Friday Nights at NGV

This October sees the return of the widely popular Friday Nights series at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).

Being held at the Masterpieces from the Hermitage: The Legacy of Catherine the Great exhibition, the series showcases a range of leading international and Australian musicians including Jaakko Eino Kalevi (Finland), Gareth Liddiard (The Drones), Augie March’s Glenn Richards and the ARIA award-winning contemporary jazz group, the Paul Grabowsky Trio.

The series features a selection of indie, pop, jazz, folk and rock music, running from October 2 to November 6 in the final weeks of the major exhibition.

Visitors will indulge in after-hours access to the exhibition, live performances, pop-up talks and a range of food and dining options in the Great Hall.

Visitors can also experience the new Minute Masters program, which will see art history experts share some of the most fascinating facts about the artworks in just a few short minutes. Each week of Minute Masters will focus on a new and exceptional aspect of Catherine the Great’s collection.

The exhibition will draw from the personal collection of Catherine the Great, housed in the Hermitage Museum. More than 500 works are travelling to Australia, including outstanding works by Rembrandt, Velasquez, Rubens and Titian.

In addition to the impressive line-up of artists, some of Melbourne’s hottest DJs including rising star Banoffee, Toff in Town’s resident DJ Edd Fisher, Melbourne party masters I OH YOU DJs, festival favourite Airwolf, up and coming cousin duo Klo and, finally, Darcy Baylis, a DJ who had already toured nationally by the time he finished high school.

NGV director Tony Ellwood said: “The popular music series creates a lively and dynamic atmosphere at the NGV with the opportunity to hear live music from some of the best international and local musicians.”

The Friday Night series sells out regularly, so booking tickets is essential.

Tickets are on sale now, see ngv.vic.gov.au