Melbourne’s inner west will soon light up with art, music, performances and installations for two glorious weeks. Get ready for the independent music and arts event, Sleepless Festival. Back for its third year, this festival will showcase and celebrate the rich culture and talent of Footscray and Melbourne’s west. Look forward to immersive experiences, theatre, film screenings and more in unlikely spaces. This dynamic festival will kick off on Saturday May 4, and run until Sunday May 19.
Sleepless Festival
This exciting festival was founded by locals Troy Rainbow, JJ Wilson and Alex Mansell as a way to showcase the creativity of Footscray’s artists.
“Sleepless is our beacon of hope for the world-class talent coming out of Melbourne’s west,” said Rainbow. “It’s a tough time for the live entertainment industry, but we know that Aussies want to be a part of a culture that supports the arts. By making Sleepless as accessible as possible, we’re giving music and arts lovers the opportunity to support the incredible talent right here in our own backyard for the third year running.”
Highlights include:
- Melbourne Nocturnal Film Festival – Celebrate weird and wonderful short films by Australian filmmakers over three days with screenings, panels and special guests.
- Machine Dreams – this immersive installation by Nick Clark will challenge you to reconsider your creative and emotional connection with machines.
- Astra Choir – this moving concert will journey from the Metro West mall to the nearby Baptist Church. The choir will performs chants from the Middle Ages as well as modern choruses from contemporary Australia.
- Melbourne Trap Orchestra – this improvising ensemble will bring a high-energy performance to the Kindred Bandroom and arrange trap music from the 2010s to the present day.
- Scent Pod – local scent artist Erin Adams will display giant origami seed pods, which will release the fragrance of lemon-scented eucalyptus from Footscray trees.
- Everyday Alchemy – this exhibition by Natalie Blom features experimental analogue photography, created using household items along with Phở broth and water from the Maribyrnong River.
Some events are free to attend and others are ticketed. Bookings are essential. To see the full program for Sleepless Festival, click here.