In your own words, how would you describe MELT Festival?
MELT is a festival unlike any other in Brisbane, it’s an authentic celebration of all the queer artists and spaces that make Brisbane, Brisbane. It’s a colourful collection of the various spectrums and art forms that make up our beautiful city. Brisbane has never seen anything like it.

How did you approach the programming of this year’s MELT Festival?
We kept an open mind to programming, but the team really wanted to piece together a program that was exciting and full of discovery, and being an open-access festival, [one that] allowed artists of all levels to be involved. The team spent months meeting with artists, venues and promoters to dip deep down into the queer arts scene in Brisbane and I think we’re showcasing something really special and paying homage and acknowledging all the artists that have been performing and making Brisbane iconic for many years. 

What is the mission of MELT Festival?
The aim of the festival is to elevate and celebrate the local queer art/culture we have booming in Meanjin/Brisbane, whilst also pushing boundaries and launching new concepts like the River Pride Parade, and the Spencer Tunick bridge activation. It’s also the perfect excuse to travel up to Brisbane and thaw out after the Southern Winter and experience all the good things Brisbane has to offer. 

What keeps you and your team motivated during this volatile time for festivals in Australia?
It feels like every week there’s a new festival announcing a cancellation, or taking a year off. It’s a really tough time for artists, venues and festivals alike, but what has kept the team motivated is working with artists who put their heart, soul and quite often their own finances on the line to keep doing what they love. And if we can play a part in providing a supportive platform to showcase that work, we’re stoked. Also, lots of coffee, pep talks and relentless optimism.

Do you believe it’s important to celebrate queer culture and art in Brisbane? Why?
Without a doubt, YES. Queer people have and continue to face issues of isolation, prejudice, injustice and violence just for existing. It’s important that we create safe and inclusive spaces to celebrate all queer people, and not just the art that they make. It’s also important to recognise that the positive growth we’ve seen over the years has only been made possible by queer icons who have paved the way for festivals like this to even exist. 

Events like the Queens Ball that’s been running for more than 63 years, it’s important to listen and learn and continue to build the legacy, because there is still so much work to be done in terms of Queer Liberation.

How would you describe Brisbane’s queer arts and culture scene?
I think more can always be done to create safe and inclusive spaces for all LGBTQIA+ people. But Brisbane’s queer arts and cultural scene is full of insanely talented creatives that we have had the honour of connecting with over the past few months. A personal favourite spot of mine is QUIVR, run by Hollee and Dara, and David Murphy from Door84, they all do incredible work to create truly uniquely queer spaces in Brisbane

What are you most excited for in this year’s program?
There are so many events in the festival program, it’s really difficult to choose. If I could clone myself and attend everything I would. BUT, I must answer the question. I’m most excited to re-experience the hilarity of Queer Powerpoint at The Princess Theatre – I don’t think I’ve ever laughed more at a show, the Tropical Fruits takeover at QUIVR, Frankie Van Kan’s captivating and emotional show A Body at Work, Sexy Gay Art at VENTspace by Converge, and the James Barth exhibition at IMA. 

Powerhouse has long been Brisbane’s home to cutting-edge art and performance. How does MELT Festival contribute to this legacy?
This new iteration of MELT Festival allows artists to be part of the festival in their own unique way, and also become Brisbane’s biggest dedicated queer open-access festival. Cutting-edge art and performance all starts somewhere, and open-access festivals are often the starting point and the breeding ground for some of the biggest works we see on stage and screen.

How do you hope audiences experience this year’s MELT Festival?
I think what’s special about MELT Festival is that it’s a beautiful amalgamation of regular events that some Brisbanites know and love, but also features events that are new to the area. Whether you have lived in Brisbane your entire life, there is still an element of discovery. I hope that audiences are open to that sense of discovery and choose to see shows that are challenging and new, and something that they might not have experienced before at a venue they might not have visited before. 

Last year’s MELT Festival was headlined by Chappell Roan – just months before her global domination. What was it like to host Chappell and how does it feel to get to bring this calibre of queer artists to Brisbane?
It was such a thrill to host Chappell Roan, she was already a huge star in our eyes but to see everyone dressed up in their Slumber Party Kissin’ outfits, dancing to ‘HOT TO GO’ before watching it through a phone screen on TikTok was so much fun – you HAD to be there. We’re always trying to stay on the front foot of what audiences want, so we feel really proud and excited when we get to be part of artists like Chappell Roan’s first time in the country.