The festival returns to Melbourne bigger and better than ever, offering audiences a line-up of performances, exhibitions, visual arts, live music, theatre, spoken word, cabaret, film, parties, sports, social events and public forums.
Midsumma will present 100 open access events made for, and by, queer communities with shared lived experiences around gender and sexuality. There'll also be a specifically-curated programme, Midsumma Presents, highlighting unsung heroines and unheard voices from queer intersectional communities of this era.
Midsumma Live At The Bowl will focus on 'the art of the possible' in a concert series featuring queer icons from across the country.
Meanwhile there are audience favourites like the Midsumma and Australia Post Art Award exhibition, Dolly Diamond's 'Star For A Night', and 'Goddess Grooves'.
Strange Space, hosted at Collingwood Yards, is an exhibition of projection artworks and performances inviting audiences to celebrate resilience and reflect on change. And, The Pier Festival is a multi-faceted festival for queer women and their allies.
Night At The Museum: Youth Midsumma Party
Then, the Night At The Museum: Youth Midsumma Party will celebrate the idea of self-discovery, becoming an adult and uplifting a new generation of LGBTQIA+ people. After Dark takes you on a high-energy journey through some of the world's most famous cabaret venues, and Australian finalists will take to the stage in the Queer Playwriting Award Showcase.
The signature Midsumma Pride March will celebrate its 26th anniversary along Fitzroy Street in St Kilda.
"Festivals are so important, because at their very core they share stories, and our stories are the keepers of our history," Festival CEO Karen Bryant says. "Midsumma Festival is about celebrating diverse communities, in their own voice, and letting new voices move us, challenge us and most importantly entertain us, and this year’s programme, which is full of fantastic talent and creativity, is sure to take us all on this journey."
