The Vinyl Factory: Reverb is now open at ACMI, inviting audiences to dive into sound and explore its impact on art, film and social movements. Co-presented with RISING, Melbourne's premier festival of music, art and performance, the exhibition runs until 31 August 2026.
Spanning continents and disciplines, visitors can explore large-scale moving image works, immersive sound installations and interactive vinyl experiences, from ten of the most significant artists of the 21st century: Stan Douglas, Jenn Nkiru, William Kentridge, Jeremy Deller, Virgil Abloh, Kahlil Joseph, Gabriel Moses, Cecilia Bengolea, Julianknxx and Carsten Nicolai.
The Vinyl Factory: Reverb is a fitting tribute to sound in the world’s vinyl capital. A 2025 report by the Victorian Music Development Office found that Melbourne boasts the world's highest concentration of record stores per capita – more than even London, Berlin, Paris or Tokyo.
The exhibition journeys through contemporary music culture, from the Black roots of techno and house to Kingston's dancehall scene, the late-80s ‘Second Summer of Love’, and modern digital art, showcasing The Vinyl Factory Collection and commissions that celebrate 20 years of artistic collaboration.
Highlights include hands-on access to Technics turntables with endlessly remixable vinyl loops; an hypnotic six-hour jam film set in a reconstruction of ‘The Church’—the legendary New York studio where Miles Davis, Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan recorded; a fantasy rap battle between Cairo and and London; a sculptural sound system in the form of a towering pink boombox; and a display of 100 pressings from The Vinyl Factory’s archive, featuring Massive Attack, Thom York, Fred Again, Grace Jones, Jeremy Deller, Pet Shop Boys, Daft Punk and more.
A centrepiece of the exhibition is the Listening Room – an intimate, acoustically optimised sanctuary for deep listening. During the day, visitors can select a record and settle in. After hours, the space hosts one-off sessions, talks, and listening parties with local and international artists, exclusive to exhibition ticketholders. The first drop of artists during RISING is curated by Yasmine Sharaf (Triple R's Cease + Desist), with SkyLab DJs, Joe Brnadic, Tom Ellard from Severed Heads, Lovie, Rotational, Mark Ernestus, Adrian Sherwood, Nicole Skeltys and Saul Williams on the bill.
Listening Room sessions continue after the conclusion of RISING, co-curated by ACMI, Yasmine Sharaf and MESS Co-Founder and Artistic Director Robin Fox. Upcoming artists include Warren Burt, Penrith Miers Archive, Rohan Ribeiro, David Chesworth, Isobel D'Cruz, Michael Kucyk, Crown and Country, Nina Buchanan, Absorb, Andras and Naretha Williams.
Filmmaker and artist Kahlil Joseph, whose work BLKNWS features in The Vinyl Factory: Reverb, will curate a compilation of music centric films in Selector: Kahlil Joseph at ACMI on 4 – 23 June 2026. A music video director for FKA Twigs, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé, including her groundbreaking visual album Lemonade, Kahlil’s selection includes films by Lizzie Borden, Saul Williams and Jim Jarmusch.
ACMI Director of Curatorial, Programming and Education Emily Sexton said: “As a museum of screen culture, it’s important to acknowledge a shared DNA between music and film. There are many parallels in the technological and audience histories of music and film, and the creativity of one often shapes the meaning and impact of the other. Music has been a backbone of some of ACMI’s most successful exhibitions, film programs and performances; it’s an artform driven by a collaboration between people and evolving technologies.”
RISING Artistic Director and CEO Hannah Fox said: “Reverb taps into the social, political, and communal aspects of music: the way records, studios, radio, clubs, sound systems and shared listening experiences shape aesthetics, movements, and whole generations. The exhibition is grounded in the independent scene and exposes the complex grassroots system that support music, visual art and activism – a system that connects artists and audiences all over the world and runs deep in Naarm. We’re delighted to partner with ACMI to present an exhibition that invites audiences into a sensory experience of sound, listening, and screen culture."
The Vinyl Factory founder Mark Wadhwa said: “Reverb showcases The Vinyl Factory Collection of incredible installations commissioned and produced by The Vinyl Factory over the last 20 years. Produced by 180 Studios, the exhibition brings together music and art through eleven unique, experiential artworks. A huge success in London, we’re very excited to bring it to Australia’s cultural capital.”
Minister for Creative Industries Vicki Ward said: “With Melbourne taking the title of the vinyl capital of the world, vinyl records have undoubtably influenced us as Victorians and played an important role in our lives. Our government continues to support bold, creative experiences that help tell our stories. An exciting and dynamic exhibition like this shows why we’re Australia’s cultural capital.”
The Vinyl Factory: Reverb is co-presented by ACMI and RISING and is proudly supported by Major Technology Partner Panasonic, Official Hotel Partner Sofitel Melbourne On Collins, Supporting Partners British Council and Pitt & Giblin, Broadcast Partner Triple R, Media Partners Broadsheet and Rock Posters.
The exhibition was originally commissioned and produced by 180 Studios and The Vinyl Factory and staged at 180 Studios, London in 2024.
RISING returns to Melbourne from 27 May to 8 June 2026.
The Vinyl Factory: Reverb runs 22 May – 31 August 2026 at ACMI. Tickets are available via acmi.net.au
Listing Information
The Vinyl Factory: Reverb
22 May to 31 August 2026
ACMI, Fed Square, Melbourne
acmi.net.au
Ticketing information
Full tickets are $25 with special prices for Concession, Students, ACMI Members, school groups and under 16s. Children under 4 are FREE. Discount Group (6+) and Family prices are available. To book tickets visit acmi.net.au.
ABOUT ACMI
ACMI is your museum of screen culture. Watch, play, make and discover the universe of screen-based art, films, TV and videogames. Visit us in Melbourne’s Fed Square, online and on tour. Our museum attracts millions of visitors through a vibrant offer of exhibitions, screenings, commissions and festivals. ACMI’s industry, education and creative incubator programs inspire and develop the next generation of screen creatives. We are a globally recognised hub that connects people, communities, technology and ideas to shape our futures. More at acmi.net.au.
ABOUT RISING
Rising is Melbourne / Naarm’s flagship festival of new art, music and performance held at the beginning of winter each year. Rising.melbourne
For further media enquiries, please contact:
Stephanie Payne
Senior Publicist, ACMI
Stephanie.payne@acmi.net.au