PROGRAM GUIDE: Ephemeral Moments

The sci-fi opulence of the Capitol Theatre becomes a laser cave for a limited time only. A gateway into the universal. Step in. Get your perceptionbent. Created by Shohei Fujimoto. Presented with RMIT University.

We’re a rolling out the yoga mats and checking your heart rate. It’s a competition to do the do the most nothing at QV. In a world that glorifies productivity, the event is a gift to us all. South Korean artist Woopsyang first held it in 2014 while she was struggling with burn-out. This the first time the viral competition has taken place in Australia. Presented with RMIT University.

Mass-musicking returns, with an even bigger surge. Everyone’s in the band, including you. Now at the Melbourne Town Hall to fit more in. Feel the energy in the room build and dissolve. Created by Melbourne/Naarm artists SHOUSE.

Horn please! The Land of the Five Rivers comes alive in Fed Square for a massive celebration of Punjabi art, food and Pakistani music that’s free for all ages.

Night Trade is a miscellanea of RISING mischief where you can sample the festival for free. Look out for Saeborg in the laneways surrounding Capitol Arcade. The Tokyo-based artist is half human, half toy, in an adorable latex prison. Saeborg’s creatures can only be truly appreciated in the flesh.

A live docu-drama from re: group that crackles with wit and energy. Enter the mind’s eye of Bub, an 11-year-old girl who’s obsessed with documentary filmmaking. In the aftermath of a family breakdown, she turns to dramatised re-enactment to try to figure out what happened. Each night two new unrehearsed actors play the parents, while Bub directs the action. Presented with Arts Centre Melbourne.

You won’t have had this experience at the baths before, and who knows when you can again. Have a nighttime swim through sound art in the Melbourne City Baths. Experience the tactility of underwater listening. Create by Sara Retallick.

Each night of the festival, Hamer Hall façade becomes a canvas for a unique First Peoples story. For a limited time, drink in this conversation between river systems. Created by Moorina Bonini. Presented with TarraWarra Museum of Art.

The musically adventurous, independent Australian label is turning 33, shifting gears and saying cheers. Head to Day Tripper to celebrate and say farewell with a huge lineup of indie darlings. Andras & Oscar, Gregor, Tenniscoats, Ryan Davis, Sidney Phillips, Little Ugly Girls, Guy Blackman Band and Npcede.

Be there for your favourite new band’s first and only gig. Little Bands was a scene that ran parallel to punk in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. New bands formed by local trailblazers, free forming for 15 minutes at a time. We’re reigniting the spark for RISING 2025.