As any Melburnian will happily tell you, Victoria is home to Australia’s cultural hub and is the undefeated art capital of the country – which is why we thought we would steer you lovely folk towards some rad art exhibitions coming up across the state to check out and keep your calendars free for. Have a squiz at our picks below, and make sure to call up your mates too.

GRAEME BASE: ANIMALIA ART EXHIBITION If you’re fond of nostalgic visuals and super-cute critters, then this art exhibit is just for you. Held at Brunswick’s Beinart Gallery, this exhibition will feature the whimsical original works of Australian artist Graeme Base (who will also be signing book copies on the event’s opening night), so hop over here to grab all the deets you’ll need. This event will run from May 26th to June 16th.

LOST IN PALM SPRINGS Including some sunny-soaked artworks created by 14 different creatives from Australia and beyond, this art event focuses on the landscape and energy of California’s Palm Springs and will be held in the Art Gallery of Ballarat from May 4 th to September 1 st. If you need some much-needed sun amidst the cold weather, make sure to take a gander at the event’s page this-a-way.

THE STORY OF THE MOVING IMAGE For film aficionados and history buffs: this ACMI exhibition is perfect for you. Learn more about how movies first came to be – from humble beginnings as shadow puppets to global blockbuster sensations – and how they continue to shape our pop culture to this very day. Read up on all the info over here.  

SHAPING SOUNDSCAPES Art isn’t just a visual medium, as many a Swiftie will tell you, so make sure to not miss out on this exhibition that shows off the top-notch art made by the JAHM Collection, merging the audio and visual together. It will be held at Prahran’s Justin Art House Museum on the 25th of May, with everything you’ll need here.

RISING Arguably the most exciting event that Melbourne has to offer, RISING is a city-wide festival offering concerts, installations, films and so many more top-notch events you are sure not to miss out on (Sky freaking Ferreira will be there for Pete's sake!). Check out the full program right over here, which will be running from June 1st to the 16th.

LEONARDO DA VINCI AT THE LUME Is there any artist who is as influential as Leonardo Da Vinci? You can now see some of his most famous works come to life at The Lume, as well as authentic pieces from his Codex Atlanticus notebook – stemming from the 13th century. Peep the event’s page over here, which will be running until June 17th.