NGV Summer Nights: late-night art, music, film, bars and dining

NGV Summer Nights – a specially-curated program of late-night experiences and dining – will see all four levels of NGV International and the garden open until 9.00 pm from Monday to Thursday throughout January 2022. The NGV acknowledges the support of Visit Victoria to enable this rich offering of summer events including film screenings, DJ sets, bars and dining.

As part of the program, the NGV’s Great Hall will be transformed into a drop-by cinema, with screenings inspired by Paris and blockbuster exhibition Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto. Audiences can recline under Leonard French’s iconic cut glass ceiling and enjoy an array of French-inspired films such as Midnight in Paris, Amélie, April and the Extraordinary World, Ratatouille, Hugo, and Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky.

From Monday through to Thursday DJs will welcome guests arriving at the NGV forecourt, with live chilled sets in keeping with the balmy summer mood. The line-up includes Rainbow Chan, RONA, MzRizk, Yeo and Edd Fisher.

NGV Summer Nights also sees a selection of bespoke bar and dining experiences, including a pop-up kiosk in the NGV Garden. Surrounded by pond[er], an aquatic installation designed by architects Taylor Knights and artist James Carey evoking Victoria’s pink salt lakes, visitors can enjoy a range of deli-style sandwiches, including the Ruben, beef & pickles and vegan ‘pulled pork’ jackfruit, as well as gelato, Four Pillars Gin and Yering Station wines.

Audiences will also have late-night access to NGV International’s free exhibitions and collection displays, including Bark Ladies: Eleven Artists from Yirrkala, a major survey of paintings on bark by eleven Yolngu women. Ticket holders also have after-hours access to Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto, Australia’s first-ever exhibition to explore the couturiere’s impact on twentieth century fashion.

In addition, the popular outdoor music program NGV Summer Sundays returns in January, with DJ sets, the Four Pillars Gin bar and dining in the NGV Garden from 12.00 pm to 6.00 pm weekly. NGV Summer Sunday’s line-up in 2022 includes DJ sets by Tanzer, Small Fry, Cliftonia, and Pjenné.

Drop by Drawing also returns to the Salon Gallery of British and European 18^th – 19^th century art each Sunday between 2.00 to 4.00 pm. Visitors are welcome to join the drop-by session facilitated by local artists to discover drawing tips as the artists draw inspiration from some of the NGV Collection’s most treasured works.

NGV Friday Nights also continues throughout January, with music sets from headliners and emerging local talents. The January line-up includes Edd Fisher and Renee Delay; Andras and Kalyani; Banoffee and James Tom; and Noise in My Head and Max Vega. From 6.00 pm every Friday evening, audiences will also have access to the Yering Station wine bar, Pommery champagne bar and the Four Pillars Gin Bar.

The Hon. Mary-Anne Thomas MP, Acting Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events said: ‘Melbourne is the creative capital of Australia and NGV Summer Nights will showcase the best of our arts, live music and culinary offers. Major events play a big role in supporting jobs by bringing thousands of visitors into Melbourne to soak up the cultural experiences our city is famous for.’

The Hon. Danny Pearson MP, Minister for Creative Industries said: ‘NGV Summer Nights bring together the best of Melbourne – live music, great food, and some of the world’s best art, all in a relaxed late-night setting. These events have become a much-anticipated annual fixture for our city, and the 2022 program is set to be a highlight of Melbourne’s big creative summer ahead.’

Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV, said: ‘I’d like to thank Visit Victoria for their support of NGV Summer nights, allowing even more visitors to access our exciting line-up of major Summer exhibitions including Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto and Bark Ladies: Eleven Artists from Yirrkala, all supported by a dynamic late-night program of events.’

Upon arrival visitors will be asked to present proof of vaccination status if over the age of 12 and two months and enter your contact details for contact tracing purposes. For further information on proof of vaccination please see our website for more details.

NGV Summer Nights runs 3 – 30 January on Monday to Thursday evenings until 9.00 pm at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Entry is free. Further information is available via the NGV website.

 NGV Summer Sundays runs until 6.00 pm every Sunday in January 2022 at NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Entry is free.

Drop by Drawing runs from 2.00-4.00pm on Sundays 9, 16, 23 and 30 January in the Salon Gallery, Level 2, NGV International, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. Entry is free.

NGV Friday Nights runs until 22 April 2022 at NGV International, St Kilda Rd, Melbourne. Further information and tickets are available via the NGV website.