PSA Melbourne culture lovers: RISING has officially unveiled its full 2026 program, and the winter festival is already shaping up to be one of its most expansive editions yet.
Returning from 27 May to 8 June 2026, the festival will once again transform Naarm/Melbourne with a city-wide takeover of music, dance, art and performance – stretching across theatres, cathedrals, train station ballrooms, civic squares and beyond.
This year’s program features more than 100 events, 376 artists, seven world premieres and 11 Australian premieres, with a major focus on music and movement. Here's everything you need to know...
Who is performing?
Among the major names appearing across the program are:
- Lil’ Kim
- The Royal Family Dance Crew (ft. Parris Goebel)
- Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
- Cate Le Bon
- Saint Levant
- Kae Tempest
- Saul Williams
- Kahlil El’Zabar
- The Congos
- The Bats
- TR/ST
- Daniel Avery
- anaiis
- Dry Cleaning
- Wednesday
Day Tripper – the festival’s multi-room music marathon – returns to take over Max Watt’s and Melbourne Town Hall, bringing poetry, jazz, reggae, experimental pop and club sounds into one sprawling event.
Another major moment arrives with Gil Scott-Heron by Brian Jackson & Yasiin Bey, a live tribute celebrating the legacy of one of modern music’s most influential voices.
What else is happening?
Beyond the music lineup, RISING 2026 introduces the inaugural Australian Dance Biennale, a new platform dedicated to dance across theatres, clubs and public spaces. The program includes major works such as Hard to Be Soft: A Belfast Prayer by Oona Doherty, the world premiere of The Forest by Lucy Guerin Inc, and a rare revival of Chunky Move’s landmark interactive performance Glow.
The festival will also reopen the historic Flinders Street Station Ballroom as Land of 1000 Dances, transforming the space into a living dance academy where audiences can join classes spanning everything from ballet and jazz to vogue and street dance.
Elsewhere, international performance highlights include Florentina Holzinger’s new theatrical epic A Year Without Summer, Khalid Abdalla’s multimedia solo work Nowhere, and Narcissister’s immersive performance installation Voyage Into Infinity.
When and where is RISING 2026?
RISING will take over venues across Melbourne/Naarm from 27 May to 8 June 2026, stretching from major cultural institutions to public spaces throughout the city.
Locations in 2026 will include: Arts Centre Melbourne, ACMI, Melbourne Town Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral, galleries, theatres and outdoor squares.
Public artworks and installations will again reshape the city. Highlights include FLOWER POWER by Barkindji artist Kent Morris in City Square, the large-scale projection Calling Country: The Land Speaks Back illuminating Hamer Hall, and the return of the First Peoples Melbourne Art Trams, which will travel the network for the next 12 months.
When are tickets on sale?
Tickets go on presale from 12pm Thursday 12 March, with early bird pricing available for RISING subscribers.
General public ticket sales begin 12pm Monday 16 March, with a mix of ticketed performances, free public works and ballot-based experiences available across the festival.
The best way to book tickets is via the RISING website, simply click the BUY TICKETS button on the page of the show/event you'd like to attend.
