Melbourne’s newest major festival, Now Or Never, will return this August following a huge debut in 2023.
The 2024 programme features more than 100 free and ticketed events, exploring art, ideas, sound and technology. There are more than 250 local and international creatives involved in Now Or Never this year. They’ll take over iconic venues across Melbourne presenting immersive digital art experience, cutting-edge performances, groundbreaking music, and captivating talks.
The theme for 2024 is ‘look through the image’. It invites audiences to interrogate what’s in front of them, to explore deeper meanings and contemplate the layers of symbolism and hidden messages within.
Audiences can expect a return to Royal Exhibition Building featuring large-scale live music and audio-visual projection works, across four nights. The line-up including Eartheather, Sandwell District, Erika De Casier, COUCOU CHLOE, Ben Frost, Naretha Williams, Clark, and Donato Dozzy.
French artist Joanie Lemercier from Studio Lemercier will present Constellations, a large-scale celestial formation which will hover above its own shimmering reflection on the Yarra’s surface along Southbank after dark.
Marco Fusinato’s ‘DESASTRES’ makes its Australian debut after premiering at the Venice Biennale in 2022. It’s a radical live noise-guitar performance project, synchronising sound with image.
There will be a few firsts at Now Or Never. Iconic Melbourne act HTRK and British electronic musician Actress will come together in a world-exclusive commissioned by Now Or Never. Plus, ‘Wuigada – Gagada (To Sing - Loud)’ is a Victorian premiere celebrating the work of prolific First Nations snowman and proud Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta and Nari Nari man Kutcha Edwards. Augmented reality experience ‘Slow Walker’ from Peder Bjurman is an Australian premiere allowing users to see an ordinarily microscopic Tardigrade – an enduring organism – transformed into a colossal being, at Melbourne Museum Plaza.
The world premiere dance performance ‘Plagiary’, from multi award-winning dance technologist and choreographer Alisdair Macindoe – featuring AI video from media artist Sam Mcgilp – is a new show every night, created before the audience’s eyes.
And there’s the world premiere of ‘kajoo yannaga (come on let’s walk together’, an interactive, virtual gamified walk on Country, guided by First Nations knowledge from Wiradjuri-Scottish artist, April Phillips.
Cutting-edge arts collective SOFT CENTRE will make its Melbourne debut with SUPERMODEL: a three-day programme of ecstatic performances, deep-dive keynotes, screenings and workshops.
Xanthe Dobbie and Harriet Gillies will present ‘Queer PowerPoint’, bringing together queer artists to explore and share an idea, current obsession, or ongoing fascination. . . Using Microsoft PowerPoint.
“Melbourne, it’s Now or Never! The return of this extraordinary festival will enrich our events calendar, boosting visitation for our traders and stoking our economy during the traditionally quieter winter period,” Lord Mayor Sally Capp says.
“From thought-provoking performances to late-night cultural experiences, the festival supports artistic talent and encourages knowledge, curiosity and creativity.”
Check out the full programme and ticket information.
Now Or Never is on around Melbourne from 22-31 August.