MESS moves to Fed Square, bringing electronic music to Melbourne’s cultural heart

The Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio (MESS), home to the largest public collection of electronic instruments in the Southern Hemisphere, is relocating from North Melbourne to Fed Square – in a move set to broaden its reach and amplify its impact.

Announced on May 21 by MESS and the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (MAPCo), the move will see the not-for-profit organisation take up residence in Fed Square’s Atrium, opposite the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, with doors to open in spring 2025.

MESS was founded in 2016 by audio-visual artists Robin Fox and Byron Scullin with a mission to make electronic music more accessible. What began as a hidden gem in North Melbourne’s Meat Market has grown into a globally recognised space for hands-on musical experimentation.

Now, supported significantly by MAPCo, MESS will bring its collection of more than 1000 synthesizers, drum machines, and modular instruments to the city’s core –

expanding opportunities for everyone from professional artists to curious newcomers.

“In just under a decade, MESS has grown from an idea into a thriving creative community,” Fox and Scullin said. “Life is too short not to make music. Join us.”

The move marks a major milestone for MESS, which has long served as a creative haven for electronic sound-makers. Its unique offering — the ability for the public to book studio sessions and access rare and historic equipment – has made it an inclusive and innovative presence in Melbourne’s music scene.

MESS founding patron and musician Gotye (Wally de Backer) said the move was an exciting evolution.

“MESS pursues a mission of elevating people by encouraging creative engagement and creating positive community connections. Music has a unique power to affect and connect us, and MESS harnesses this power for good.”

CEO of MAPCo, Katrina Sedgwick, said the organisation was proud to back MESS’s next chapter.

“We are delighted to welcome MESS and their extraordinary instruments and artists to the Square … expanding the rich cultural offer at the Square for our visitors.”

The move follows a bumper summer of live music at Fed Square and reinforces the precinct’s reputation as the beating heart of creativity in Melbourne.

For MESS, it’s a bold step into a bigger, brighter future – one where anyone can plug in and play.