RISING:

Dangling above Melbourne’s latest art and design triumphs lurk otherworldly creatures by Tin & Ed—the Australian artists and creative technologists responsible for the many-limbed giants that roamed The Wilds at Sidney Myer Music Bowl last year.

Combine your RISING experience with a visit to one of the free exhibitions currently at Fed Square, such as Melbourne Now at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, The Story of the Moving Image at ACMI or Second Skin: Essence of Country at the Koorie Heritage Trust. ACMI’s exhibition Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion is also on, exploring the impact of trailblazing women and gender-transcending superstars from screen history. 

Fed Square’s excellent selection of bars and restaurants are a perfect place to relax and unwind between events at RISING. Pop into Hero at ACMI for a glass of bubbles and some freshly shucked oysters – or soak up the festival atmosphere from the Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters’ Yarra-side terrace with a Heathcote red. Riverland and Pilgrim Bar offer cocktails and riverside ambience – while the Transit Rooftop Bar can’t be beat for cityscape views. 

Whether you want to impress out-of-towners at one of Fed Square’s award-winning restaurants or are after more relaxed fare, there are options galore to enjoy a fab feed during your RISING experience. Head to Beer Deluxe or Transport Hotel for a good pub-style meal and a craft beer, Chocolate Buddha for Japanese fusion cuisine – or for the ultimate in service and style, head to one-hatted restaurant Taxi Kitchen. At Big Esso by Mabu Mabu, you can sip on a Green Ant-ini and eat fried crocodile and other exciting, Australian native foods.  

Book yourself and a friend in for our candlemaking workshop on Friday 9 June now for a sparkling night out. Meet for a post-work drink at Hero or Victoria by Farmer’s Daughters from 5pm, head to the workshop from 6pm – then stay to see SPARK by Daan Roosegaarde in the Square from 7.30pm. Make a night of it by booking a table for dinner at Chocolate Buddha for a candlelight dining experience – or follow the blue lanterns down River Terrace to The Rink on Birrarung Marr, for a night of ice-skating under a constellation of lights.

Thousands of luminous, biodegradable lights catch the wind and dance above heads in the night sky.

Inspired by the ephemeral and organic light of fireflies, and a desire to update the celebratory ritual of fireworks, SPARK by Daan Roosegaarde is an artwork created by Daan Roosegaarde of Dutch social design lab, Studio Roosegaarde. In this special In Conversation event, Daan will be joined by Melbourne Arts Precinct CEO Katrina Sedgwick OAM and RISING Co-Artistic Director and Co-CEO Hannah Fox.

Be inspired by scents of the Netherlands and create your own signature scented candle. During the workshop, we will be talking all things fragrance blending, wax and wick sizes, candle care 101, and the techniques behind melting, mixing and pouring.

It’s 10,000 people, playing 10,000 kazoos and everyone’s invited. Simple. Powerful. Kazoo-tiful.

Come and create your own colourful creature using plasticine under Tin and Ed’s deep-sea monsters in the Atrium!

Switching off the lights and firing up the grill, the restaurant transforms the dining room into a spectacular black-out experience. 3 courses. $85 per person (10% Sunday surcharge)

Indigenous ingredients menu. 4 courses. $90 per person.