Melbourne’s new major arts festival RISING has revealed its 2022 program:225 events spanning the city,from living sculptures of AFL footballers hanging from ropes to recreate classic marks at the NGV,past an “invisible opera” in Federation Square,to performance art in rooftop bars in Chinatown. Plus a sprawling,trailblazing,international music program.
It kicks off on the first evening of winter with a kilometre-long laser show on the Yarra from Melbourne’s resident light wizard Robin Fox,to repeat each evening. RISING co-curator Hannah Fox says their inspiration for the festival was the night itself – “a natural habitat for the subconscious,” in a city with the best nightlife in the country.
“We’re using the city as a canvas and a stage,” says Fox,whose resume includes Hobart’s cool,transgressive Dark Mofo.
Adds co-curator Gideon Obarzanek,“It’s a festival you don’t just watch,you’re actually in it[and] have a complete experience from the time you leave home till the time you get back,through food,wine,performance and having a great celebration.”
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Arts minister Danny Pearson said he wanted to aim higher than the 1 million people projected to visit a festival event. “It’s going to be a joyous time for our city,” he said. The state government has refused to reveal how much the festival costs,claiming the budget is “commercial in confidence”.
RISING was originally intended to launch in 2020,an amalgamation of White Night and the Melbourne International Arts Festival. The pandemic forced a rescheduling to June 2021,but the event managed to stage only its opening night before it was killed by a lockdown.