It’s a cheapskate’s delight too. Many of the installations are free to view and can often happen on the spur of the moment involving you, unwittingly, in the performance. Don’t worry how you react either; these omnipotent artists already know how you’re going to react – so do what you were always going to do because that’s what they knew you would do. Yeah it’s meant to be confusing.

However, Next Wave goes deeper than splashing/spraying some pretty designs on the walls. It takes up physical space, pushes the limits and reflects those ever resilient realities of the human condition all in a very entertaining fashion.  

    

Outbreaks of avant-garde theatre are going to be a lot more common-place during the festival. At the feet of CityLink’s “cheese sticks” in Flemington, Split Second Theatre will be making commuters either uncomfortable, intrigued or befuddled as their show: Kids Can Get Lost takes flight at dusk. 

“This place is so close to people, but it’s also a danger zone – people don’t stop here,” Split Second lead artist Matthew Kneale told reporters this week as the usual tide of traffic washed past his “set”. 

Omnipotent artists will guide you through the vagaries of good and evil in just three minutes if you dare let them. 

180 Seconds in Heaven or Hell is a series of short performances held on multiple stages over three hours at Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall.

Dancer Holly Durant is performing as part of an eight-person dance troupe and says the event, which sold out last year, has a great party-like atmosphere.

“There’s a bar and DJs and lots of installation art. You can come in and out but every now and then the lights will dim and a show will come on.”