPA delivers the triennial Asia TOPA Festival, year-round Creative Developments and public offerings. Returning to Melbourne February 2025, the full Asia TOPA festival program will be announced soon, including a stellar line up of live music, food and performance at Fed Square! 
<a href="https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/festival-and-series/asia-topa#festival" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asia TOPA | Arts Centre Melbourne</a>
About the artists
This bumper edition of Radar will be hosted by Elyssia Wilson-Heti, a powerhouse in art and activism and member of iconic Queer Indigenous collective FAFSWAG (Aotearoa).
Elyssia will be joined by:
CONJAH, the collaborative force of Jahra Wasasala and ooshcon, merging Fijian and Samoan heritages into a multifaceted artistic expression spanning street dance, physical theatre, poetry, voice work, and digital art. They’ll be sharing insight into their mahi (work) and its integral relationship with the world.
Liquid Architecture (LA), helmed by Javanese-Australian director and CEO Kristi Monfries, is Australia’s leading organisation for artists working with sound and listening. Their program sits at the intersection of contemporary art and experimental music, expressed through a range of presentation, publishing, research and commissioning activities.
Trailblazing Senior First Nations dance artist and choreographer raymond blanco (Bunyi Bunyi Bumi), groundbreaking director, choreographer and dramaturg Priya Srinivasan (Sangam / Bunyi Bunyi Bumi) discussing intercultural collaboration. Working together on a new trans-disciplinary performance called Bunyi Bunyi Bumi, blanco and Srinivasan ask what is possible when we listen deeply to the Earth Mother and explore the dire consequences when we do not.
You’ll be fed by Nongkrong – the arts and food collective redefining what it means to be Indonesian and Australian – and entertained by a spicy but seamless blend of global club music from Haus of Ralph.
This edition of Asia TOPA Radar is presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Fed Square.
Image credit: CONJAH (Jahra Wasasala and ooschon, 2023)

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Asia TOPA Radar

Freedom, heartache and exploitation – what does the road on screen tell us about the Australian Identity?
The road movie is central to Australian cinema. Whether it’s the Ford Falcon hooning down the highway in <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/works/79359--mad-max/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mad Max</a> or hoofs pounding the highlands in <a href="https://cinema3.acmi.net.au/film/the-man-from-snowy-river/?_ga=2.81499540.2035557348.1720409480-1379877574.1708906249&amp;_gac=1.60425951.1719972406.CjwKCAjwyo60BhBiEiwAHmVLJRu5Eczkxw-5vPluL6vDBnSyzNP11R8kH1kIICNFYZ5IrXgfxOmBfBoCp4MQAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Man from Snowy River</a>, traversing the country reflects a sense of adventure and national advancement.
But beneath the roads connecting the country are Indigenous walking paths and trading routes, from the Omeo Highway to the Bicentennial and Birdsville tracks, that have existed long before cities or cinema. These passages were often exploited to transport natural resources, connect infrastructure and progress colonialism. Historical accounts often reframe them as stockmen or cattle routes, denying First Peoples knowledges and legacy.
The Australian road movie has had a similar effect on our cultural consciousness, symbolising freedom and control over a perceived harsh land. It has become a cinematic trope and cultural export, a celebration of progress that excludes First Peoples relationship to these vital navigational networks.
Beneath Roads is a three-channel work that reveals the Indigenous experience and innovation underlying our national identity. By juxtaposing archival government films, iconic Australian road movies and newly captured footage of the Aboriginal motorcycle club, The Southern Warriors, Beneath Roads reinserts First Peoples knowledge legacies and representation into our cinematic canon, recontextualising our relationship to history, culture and Country.
An ACMI Production, developed by Jenna Rain Warwick
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/beneath-roads/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/beneath-roads/</a>
Image credit: &#8216;Beneath Roads&#8217; (2024) installation view, ACMI. Photo by Phoebe Powell

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Beneath Roads at ACMI

Wondering if your business should jump into TikTok?
Now is the perfect time to learn &#8211; &#8216;It&#8217;s time for TikTok&#8217; is coming to Melbourne!
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is taking TikTok’s business education program &#8216;It’s time for TikTok&#8217; on the road, stopping in Ballarat, Melbourne and Geelong. Featuring interactive installations, networking, panel discussions and Q&amp;A – it&#8217;s the perfect jumpstart for your business’ TikTok journey.
Through the power of social media, you can reach new audiences and create a dedicated community in an easy and affordable way. TikTok has revolutionised the way we see brands but getting the inside tips and tricks can be difficult.
This must-attend event offers the unique experience of being in the room with TikTok, some of Australia’s best content creators, as well as other businesses and creatives looking to learn and network.
By attending, you will:
<ul>
<li>Discover how to navigate TikTok for business</li>
<li>Be inspired to unlock growth through marketing</li>
<li>Learn what worked and what didn’t from successful creators</li>
<li>Network with like-minded businesses and content creators</li>
</ul>
And the experience doesn’t stop there! Post-event you’ll get free access to VCCIs 3-part virtual learning series covering all things TikTok for business.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.victorianchamber.com.au/training-course/its-time-for-tik-tok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.victorianchamber.com.au/training-course/its-time-for-tik-tok</a>
Follow Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/victorianchamber/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/victorianchamber/</a> 
Follow Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/vicchamber" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/vicchamber</a> 
Follow Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry on X: <a href="https://x.com/vicchamber" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://x.com/vicchamber</a> 
Follow Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry on TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@vicchamber" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.tiktok.com/@vicchamber</a>

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'It's time for TikTok' presented by the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

<h2>Catch all the big moments from the Olympics, live from Paris, at Fed Square.</h2>
There’s nothing quite like cheering on our Aussie teams in international sporting competitions – and it doesn’t get much bigger than the Olympics!
Fed Square will be an official live site for the Olympics &amp; Paralympic Games – so bring your green and gold and cheer on our teams with your friends, family and loved ones. For all of the information and action from the Paralympic Games <a href="/events/paralympics-live-site-at-fed-square/">click here</a>.
To view daily schedule please visit Channel 9&#8217;s <a href="https://www.nine.com.au/sport/olympics/schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website here</a>.

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Olympics LIVE Site at Fed Square

<h2>Catch all the big moments from the Paralympics, live from Paris, at Fed Square.</h2>
There’s nothing quite like cheering on our Aussie teams in international sporting competitions – and it doesn’t get much bigger than the Paralympics!
Fed Square will be an official live site for the Olympics &amp; Paralympic Games – so bring your green and gold and cheer on our teams with your friends, family and loved ones. For all of the information and action from the Olympic Games <a href="/events/olympics-live-site-at-fed-square/">click here</a>.
We’ll keep you up to date with the daily schedule as the Games get closer, so check back here to plan your visit and  <a href="/subscribe/">sign up for our weekly what’s on news</a> to keep up to date with the latest news.

Paralympics LIVE Site at Fed Square

The Open House Melbourne Weekend is Australia’s largest architecture and built environment festival, celebrating the importance of good design in shaping our communities. 
The Weekend program celebrates good design by opening buildings, places and spaces, inspiring public engagement in conversations about the future of our city. This year’s theme, “RE/DISCOVER your City”, encourages Victorians to see Melbourne in a new light. The Open House Melbourne Weekend 2024 invites us to rediscover our city—to seek out new places and to reconnect with old favourites.
Visit Fed Square for the Open House Melbourne Weekend and re-discover its rich ecology of art, design, culture, and creativity.
Sign up for a behind-the-scenes tour of Fed Square, exhibitions and building tours at the Koorie Heritage Trust, and a documentary screening or Media Preservation Lab tour at ACMI.
Explore the full program of events below:

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Tours

Open House Melbourne Weekend at Fed Square

Melbourne is proudly home to many different migrant and multicultural communities. Fed Square regularly recognises the National Days of countries around the world by raising the country’s flag.
On 1 August we&#8217;ll be celebrating the Switzerland National Day with a flag raising.
&nbsp;
Want to see you country of heritage&#8217;s National Day recognised?
Please get in touch with the relevant embassy or consulate in Victoria. See the list of <a href="https://protocol.dfat.gov.au/Public/ConsulatesInAustralia/7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign embassies and consulates in Australia here</a>.

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Flag Raising: Switzerland National Day

From cattle dogs to lap dogs, divine felines to the black cats of superstition, Cats &amp; Dogs explores humanity’s deep connection to these animals through more than 250 works of art and design.
Drawn from the NGV Collection and spanning all periods and media, this exhibition of cats and dogs in art and design reveals how our domesticated companions have long been a rich source of visual imagery – from ancient history to the present day.
The exhibition features works by contemporary and historical artists including Rembrandt van Rijn, Francisco de Goya, Albrecht Dürer, Pierre Bonnard, Eileen Mayo, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, Hulda Guzmán and more alongside celebrated Australian artists, including Claudia Moodoonuthi, Trevor Turbo Brown, Atong Atem, Charles Blackman, Grace Cossington Smith and Nora Heysen.
Presented thematically, with dogs on one side and cats on the other, the exhibition unpacks particular behaviours, cultural symbolism and art-historical motifs. These include: working dogs and cats; mythology; religion and spirituality; and cats and dogs in popular culture.
Traversing painting, prints, drawings, textiles, photography, sculpture, decorative arts and fashion, Cats &amp; Dogs reveals the global appeal of these animals across borders and cultures, with works from Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/cats-and-dogs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/cats-and-dogs/</a>
Image credit: 
Christine Godden 
Joan and her dog 1975, printed 1976 
gelatin silver photograph 
15.2 × 22.9 cm(image) 19.6 × 25.2 cm(sheet) 
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne 
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1991 © Christine Godden

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Cats & Dogs at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Instrumental in the development of abstract art in Australia, Grace Crowley and Ralph Balson were extraordinary artists whose collaborative practice resulted in two of the most compelling bodies of work in Australian art history.
Crowley studied in Paris between 1926 and 1929 with Cubist artists André Lhote and Albert Gleizes, and her style was greatly influenced by their Cubist teaching. Upon her return to Sydney, Crowley played a pivotal role in the dissemination of modernist principles. English-born Balson, a trained plumber and house painter, moved to Australia when he was twenty-three. He enrolled in weekend classes at Julian Ashton’s Sydney Art School in the early 1920s, where he was taught by Crowley.
In 1932, Crowley established an art school with fellow artist Rah Fizelle. With its premises on George Street, Sydney, the Crowley-Fizelle School attracted artists including Balson and Margel and Frank Hinder who were becoming increasingly interested in abstraction.
Crowley and Balson were included in the seminal show Exhibition 1, the inaugural display of semi-abstract painting and sculpture in Australia, which was held at David Jones Gallery in 1939. Two years later, Balson held a solo exhibition at Anthony Horden’s Fine Art Gallery, the first exhibition comprised entirely of pure abstraction to be exhibited in the country.
During this intensely experimental phase, the two artists became closer in painting style and direction and this artistic partnership continued until Balson’s death in 1964. Grace Crowley &amp; Ralph Balson charts their move into pure abstraction and the significant role they played in shaping the modern art movement.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/grace-crowley-ralph-balson/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/grace-crowley-ralph-balson/</a>
Image credit: 
Ralph BALSON 
Painting 1954 
oil on composition board 
70.0 x 95.5 cm 
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne 
The Joseph Brown Collection. Presented through the NGV Foundation by Dr Joseph Brown AO OBE, Honorary Life Benefactor, 2004 
2004.139 
© Ralph Balson Estate

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Grace Crowley & Ralph Balson at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Koorie Heritage Trust is proud to present Let’s Shake by internationally recognised artist and Palawa woman Karen Casey (1956–2021).
Presented for the first time at KHT, this installation of over 200 plaster casts is the tangible outcome of an ongoing series of public participatory events under the title Let’s Shake, led by Casey between 2006 – 2011. Casey described these gatherings as public art connection and communication events, during which participants of different cultural backgrounds and ages came together in a shared experience, holding wet plaster between their hands and making conversation until set and could be removed as a solid form, forever carrying the unique marks of the two individuals and the energy of their encounter.
Let’s Shake has been exhibited as a number of unique installations, including under the name Contact/Converse at the National Gallery of Victoria, Narrm (2008); Oaxaca, Mexico (2011); Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, Aotearoa (2011); in the group exhibition All of Us, Blindside, Narrm (2018); and in the Lorne Sculpture Biennale, Victoria (2022).
Koorie Heritage Trust also acknowledge the very generous gift of this artwork to the KHT’s important collection of South-East Australian art and cultural belongings by Casey’s son Daniel Young, in memory of his mother.
For more information visit: <a href="https://kht.org.au/whats-on/exhibitions/karen-casey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://kht.org.au/whats-on/exhibitions/karen-casey/</a>
Image credit: Karen Casey (Palawa), Let’s Shake (detail), 2006 – 2011. Plaster, 476 parts. Collection of Koorie Heritage Trust. Donated by Daniel Young in memory of Karen Casey. Photo: Christian Capurro.

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Karen Casey: Let's Shake at KHT

Spirit of the Animals draws on the Koorie Heritage Trust’s extensive collection of artworks and cultural belongings to highlight the significance of animals in the cultural life of Victorian First Peoples, establishing connection to Place and Country, and strengthening clan and cultural identity. Mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, vertebrates, invertebrates, insects, and more, are depicted in the exhibition through paintings, animation, drawings, sculpture, tools and adornment.
The exhibition features over fifty artworks and cultural belongings by: Albert &amp; Richard Mullett (Gunai/Gunai, Monero Ngarigo); Brook Andrew (Wiradjuri); Glenda Nicholls (Waddi Waddi, Yorta Yorta, Ngarrindjeri); Lin Onus (Yorta Yorta); Peter and Alex Mongta (Monero); Len Tregonning (Gunai/Kurnai); Peter Waples-Crowe (Ngarigo); Trevor Brown (Latji Latji), Tommy McRae (Kwatkwat); Vera Cooper (Yorta Yorta); Aunty Zeta Thomson (Yorta Yorta, Wurundjeri), and more.
For more information visit: <a href="https://kht.org.au/whats-on/exhibitions/spirit-of-the-animals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://kht.org.au/whats-on/exhibitions/spirit-of-the-animals/</a>
Image credit: Peter Waples-Crowe (Ngarigo), In My Tribe, 2018. Still from single channel animation. Collection Koorie Heritage Trust.

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Spirit of the Animals at KHT

With a US election looming and four billion people heading to the polls in 2024, journalists Masha Gessen, John Lyons and Louisa Lim discuss the threats and challenges to democracy around the world.
Journalist Masha Gessen is one of the world’s leading experts on authoritarianism. John Lyons is the Walkley Award-winning Global Affairs Editor of the ABC, and has been a foreign correspondent in Washington, New York, the Philippines and the Middle East. Together with host Louisa Lim, these expert journalists will explore imperialism, corruption, autocracy and other global challenges to modern democracy.
With more than half of the world’s population able to vote in elections this year – including the pivotal upcoming US election – there has never been a more urgent time to confront the future of democracy.
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.wheelercentre.com/events/the-future-of-democracy-with-masha-gessen-and-john-lyons" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.wheelercentre.com/events/the-future-of-democracy-with-masha-gessen-and-john-lyons</a>
Presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre.
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Masha Gessen&#8217;s visit to Australia is made possible by the support of Bill Manos and the Manos Foundation. Masha Gessen is presented in Melbourne by The Wheeler Centre and in Sydney by Festival of Dangerous Ideas.
<h2>Speaker Bios</h2>
Masha Gessen
Masha Gessen is an opinion columnist for The New York Times and a Distinguished Professor at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York. They have written extensively on The Russian-Ukrainian war, Israel/Palestine, Vladimir Putin, and Donald Trump. They have won numerous awards, including the George Polk Award, the Hannah Arendt Prize for Political Thinking, and the National Book Award. Their books include Surviving Autocracy and The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia.
John Lyons
John Lyons is one of Australia’s most experienced journalists and the Global Affairs Editor of the ABC. Previously he was Head of Investigative Journalism at the ABC, responsible for Four Corners, 7.30, Foreign Correspondent, Insiders, Australian Story, Q&amp;A and the Investigative Reporting Team. For six years, John was The Australian’s Middle East correspondent, based in Jerusalem, an experience that led him to write the bestselling Balcony Over Jerusalem. He has interviewed everyone from former Israeli prime ministers Shimon Peres and Ehud Olmert to key figures from Hezbollah and Hamas. John has won many awards, including the Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year Award, three Walkleys and UN awards. He now lives in Sydney.
Louisa Lim
Louisa Lim is the author of Indelible City: Dispossession and Defiance in Hong Kong, which has just been published in the US. It&#8217;s been described by the New York Times as a &#8220;vivid, loving book&#8221;. It&#8217;s due to be released here in Australia next month. 
Her first book The People’s Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited (2014), was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize and the Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism. She covered China and Hong Kong for a decade as a correspondent for the BBC and NPR and has written for the New York Times and the Guardian. Raised in Hong Kong, she lives in Australia with her two children and is now a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne.

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​​The Future of Democracy with Masha Gessen and John Lyons

A night of corporate presentations and personal optimisation&#8230; but queer.
Following spots at NONSTOP WKND in 2023, Queer PowerPoint returns with a one-night-only standalone show featuring some of Melbourne&#8217;s most fun, obtuse and downright obsessive speakers.
This experimental talks series brings together queer folks to explore and share an idea, current compulsion, or ongoing fascination using that most staid and ubiquitous of programming tools &#8211; Power Point.
Reclaiming and queering the corporate presentation from our straight capitalist overlords, co-creators Xanthe Dobbie and Harriet Gillies host this night of surprising stories, secret passions and starwipes.
Artists perform a unique, 10-minute performance lecture about&#8230;well, anything. The parameters? It must be queer-and accompanied by a Microsoft Powerpoint slideshow.
Revel in the current strangeness of a digital tool from a simpler time.
Presented by Fed Square for <a href="https://nowornever.melbourne.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Now or Never</a>.
Set Times:
Bar and DJ, from 7pm
Event, 8pm–10.30pm
Content warning: mature themes

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Queer Powerpoint (Now or Never)

Join Transport Hotel in the Public Bar for mouthwatering $15 pizzas, Monday to Friday.
Craving more? Add a glass of wine for just $10 or a pint of Furphy for $10 (on Wednesdays)!
Don’t miss out – book now and treat yourself!
For more information visit: <a href="https://transporthotel.com.au/whats-on/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://transporthotel.com.au/whats-on/</a> 
Follow Transport Hotel on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransportHotel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/TransportHotel</a> 
Follow Transport Hotel on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/transport_hotel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/transport_hotel/</a> 
Follow Transport Hotel on TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@transporthotel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.tiktok.com/@transporthotel</a>

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Transport Public Bar

Food + Wine

$15 Pizzas at Transport Hotel

Calling all oyster enthusiasts and seafood lovers!
Join Transit Rooftop Bar for Oyster Hour every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, where the clock strikes 6pm and half-priced oysters take center stage.
Indulge fresh and delicious oysters, perfectly paired with their handcrafted cocktails and accompanied by breathtaking views of the city skyline.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic date night or a gathering with friends, Oyster Hour at Transit Rooftop Bar promises an unforgettable evening that will leave your taste buds craving for more.
For more information visit: <a href="https://transporthotel.com.au/whats-on/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://transporthotel.com.au/whats-on/</a> 
Follow Transport Hotel on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransportHotel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/TransportHotel</a> 
Follow Transport Hotel on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/transport_hotel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/transport_hotel/</a> 
Follow Transport Hotel on TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@transporthotel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.tiktok.com/@transporthotel</a>

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Transit Rooftop Bar

Oyster Hour at Transit Rooftop Bar

Your winter favourite is back at Transit Rooftop Bar!
Warm up with $15 cocktails and velvety fondue every Wednesday and Thursday. Dive into Transit&#8217;s classic Raclette &amp; Chardonnay fondue, get adventurous with their ‘Dirty Martini’ fondue (hello blue cheese and green olive!), or satisfy your sweet tooth with a classic chocolate fondue.
Pair your gooey goodness with one of their signature cocktails like Espresso Martini, Solemn Soju Fizz, Yuzu Blossom, The Velvet Underground, or Little Amaretti.
Grab your friends and enjoy yourselves a cozy winter treat!
Available for a limited time only.
For more information visit: <a href="https://transporthotel.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://transporthotel.com.au/</a> 
Follow Transit Rooftop Bar on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TransitRooftopBar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/TransitRooftopBar</a> 
Follow Transit Rooftop Bar on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/transitrooftopbar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/transitrooftopbar/</a>

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$15 Cocktails & Fondue at Transit Rooftop Bar

Get ready for the event of the year at Taxi Kitchen – their Annual Truffle Dinner!
Prepare to be wowed by a mouthwatering truffle-infused menu, each course perfectly paired with exceptional wines. And yes, the stars of the night – the beloved truffle dogs – will be making an appearance! 🐾🍴
Join Taxi Kitchen for a night of gourmet delights, playful pups, and a whole lot of truffle love. This event sells out every year, so secure your tickets early and make sure you don’t miss out on this truffle-tastic experience!
For more information visit: <a href="https://www.sevenrooms.com/experiences/taxikitchen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.sevenrooms.com/experiences/taxikitchen</a> 
Follow Taxi Kitchen on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TaxiKitchenMelbourne/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.facebook.com/TaxiKitchenMelbourne/</a> 
Follow Taxi Kitchen on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/taxikitchenmelbourne" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.instagram.com/taxikitchenmelbourne</a>

What's On