Underbelly Arts Festival is a two-day presentation and celebration of contemporary Australian art in all its forms. 21 ambitious new projects spanning installation, performance, dance, sound, visual art, intervention, digital art, radical work, architecture, activist and participatory practices and everything in between with this year's program selection approached with a feeling, rather than with a particular theme. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The underlying theme of this year's Underbelly Arts program is that each artist has taken something they are deeply connected to and squeezed it to see what new forms emerge: Christian liturgy and Chinese opera, cultural chants and clay, chips, Notes from Underground by Dostoevsky, The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camu and The Watermelon by Beyoncé. Taoist shrines, Indian noise music, public denunciations, memes, microbes, Tamil devotional films and reality TV with artists sharing with audiences stories of their multi-geographical, multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-historical and multi- genre The proceedings opened with a party filled with sad goth jams, visceral electronic beats and wandering performances from Bhenji Ra and Angela Goh to celebrate the opening night of the Underbelly Arts Festival, featuring Melbourne's HABITS, Gussy and Jikuroux. A behind-the-scenes look at experimental artistic creation is offered as the curtain is raised on the creative process through a two-week program of behind-the-scenes laboratory tours and evening events – from experimental poetry readings to talks ranging from apple genetics and decolonization of the dance floor, group chats about visioning the future and a presentation on the art of listening to the tides. Artists from all 21 projects will be present at the National Art School, developing, installing and rehearsing their ambitious projects. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a personalized essay After taking a Lab Tour, you are invited to delve deeper into the Late at the Lab program of evening events: talks, workshops, lectures, film screenings, readings and performances take place in collaboration with Runway Experimental Art, the NOW now, Subbed In, 2 Up among others. In the ten years since its inception at Carriageworks, this biennial art, music and performance festival has established itself as something of an alternative Biennial: Edgier, focused on the local, but consistently facilitating artists with big visions and creating a festival that is always been engaging and interactive in his presentation of “art”. Roslyn Helper, former Underbelly Arts participant and new director of the festival, has hit the ground running, offering emerging artists a forum and adequate space to develop and present their releases. A festival of vital importance to the future of Australian arts and worth marking in your calendar.