Arts Centre Melbourne Invites Victoria's Artistic Communities to Shape 2026 PLAY 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.

Arts Centre Melbourne Head of Creative Engagement Cynthia Nolan Myers said it has never been a more important time to be providing a space for creatives at any level to develop their skills.

“We are immensely proud of the critical role Arts Centre Melbourne's PLAY program has in facilitating the creative development of those living in Victoria. Previous PLAY participants have developed skills across the performing arts spectrum. From writing poignant theatre scripts, producing genre-bending music, and choregraphing stunning sequences of movement. The creative possibilities are truly endless when you are learning and developing amongst the world-class stages of Arts Centre Melbourne.”

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.

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

Australia - Melbourne Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. BEETLEJUICE THE MUSICAL (Regent Theatre, Melbourne)

53.9% of votes

2. TWELFTH NIGHT (St Kilda Botanical Gardens)

18.5% of votes

3. MJ THE MUSICAL (Her Majesty's Theatre)

16% of votes

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