Five double passes are up for grabs for Now or Never, the Melbourne festival that runs 12 nights from August 19 to 30. Each pass gets two people into the programs at either the Royal Exhibition Building or Melbourne Town Hall. Broadsheet, a media partner of City of Melbourne, is running the giveaway with the festival.
The 2026 program lists more than 150 events: installations, performances and talks spread across venues in the city, under the theme “A Whole New World.”
Royal Exhibition Building
The headline act under the building’s dome is William Basinski, who will play his ambient piece Somnia overnight. Orchestra Victoria will perform Philip Glass’s In the Upper Room, and pianist Maki Namekawa will give a recital of his Piano Etudes.
The Breath Haus x Now or Never session pairs live music with meditation and a sound bath. Broadsheet describes it as a slower way to take in the space.
Melbourne Town Hall
Chunky Move will stage its world-premiere dance work Time Remaining. Down the hall sits Revivification, an exhibition on experimental composer Alvin Lucier that draws on sound, sculpture and biological material.
Two works made with Arts Korea Lab combine kinetic sculpture and digital installation. Robin Fox’s laser-and-sound installation PRESENCE is also on. Both are free to attend.
The last weekend belongs to the Town Hall’s music nights:
Friday, August 28: Club Chuleo, with A.Chal, Slim Soledad, LIZZ, Dinamarca and Zalina.
Saturday, August 29: Finding Figaro runs an all-night electronic set featuring Octave One, Sleep D x Hybrid Man, JNETT and Baby G.
Sunday, August 30: the Closing Night party, billed as industrial force meeting rhythmic intensity, with Robin Fox, MY DISCO, and Jeho Yun + Kyoungjin So.
Entries for the passes are open through Broadsheet, and terms and conditions apply.
