The exciting Now or Never festival is coming back to Melbourne for its fourth year. This festival explores the intersection of art, ideas, sound and technology, and combines the success and resources of both Melbourne Music Week and Melbourne Knowledge Week. This year, there’s a massive program of over 150 free and ticketed events and sessions, like stunning installations and live performances. Over 250 local and international artists and creatives will take over venues around the city. Now or Never is on from Wednesday August 19 to Sunday August 30.
Now or Never 2026
This year, the festival theme is A Whole New World. The program will explore cultural shifts driven by immersive technologies, AI and digital storytelling.
“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,” said Acting Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell. “Our programming team continues to create experiences you simply wouldn’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.”
Highlights include:
Royal Exhibition Building
- SOMNIA: William Basinski (US)/Bendik Giske (NO) – sleep overnight underneath the grand Dome of the Royal Exhibition Building, while listening to an ambient sleep concert.
- Phillip Glass: In the Upper Room performed by Orchestra Victoria/Piano Etudes performed by Maki Namekawa (JPN) – this classical music concert will celebrate the legacy of composer Phillip Glass.
- The Breath Haus x Now or Never – this live breathwork and sound bath ritual will feature the sounds of First Nations artists David and Daniel Wilfred from ensemble Hand to Earth.
Yarra River | Birrarung installations
- Multimmersion 浸 漬 的 ( ) 線 Upside Down V2 – light artist AKA Chang (TW) has created a laser light installation that will reflect on the water.
- The Falls Before Us – in this illusionary piece by local artist Emily Parsons-Lord, Evan Walker Bridge will seemingly vanish into mist.
Melbourne Town Hall
- Time Remaining – feel hypnotised by dancing bodies, lasers and light in this world premiere piece from contemporary dance company Chunky Move.
- PRESENCE – audio-visual artist Robin Fox will takeover the Main Hall with lasers and sound.
- Revivification – this sound and sculptural exhibition uses biological material from experimental composer Alvin Lucier, in an attempt to posthumously extend his life.
- Row, Row, Row Your Boat by Jung Haejung (KR) and Knot Protocol by HKASON (KR), in partnership with Arts Korea Lab – a video installation and kinetic sculpture will take over the forecourt.
- Late night music program – return to Melbourne Town Hall across three nights for live music from local and international artists including A.Chal, Slim Soledad, LIZZ; Octave One, Sleep D x Hybrid Man, JNETT and Baby G, and more.
Other festival highlights include Feng Mengbo’s videogame installation Long March: Restart at ACMI, Library Up Late at State Library Victoria, Friday Night Social at Science Gallery Melbourne, Queer PowerPoint at Fed Square and the XR headliner collaboration with MIFF. Beyond that, you can also check out a series of talks, covering topics like the Internet’s sexual history and the enshittification of online platforms.
Tickets are on sale now. To explore the full program, click here.
