From May 4 to 14, Australia's premier First Nations festival is back in Naarm with a huge schedule of parties, workshops and events.
After three wildly successful runs, YIRRAMBOI is shaping up for its biggest year yet. Showcasing over 300 artists in over 170 shows during the month of May, the festival leaves a lot to be excited about.
On the lineup? A biopunk drag cabaret show, underground club DJs, a First Nations fashion runway show, a Canadian First Nations dance performance, a collaboration with Dark Mofo, and so much more. Roughly 80 per cent of the shows will be Australian debuts, so get in early to see them first.
YIRRAMBOI 2023
- Australia’s premier First Nations festival will run from May 4 to 14
- The festival will take place across 40 spaces in the city, with an events hub in the Meat Market
- It will feature circus, dance, visual art, music, theatre, film, and much more from some of the most talented emerging and established First Nations artists
Keep up with the latest music news, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
This year, the event will be centered around the Uncle Jack Charles hub, named after the legendary Aboriginal actor, activist and great arts Elder. Located in North Melbourne’s Meat Market, visitors can stop by the hub to check out First Nations comedy, music and culture. Other shows and events will be spread across 40 local venues and locations.
Free activities are also planned throughout the 11-day festival, including a massive, citywide ‘blak out’ and Archie Roach block party, happening on May 6, which will take over the city with music, activities, and art installations.
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The festival team has also commissioned five brand-new projects for the event which centre around the theme of Blak Futurism.
“These works showcase the incredible diversity within the First Nations arts sector and shift the paradigm of what’s perceived as ‘First Nations arts’ – pushing boundaries and celebrating the evolutionary practices of First Nations creatives. We really can do anything,” says Sherene Stewart, YIRRAMBOI co-lead and Taungurung creative.
Meaning ‘tomorrow’ in the languages of the Boonwurrung and Woiwurrung peoples, YIRRAMBOI aims to display the interconnectedness and diversity of First Nations creatives across the world.
To browse the full program of YIRRAMBOI events and get your hands on some tickets, head here.
