Westside Arts & Events – April

April is absolutely stacked with creative energy across the west - from experimental live music and bold contemporary art to family theatre, photography installations and thought-provoking exhibitions. Whether you're planning school holiday outings, date nights or solo culture wanders, here’s what’s lighting up the Westside this month.

Weird Out West III - sonic surprises in Footscray

Saturday 4 April | Maddern Square, Footscray | Free

Footscray Records returns with Weird Out West III, a much-loved celebration of genre-bending sound. Expect dreamy atmospherics, experimental noise and frenetic live energy from an eclectic lineup including The Vasco Era, The Night Terrors, Tongue Dissolver, Solsa, Ov Pain and more.

There’s even a local high school take on The Velvet Underground — a reminder that Westside creativity spans generations. Pack your curiosity and settle in for an afternoon and evening of adventurous music.

Find out more: Weird Out West III

In Focus Festival - photography in unexpected places

21 April – 31 May | Footscray & Yarraville | Free

Photography takes to the streets for In Focus Festival, transforming public spaces into open-air galleries. Works by eight artists appear across ten sites through striking lightboxes, billboards and installations throughout Footscray CBD and Yarraville.

The accompanying exhibition The Art of Observation at the Civic Precinct and Community Hub features fifteen photographers exploring the power of image-making. Pick up a walking map and discover artworks tucked into laneways and everyday places.

Find out more: In Focus Festival

Hayley Millar Baker: Selected Works - powerful contemporary practice

11 April – 14 June | Wyndham Art Gallery

One of Australia’s most compelling contemporary artists presents moving image and photographic works exploring place, identity and story. This major solo exhibition includes the premiere of a new photographic series created across Aboriginal lands in Western Victoria, offering a deeply reflective visual experience.

Find out more: Hayley Millar Baker: Selected Works

Autumn Exhibitions at Incinerator Gallery

April | Moonee Ponds

The latest season showcases emerging and local artists selected from the 2025 call for entries, continuing the gallery’s strong support of new voices and experimental practice.

Find out more: Incinerator Gallery

The Box Show

10 - 11 April | The Clocktower Centre, Moonee Ponds

Ordinary household items come to life as extraordinary musical instruments in The Box Show. Follow four playful characters through their day in a world made of cardboard boxes and discarded junk, where wheelie bins become drum sets, plastic bags create music, and even the human body turns into a sound machine. This high-energy, imaginative performance blends drumming, dance, theatre, and comedy, sparking creativity and teaching kids—and adults—about sustainability in fun and surprising ways.

More info: The Box Show

Na Djinang Circus Workshop

Step into the world of Na Djinang Circus, Australia’s leading First Nations-led contemporary circus company. Join performers from Of the Land on Which We Meet for a fun, hands-on circus workshop. Learn circus skills, movement, and choreography from the show. Balance, spin, leap, stretch your imagination, and discover the stories and spirit of Country. Ages six to ten and over 13.

Find out more: Na Djinang Circus Workshop

The Encounters - folklore meets contemporary theatre

11 April | Bowery Theatre, St Albans

Filipino folklore and modern storytelling intertwine in this evocative physical theatre work by Ricardo Magno. Through a dynamic monodrama structure, the performance explores migration, identity and intergenerational memory. Suitable for ages 14+.

Find out more: The Encounters

Halo & Friends - An Evening of Vocal Talent

18 April | Bowery Theatre, St Albans

HALO Vocal Ensemble, directed by Liona Tatafu, brings together top vocalists and emerging voices from Melbourne’s west. With ethereal harmonies, high-energy performances, and modern twists on the traditional choir, HALO offers an unforgettable, immersive experience.

More info: HALO & Friends

Trash with a Porpoise - playful eco comedy for families

14 April | Wyndham Cultural Centre

Puppetry, clowning and plenty of laughs meet environmental awareness in this energetic sketch comedy adventure. Join a cast of quirky characters as they explore waterways, meet unusual sea creatures and share practical ways to reduce environmental impact. Perfect for ages 4+.

Find out more: Wyndham Cultural Centre

The Farmy Farm - circus meets country charm

16 April | Wyndham Cultural Centre

Think The Castle meets Babe with a hay-bale twist. Expect high-flying acrobatics, giant juggling carrots and wholesome chaos as Kenny and Jenny navigate a day on Legend Farms. A joyful outing for kids aged 3–12 and their families.

Find out more: Wyndham Cultural Centre

Oshun - mythology, music and movement

17 – 19 April | Wyndham Cultural Centre

This vibrant one-woman performance draws on Yoruba mythology to tell the story of Oshun, the goddess of love and sensuality. Featuring dance, live drumming and soul-stirring vocals, the show explores resilience, identity and feminine power. Suitable for ages 15+.

Find out more: Wyndham Cultural Centre

101 Ways to Annoy Your Parents and Other Really Old People

26 April | Wyndham Cultural Centre

Kids’ comedy favourite Matty Grey delivers high-energy silliness and outrageous humour guaranteed to have families laughing together. Ideal for ages 5–13.

Find out more: Wyndham Cultural Centre

An Artful Alphabet — playful sculpture for curious minds

Until 16 April | Caroline Springs

Artist Pamela Irving transforms everyday objects, toys and figurines into imaginative alphabet-inspired characters housed in vintage boxes and tins. Whimsical yet thoughtful, the exhibition invites both children and adults to rediscover language through art.

Find out more: An Artful Alphabet