culture

Melbourne Communities Drive Cultural Boom Through Film, Festivals, Heritage

Local organisations and movements support a series of arts initiatives across the city.

By Melbourne Culture Desk · Published 20 July 2026

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This article was written by AI from the linked sources and was not reviewed by a journalist before publishing. The Daily Melbourne is part of The Daily Network and follows our reasonable editorial care.

Melbourne Communities Drive Cultural Boom Through Film, Festivals, Heritage — AI-generated illustration

Melbourne communities are behind several current culture projects that draw on local venues and organisations. Docklands Studios is filming the Hollywood horror sequel Insidious and the WWII thriller Play Dead, using the city's architecture and virtual production facilities. The 2026 Victorian Multicultural Festival took place at Grazeland in Melbourne's west. YIRRAMBOI, the Naarm/Melbourne-based First Nations festival, has named Northern Turtle Island, Canada as its 2025 Focus Nation. The City of Melbourne is supporting events for AC/DC's 50th anniversary. A National Museum of Performing Arts is scheduled to open at Hamer Hall in December 2025.

Film work at Docklands Studios

Production activity at Docklands Studios forms one strand of local cultural output. The studio is handling two international projects that rely on Melbourne locations and technical resources. This work connects to broader efforts by local crews and facilities providers who maintain the infrastructure for screen production.

Multicultural festival at Grazeland

The recent 2026 Victorian Multicultural Festival at Grazeland highlighted community participation in the state's largest annual diversity event. Organisers drew on networks across Melbourne's western suburbs to stage the gathering. Such festivals reflect ongoing involvement by multicultural groups in planning and presenting public programs.

YIRRAMBOI festival focus

YIRRAMBOI continues its international program by selecting Northern Turtle Island, Canada as the 2025 Focus Nation. The Naarm/Melbourne-based event builds on First Nations leadership and community ties that extend beyond the city. This choice follows established patterns of exchange between local organisers and overseas partners.

AC/DC anniversary preparations

The City of Melbourne is backing a series of events to mark AC/DC's 50th anniversary. These activities involve local music communities and heritage groups that have long followed the band's history. Planning draws on established relationships between council staff and fan networks.

National Museum of Performing Arts

The scheduled opening of the National Museum of Performing Arts at Hamer Hall in December 2025 adds another institutional project. It will display material related to the nation's performing arts legacy. Preparatory work involves collaboration among arts organisations, venue operators and collection holders.

These separate strands show how community groups, councils and venue operators contribute to Melbourne's cultural calendar. Further activity will depend on continued coordination among the same local networks and the listed projects.