Arts Centre Melbourne to host high-ability students under state enrichment program

Arts Centre Melbourne in Southbank will be among the organisations helping deliver the Victorian Government’s 2026 Challenge and Enrichment Series, giving high-ability public school students access to specialised learning experiences beyond the classroom.

Announced by Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll on April 16, the latest round of the program will support 30,000 students across Victoria through a mix of incursions, masterclasses, excursions, design challenges, leadership summits and online tutorials. The state government has allocated $2.4 million to the initiative as part of its Student Excellence Program.

A total of 34 expert education and not-for-profit organisations will be involved in delivering activities across subjects including philosophy, coding, entomology, writing, botany, sustainability, 3D printing, sports science, music and dance. Arts Centre Melbourne is listed among the participating organisations, alongside groups such as Swinburne University of Technology and the Mathematical Association of Victoria.

The Southbank angle is significant, with the Arts Centre providing a local cultural setting for some of the program’s most creative and performance-based learning opportunities.

Member for Albert Park Nina Taylor said the program would help ensure talented local students could benefit from what Southbank’s major institutions had to offer.

“Talented students are getting a chance to flourish at the Arts Centre in Southbank,” she said.

Mr Carroll said the initiative was aimed at ensuring exceptional students were challenged and supported, no matter where they lived.

“From Melbourne to Mildura, every high-ability government school student deserves the chance to be challenged and to grow – nurturing their love of learning,” he said.

He said the series would again give thousands of students the chance to learn directly from leading experts, free of charge.

Since launching in 2020, the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series has reached more than 200,000 students, making it one of the state’s more significant enrichment programs for high-ability learners.

For Southbank, the involvement of Arts Centre Melbourne reinforces the role the precinct’s major institutions can play not only as cultural destinations, but as places of learning and educational opportunity for young Victorians.