It’s Now or Never

Melbourne will soon be transformed with large-scale outdoor sculptural installations and projections, an immersive 360-degree pop-up dome cinema and a slew of boundary-breaking performances that explore the realm where technology and art converge, as the City of Melbourne debuts its newest digital art and future thinking festival, Now or Never, this month.

From August 17 to September 2, the blockbuster event will bring together more than 300 local and internationally renowned artists, composers, change makers and innovators – with a vibrant program featuring 18 Australian premieres and 20 festival exclusive commissions.

North Melbourne’s Arts House will host two works by the Nap Bishop, Tricia Hersey of the Nap Ministry.

First up is the sold out, An Uprising of Dreams, an immersive collective dreaming and meditation led by Hersey, in collaboration with the Centre for Projection Art.

Immersed in sound, moving image, and guided meditation, Hersey invites us into the “Dream Space” stolen by grind culture’s constant need for labour. The experience proves that rest is not a luxury, but a human right and a deliberate rebuking of the oppressive structures that are snatching our humanity.

The next week Hersey will deliver her manifesto on rest as a radical act in Rest is Resistance: A Keynote.

Rest is Resistance: A Keynote is a call to action and manifesto for those who are sleep deprived, searching for justice, and longing to be liberated from the oppressive grip of grind culture.

According to Lord Mayor Sally Capp, more than 200,000 people are expected to fill venues and precincts across the city for the 17-day festival, and enjoy more 70 leftfield music performances, immersive digital art installations and daytime talks.

“Melburnians aren’t hibernating this winter, thanks to our jam-packed Now or Never festival program, which is set to make its debut in just a few short weeks’ time,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We’re continually adding world-class events to our calendar, and Now or Never is set to be one of the highlights of the year.”

This inaugural festival is set to bring 200,000 people into the city, with a vibrant, unique program that offers entertainment across the day and night.

“By providing a platform for experimental musicians and boundary pushing artists, this new festival places Melbourne on the world map for innovative and futuristic programming.”

For more information: nowornever.melbourne.vic.gov.au