Head to Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) this summer to see incredible contemporary art at Melbourne Art Fair. This prestigious Australasian art fair will showcase 60 leading galleries and Indigenous art centres, alongside a broader program of large-scale installations, video works, performances and conversations. The fair will run from February 22 to 25. If you can’t make it in person, there will also be a virtual version of the fair, running from February 22 to March 8. This will have an expanded online program, connecting galleries and audiences around the world.
Melbourne Art Fair
This will be the 17th edition of the Melbourne Art Fair. The last time the fair took place was in 2022, and it has provided a comprehensive overview of Australia’s contemporary art scene for 35 years. After running on a biennial basis, the fair will now return to Melbourne once a year. The 2024 theme is ‘ketherba’, a Boon Wurrung word used to express a togetherness that is filled with promise.
Check out presentations from Melbourne galleries like Anna Schwartz Gallery and Sullivan+Strumpf, as well as from Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide and Singapore.
You’ll also see the work of four art centres, supported through the William Mora Indigenous Art Centre program. These Indigenous-owned art centres sustain First Nations arts and communities, and share the stories of Indigenous Australians. In 2024, you can check out Moa Arts (Mua, Mualgal Country/Moa Island), Munupi Arts & Crafts Association (Pirlangimpi Community/Melville Island), Papunya Tjupi Arts (Papunya) and Wik & Kugu Arts Centre (Aurukun).
Broader Artistic Program
In 2024, you’ll see works delivered across four distinct categories – VIDEO, BEYOND, LIVE and PROJECT ROOMS.
In VIDEO, you’ll see a curated program of moving-image art from new and iconic contemporary artists.
BEYOND is all about harnessing exhibition spaces within MCEC to show four large-scale installations and spatial interventions.
LIVE will offer a curated performance program that pushes the boundaries. This will showcase new commissions from emerging Australian performance artists.
Finally, PROJECT ROOMS is a non-commercial platform for experimentation.
Melbourne Art Fair will also have CONVERSATIONS, a series of talks and panels from artists, gallerists, curators and more.
The full program will be announced in January 2024.