RISING is a festival that could not happen anywhere else—it is rooted in its place and Melbourne is its stage. From the city’s hidden spaces to its landmarks reimagined, RISING is a chance for Melburnians and visitors alike to discover the city anew.

Whether you’re stepping into a new dimension of First Nations art, slicing up the ice at Birrarung Marr or operating a reality-bending bus like a puppeteer, we hope your time at RISING sparks some joy.

Because it’s always best to be prepared, here are a few places you might begin your trip.

PLAN YOUR NIGHT

Ways to explore the program

You don’t need to tell us that the RISING program is a beast to get your head around. Here are a few ways into the program, so you can find what you’re looking for and also happen across a few things you weren’t.

FILTER TAGS

On the Festival Program, you can filter the program by artform—including theatre, music, dance, performance and visual art/video—and by access service icons (here's a rundown of all access services available, by the way). You can also filter for things like "outdoors", "free", "family friendly", "food" and "exhibition".

This year we also have "experience" tags. They are:

•    Sitting | the event takes place in a seated venue
•    Standing | a mostly standing room event. Limited seating available
•    Dancing | time for a boogie
•    Immersive | a rich, sensory and/or immersive experience
•    Mass Participation | an event where you can join the action
•    Food | food vendors are at this location
•    Beverage | bars are at this location (with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks)

WORMHOLE

Don't know where to start with the program? Or wondering which events are making it onto our curators’ schedules, Wormhole is the place for you. The spot for itineraries, artist picks and themed guides to navigating the festival, Wormhole is a way to see the program with a fresh set of eyes or find different ways in. Unearth new experiences by subscribing to our Moon Mail, and we’ll send highlights to your inbox.

SCHEDULE

Got a particular day or weekend in mind for some RISING exploration? Check out the Schedule which filters our whole program by day and shows you specific times and locations for the days you’ve selected. You can also download a printable PDF of the festival schedule organised by date and venue.

MAPS

Closer to the festival, we'll make maps available to help you navigate your way around RISING. As details firm up, this will also include Sensory Maps for specific events or locations, which identify quiet and relaxed spots where you can chill out, and areas with sensory intensity. Find out more about Sensory Maps on our Accessibility and Inclusion page.

GETTING TO THE FESTIVAL

RELAXED GUIDES

As we near the festival dates, we’ll provide Relaxed Guides outlining the entire journey for punters to and from main transport hubs to venues. Find out more about Relaxed Guides and Performances on our Accessibility and Inclusion page.

PARKING

Find the nearest parking spots to each event, view the Venue pages, where we’ve provided the details, including accessible parking and drop off points.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

RISING is striving to deliver a sustainable festival, and we encourage you to use public transport where it is safe and viable to do so.

Melbourne's iconic tram network is a great way to get around the city—you might even get lucky and find yourself on one of the First Peoples Art Trams.

To plan your journey to RISING by tram, bus or train, use Public Transport Victoria's Journey Planner or Google Maps.

EXPLORING MELBOURNE

OUT OF TOWNER TIPS

Melbourne comes into its own in wintertime. Here are all our recommendations on where to eat, drink, stay and play, while you're in Melbourne for the festival in our Out-of-Towner Tips.

WHAT'S ON MELBOURNE

Discover more of what Melbourne has to offer. Find out all the latest restaurants, bars, shopping destinations and things to do via the What's On guide. Or chat to a City of Melbourne volunteer, by heading into the Visitor Centre at the Melbourne Town Hall or the stand in Bourke Street Mall.

DURING THE FESTIVAL

WHERE TO EAT AND STAY

If you're from outside of Melbourne and looking for some local travel inspiration and information, check out our Out-of-Towner tips–coming soon for suggested bars, restaurants and accommodation.

RAIN, HAIL OR SHINE

RISING is an all-weather festival. We’ll proceed rain, hail, or shine unless it is deemed unsafe to do so. Grab a brolly or don a slicker. We’ve got both.