Celebration. Exploration. Revelation.
As part of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, over 2,500 world-class performing artists from across Australia and the Commonwealth will descend on Melbourne in March for the largest free cultural festival ever held in Australia.
Festival Melbourne2006 will be an international spectacular with 11 days of non-stop music, dance, circus, street theatre and visual art from all the corners of the Commonwealth in a range of venues across the State, including the great outdoors. And, best of all, everything’s free!
The city will be buzzing day and night at Federation Square, the Alexandra Gardens, the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the Arts Precinct, Docklands and right across Melbourne. And the excitement will reach out across the state, with regional festivals in Ballarat, Geelong, Moe and Bendigo. All the colour and talent of the Commonwealth will be on show as we celebrate what we have in common and appreciate what makes us different. Full program details will be available in February, but for a taste of what you can expect, please read on.
Festival Melbourne2006 is proudly supported by the Victorian and Australian Governments and is an integral part of the Melbourne2006 Commonwealth Games.
A cavalcade of international and local superstars of world music, percussion and dance.
A world of circus, dance and physical theatre in Festival Melbourne2006’s own Big Top.
Two weeks of the most eclectic mix of live music and dance.
Colourful routines and spectacular performances by some of the best artists in the Commonwealth.
See the Gallery transformed into a vertical stage while the Lawn becomes a spectacular Aussie beach.
The Commonwealth comes to life through craft, video, sculpture and painting.
Rewards and celebrates excellence in contemporary fiction writing.
Documentaries from Kenya to Coburg that show it like it is - new documentaries from around the Commonwealth.
Exploring the connections between the nations of the Commonwealth by young artists and aimed at young audiences.
Festival Melbourne2006 will be reaching out across the state with festivals in four major Victorian regional centres.