Now or Never returns to transform Melbourne with art, sound and innovation

Melbourne’s newest festival, Now or Never, is back for its third year, transforming city streets and venues under an exciting program combining art, sound, technology and ideas. 

Running from August 21 to 31, this festival will feature more than 285 artists and creatives across 140 free and ticketed events, including 30 commissions making their Melbourne debut. With everything from large-scale installations to boundary-pushing performances on offer, Now or Never promises to maintain its position as a major fixture on the city’s cultural calendar.

Across 11 days, audiences are invited to see Melbourne from a new perspective, as the city’s iconic buildings and public spaces are reimagined to become what Lord Mayor Nick Reece describes as a “vibrant hub of creativity, culture and connection”.

“This bold, boundary-pushing festival is a true celebration of Melbourne’s creative spirit – spotlighting local artists, musicians and performers alongside international innovators,” Cr Reece said.

“This year’s line-up brings together visionary thinkers to spark ideas and offer a rare glimpse into the future.”

Come see the Royal Exhibition Building interior transformed by a towering monochromatic pink inflatable, with an accompanying soundscape reverberating through the grand building.

MATRIA – presented by Barcelona-based Studio Penique in partnership with Museums Victoria – is free, interactive and also hosts morning breathwork sessions by The Breath Haus.

Down the road, Melbourne Town Hall will be overtaken by a large-scale live music event. Across four nights, six unique artists will perform: Québécois artist and techno-pop icon Marie Davidson, Japanese visual and sound artist Ryoji Ikeda, New York-based musician DJ Python, Sydney-born and Berlin-based DJ Logic1000, Amsterdam’s Young Marco, and Murri woman and rising star Yarra.

These are only a few of the many and varied events and experiences on offer, with other host spaces including iconic city locations like the State Library, ACMI and Melbourne Museum.

This is only the third year this festival has run, with the first two years being marked successes. According to the council’s head of the tourism and transport portfolio Cr Mark Scott, last year’s edition generated more than $14.6 million in economic benefit and supported around 1000 jobs.

“Now or Never has quickly established itself as a standout on Melbourne’s events calendar – driving city activity, supporting local jobs and energising the economy,” Cr Scott said, adding that it was a “powerful reminder of the impact and importance of this uniquely Melbourne event.”

Cr Reece said that more than 400,00 people were expected to take part, with the festival “not only enriching our cultural scene,” but “also supercharging our 24-hour economy and supporting local businesses.”

This year, the festival is returning as a certified carbon-neutral event under the Australian Government’s Climate Activate Program.

Now or Never will run from August 21 to 31. Subscriber pre-sale began at 12pm on June 19, with general tickets on sale from 12pm on June 23. •