NGV Friday Nights to sparkle with Cartier-inspired winter program

NGV Friday Nights will return this winter with a glittering program of music, performance, cinema, food and art inspired by the 2026 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition, CARTIER.

Running every Friday from June 12 to October 2 at NGV International, the popular after-dark series will give visitors late-night access to the blockbuster exhibition alongside a changing weekly program celebrating the legacy, glamour and creativity of the French jewellery Maison.

The program will feature live music residencies from some of Melbourne’s leading cultural organisations and music groups, including Waxflower, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, Wax Museum Records and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s new initiative, MSO+.

Across the season, audiences can expect performances spanning classical, jazz, soul and more, with the line-up including MSO Cello Quartet, PLEXUS, Amin Payne and OJ Kush, Raleigh Williams, Yunior Terry Quartet, DJ Earl Grey, Myles Mac and others.

Two special Friday Night events will also feature Diamonds for the Diva, a bespoke performance by Melbourne Opera in celebration of Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, who was an early Cartier client.

The performances, taking place on June 12 and September 11, will see Melbourne Opera’s “Melba” perform three of the singer’s most celebrated arias alongside a five-piece string and wind ensemble. The tribute will complement the exhibition’s display of necklaces and bodice ornaments once owned and worn by Melba, as well as Rupert Bunny’s 1902 portrait Madame Melba.

Film will also form part of the winter program, paying tribute to Cartier’s long association with cinema and the jewels that have appeared on screen for more than a century. Select Friday Nights will include drop-in screenings in the Clemenger BBDO Auditorium, with titles including High Society, The Great Gatsby, Wall Street, Maria and Phoenician Scheme.

Visitors will also be able to take part in Fast Friends with Alliance Française de Melbourne, a social French language activity designed to spark conversation and introduce basic French phrases. No prior knowledge of French is required.

The gallery experience will extend into food and drink, with sweet crêpes available from a pop-up crêperie bar in the Great Hall in honour of Cartier’s French origins. Further dining will be available at the Gallery Kitchen, alongside a Moët & Chandon champagne bar, Yering Station wine tasting experiences and a Häagen-Dazs ice cream kiosk.

NGV director Tony Ellwood AM said the season had been designed to create an immersive cultural experience.

“Inspired by the legacy and innovation of Cartier, this season of NGV Friday Nights celebrates the elegance of the Maison’s creations with a fully immersive program of music, cinema, food and art, offering an experience that will inspire and delight visitors,” Mr Ellwood said.

Visitors to NGV Friday Nights will receive unlimited access to CARTIER, which will feature nearly 400 jewellery objects and rare archival materials, including jewels owned or worn by Elizabeth Taylor, Rihanna, Princess Margaret, the Duchess of Windsor and Grace Kelly.

Created by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London in partnership with NGV, the exhibition will be shown exclusively in Melbourne from June 12 to October 4.

Bookings are required and admission fees apply.