Alter State: Welcome to Country

Presented by Arts Centre Melbourne and Arts Access Victoria as part of Alter State 2026.

Image by Kate Disher-Quill

Come together for the Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony to open Alter State for 2026.

Gather with community to honour connection to Country and Culture at the Theatres Forecourt, Arts Centre Melbourne.

The ceremony will be led by Wurundjeri Traditional Owners.

This event will be livestreamed via this page on the day of the event.

Access

For detailed access information and content advisory please visit the Arts Centre Melbourne website.

Access Guide

You can find more information on accessibility for Alter State events at Arts Centre Melbourne in our Access Guide.

Download the Access Guide here.

Visual Story

Visual Stories are designed to help prepare you for your visit. They include venue information and what will happen during an event.

Download the Visual Story here.

For more Alter State

Alter State Symposium: Wednesday | Wednesday 2 December, 2.30 – 5 pm

Join us after the Welcome to Country for the first day of our Symposium.

Alter State: The Collections Project Launch | Wednesday 2 December, 5.30 – 6 pm

Directly following the end of Symposium on Wednesday we will be launching The Collections Project, Artist in Residence exhibition in the Level 8 Foyers. Please join us for artist talks to celebrate and launch the exhibition.

Alter State Opening Party | Wednesday 2 December, 7 – 10 pm

Continue on into the evening by joining us for the Alter State Opening Night Party. Celebrate the opening of Alter State 2026 with a night of subversive humour, lush sounds and fierce moves. Bookings required.

Alter State Symposium: Thursday | Thursday 3 December, 1 – 5.30 pm

The Alter State Symposium continues on Thursday. Learn more and book tickets on the Alter State Symposium: Thursday event page.

More Alter State Events on the Arts Centre Melbourne website.

About Alter State

Thank you to our Partners and Supporters.

Alter State has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. With additional thanks to Office for the Arts and Screen Australia.

Arts Centre Melbourne’s Alter State program is proudly supported by Mark Robertson OAM and Anne Robertson with the Grangers Foundation.