September sees the return of Melville Storylines Festival, a celebration of storytelling in all its forms across the City of Melville. This year’s festival program is packed with more than 20 events across some beloved and unexpected venues.
Now in its fourth iteration, Melville Storylines Festival 2026 offers an exciting curation of events at either low or no cost to the community.
The festival invites people of all ages to partake in the program, and connect with a vast range of stories, told through theatre, music, art, performance and creative learning.
This year’s festival theme asks ‘What is a Map’?, beckoning audiences to explore beyond the lines drawn on a page which seek to define our understanding of place.
Across 10 days of the festival, experience creative workshops, musical performances, theatre, exhibitions, guest speakers and more, designed to entice curiosity and discovery of something new or unexpected in the corners of our community.
City of Melville Mayor Katy Mair said Melville Storylines Festival reflected the City’s commitment to community connection and shared experiences.
"Melville Storylines Festival is a wonderful celebration of the stories that connect us to place, to culture and to one another.
"The festival showcases the incredible creativity that exists within our community while also bringing artists and storytellers from across Western Australia to share their perspectives and experiences.
"Whether you're attending a performance, discovering a new creative pursuit, or simply spending time with family and friends, Melville Storylines offers opportunities for people of all ages to come together, learn something new and experience our Melville in a different way."
City of Melville Creative Producer Zoë Atkinson said the festival invites audiences to look at familiar places through a fresh lens.
"Storytelling helps us make sense of where we are and how we belong. This year's festival explores the idea of mapping, both literally and imaginatively, and asks audiences to consider the stories that shape our understanding of place.”
“We've created a program that encourages people to venture into unexpected spaces, discover local talent, hear new perspectives and perhaps even surprise themselves by stepping outside their comfort zone.”
Program highlights include:
- An Imaginary Life; Experience David Malouf's Australian classic novel An Imaginary Life in this intimate performance at a mystery venue on Melville's border, adapted and performed by Humphrey Bower with live music by Pavan Kumar Hari.
- Echo-Location; A free live music event at Goolugatup Heathcote exploring how sound can map places, memories and journeys, featuring acclaimed local and interstate artists.
- Picnic at the Border; The festival finale invites families to gather at the edge of Melville’s map for storytelling, art, games and outdoor adventures.
- Embroider a Melville Map; Create a personalised embroidered map of Melville inspired by your favourite local landmarks, guided by the Embroiderers Guild of WA.
- Poetry at the Pub; An evening of spoken word, storytelling and open mic performances exploring this year’s festival theme, What is a Map?
- Sonic Pilgrims; A self-guided audio experience that transforms everyday shopping centres, including Westfield Booragoon, Kardinya Park Shopping Centre and Bull Creek Central Shopping Centre, into immersive journeys through sound, story and imagination.
- Places Unsaid;A powerfulintergenerationalstorytelling project with students from Leeming Senior High School, featuring documentary film, photography and personal memories that map Melville through the eyes of local seniors.
- Yagan Mia Djinanginy; A compelling exhibition of Noongar cultural mapping through photography, language, artefacts and contemporary artistic practice at Yagan Mia Wireless Hill Museum.
- Navigating the Suburbs: A Wildlife Perspective; Ecologists Mike and Mandy Bamford reveal how native wildlife navigates urban landscapes and what we can do to help species thrive.
The festival also acknowledges that the City of Melville sits on Country that has been understood and navigated through story, song and dance for thousands of generations, and celebrates storytelling as a powerful way of sharing knowledge, culture and connection.
All events are free or low cost, making the festival accessible for the whole community.
Melville Storylines Festival will run from Friday 11 September to Sunday 20 September, across the City of Melville.
For more information, including a full program, booking information and map, visit melvillecity.com.au/storylines