Step into the world of sound, music and contemporary art at The Vinyl Factory: Reverb, now open at ACMI. Presented with RISING, Melbourne’s premier festival of music, art and performance, this immersive exhibition invites visitors to explore the powerful role of sound in shaping art, film, culture and social movements.

Running until 31 August 2026, The Vinyl Factory: Reverb brings together large-scale moving image works, immersive sound installations and interactive vinyl experiences from ten of the most influential artists of the 21st century, including Stan Douglas, Jenn Nkiru, William Kentridge, Jeremy Deller, Virgil Abloh, Kahlil Joseph, Gabriel Moses, Cecilia Bengolea, Julianknxx and Carsten Nicolai.

Celebrating Melbourne’s reputation as the world’s vinyl capital, the exhibition explores the evolution of contemporary music culture — from the Black roots of techno and house, Kingston’s dancehall scene and the late-1980s ‘Second Summer of Love’, through to today’s digital art landscape.

Music lovers and curious minds can discover interactive experiences including hands-on Technics turntables with remixable vinyl loops, a hypnotic six-hour jam film set inside a recreation of ‘The Church’ — the legendary New York recording studio where artists including Miles Davis, Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan created iconic music — plus a towering pink boombox sculpture, a fantasy rap battle between Cairo and London, and a showcase of 100 rare vinyl pressings from The Vinyl Factory archive.

One of the exhibition’s highlights is the Listening Room — an intimate space designed for deep listening. During the day, visitors can choose a record and relax with the music, while after-hours sessions feature exclusive talks, listening parties and performances with local and international artists.

As part of RISING, the first Listening Room program features artists including SkyLab DJs, Joe Brnadic, Tom Ellard from Severed Heads, Lovie, Rotational, Mark Ernestus, Adrian Sherwood, Nicole Skeltys and Saul Williams. Sessions will continue beyond the festival, co-curated by ACMI, Yasmine Sharaf and MESS Artistic Director Robin Fox, with more artists to be announced.

Music and film fans can also explore Selector: Kahlil Joseph at ACMI from 4–23 June 2026, a curated season of music-focused films by filmmaker and artist Kahlil Joseph, whose work BLKNWS features in The Vinyl Factory: Reverb. The program includes rarely screened works and films connected to artists including FKA Twigs, Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé.

Event Details
📍 ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne
📅 Now open – 31 August 2026
🎵 Presented with RISING
🎟️ Tickets available via ACMI