Now or Never returns with sleep concerts, river lights and Philip Glass tribute

Melbourne’s winter festival Now or Never will return this August with a city-wide program spanning art, ideas, sound and technology, headlined by a rare overnight concert inside the Royal Exhibition Building and a series of large-scale light installations along the Yarra River.

Running from Wednesday, August 19 to Sunday, August 30, the City of Melbourne festival will bring together more than 250 local and international artists and creatives across 12 days.

Now in its fourth year, the multi-award-winning festival will feature more than 150 events across iconic Melbourne venues and public spaces, including 20 premiere works and festival exclusives.

This year’s theme, “A Whole New World”, explores cultural shifts driven by immersive technologies, artificial intelligence and digital storytelling, blurring the lines between installation, performance, reality and imagination.

One of the program’s most unusual offerings will be SOMNIA, an overnight durational sleep concert under the dome of the Royal Exhibition Building by William Basinski from the US and Bendik Giske from Norway.

The World Heritage-listed venue will also host a tribute to American composer Philip Glass, with Orchestra Victoria performing In the Upper Room and Japanese pianist Maki Namekawa performing his Piano Etudes.

The Breath Haus will also present a live breathwork and sound bath ritual inside the building, featuring First Nations artists David and Daniel Wilfred from the narrm-based ensemble Hand to Earth.

Acting Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell said the festival had become a major winter drawcard for the city.

Now or Never embraces Melbourne’s cool, grey winter atmosphere and turns it into something extraordinary – using light, sound and technology to completely reimagine the city, Cr Campbell said.

“Our programming team continues to create experiences you simply won’t find anywhere else – from the rare chance to sleep beneath the Dome at the Royal Exhibition Building to a trail of large-scale light installations along the Yarra River.”

Along the Yarra River – Birrarung, a free public program of large-scale light works will include Multimmersion Upside Down V2 by Taiwanese light artist AKA Chang, a monumental laser installation reflected on the water.

Local artist Emily Parsons-Lord will present The Falls Before Us, an illusionary work in which Evan Walker Bridge appears to vanish into mist, while Jess Johnson and video director Simon Ward will project XYZZY REDUX onto the lower façade of Hamer Hall in partnership with Arts Centre Melbourne.

Melbourne Town Hall will also become a major festival site, with Chunky Move presenting the world premiere of Time Remaining, a hypnotic dance work combining bodies, lasers and light.

Australian audio-visual artist Robin Fox will take over the Main Hall with PRESENCE, while Revivification will present a sound and sculptural exhibition that attempts to posthumously extend the life of experimental composer Alvin Lucier using his biological material.

The Town Hall forecourt will also host works by South Korean artists Jung Haejung and HKASON in partnership with Arts Korea Lab.

The festival’s late-night music program will run across three nights at Melbourne Town Hall, with local and international artists including A.Chal, Slim Soledad, LIZZ, Dinamarca, Zalina, Octave One, Sleep D x Hybrid Man, JNETT, Baby G, Robin Fox, MY DISCO, Jeho Yun and Kyoungjin So.

A talks program will explore technology, culture and possible futures, including sexual historian Mindy Seu’s A Sexual History of the Internet at State Library Victoria and technology critic Cory Doctorow’s Enshittification, which examines the decay of online platforms.

Derrick Gee will present a live edition of Derrick Gee’s Radio Hour, with guests including Julia Jacklin and record label founder Michael Kucyk, while First Nations Futures will explore storytelling, visual language and creative resistance with Axel Garay, April Phillips and Allara Briggs Pattison.

Returning festival favourites include the XR headliner collaboration with MIFF, Library Up Late at State Library Victoria, Friday Night Social at Science Gallery Melbourne and Queer PowerPoint at Fed Square.

Tourism and events portfolio head Cr Mark Scott said Now or Never showed how arts and culture could help energise Melbourne during winter.

“Whether its world premieres, international artists or free public installations along the river – this year’s program offers something for everyone,” Cr Scott said.

Tickets are on sale now. •