Arts Centre Melbourne’s 2026 PLAY public program

Artists and arts organisations from across Victoria are invited to submit proposals for Arts Centre Melbourne’s 2026 PLAY public program. Successful applicants will receive budget contribution, venue access, equipment use and dedicated producer support to help develop their creative events at Arts Centre Melbourne’s creative learning hub, The Channel.

The PLAY program brings together people of all ages to create, learn, and share artistic ideas through workshops, mentorships and panel discussions covering various genres across the performing arts, including comedy, music, street dance, writing, podcasting, music production and more.

This year’s PLAY program has so far delivered over 124 workshops, showcases, panel discussions and various other creative-led events with over 3,460 participants.

Highlights from this year’s program include Cypher Culture’s Naarm Community Throwdown with the Old Way Vogue community, up-and-coming magicians sharing the stage with Australia’s top performers in Magicians at Work, and seven emerging writers working alongside professional artists to develop powerful and thought-provoking new plays for New Writers Collective.

Excerpts from the plays developed as part of the New Writers Collective will be showcased to the public on 8 and 9 November 2025 at Arts Centre Melbourne’s The Show Room.

In 2026, new programs will be delivered between 4 – 24 May and 11 – 30 June 2026, as single sessions, weekly workshops, or multi-week formats in The Channel’s temporary new home at the Theatres Building (under the Spire). Programs will be supported with accessibility provisions including Auslan interpretation, relaxed programming and quiet space elements.

Expressions of interest for PLAY 2026 are now open until 23 November 2025. Proposals need to align with PLAY’s objectives; demonstrate creativity through offering new learning opportunities, engage with new or under-represented audiences and organisational capability.

PLAY programs are proudly supported by the generosity of donors to Arts Centre Melbourne and Ticketek.

Tickets are now available at artscentremelbourne.com.au for the remaining events as part of PLAY’s 2025 program.

EOIs for 2026 are open now at http://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au

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