For the first three weeks of September, La Mama hosts the Hope Punk Climate Festival, supported by Greater Melbourne Foundation, with an array of performances, ranging from music, comedy, cabaret, dance to play readings.
The conjunction of "hope" and “punk" dates to a social media post in 2017 where the two words became one and was defined as the opposite of “grimdark.’’ To be hopepunk was to shun pessimism and to embrace resilience and optimism in the face of adversity: hope was a powerful act of rebellion.
What that now translates to at La Mama is a two-word festival title that aims to give "Hope" an active edge, and for "Punk" to take on the challenge of the global climate crisis. But as Festival organiser Dora Abraham puts it, this is not about trying to solve the crisis. This is more about understanding how each festival goer can find a way to lend their voice to local action and perhaps local solutions. ‘It’s the unique nature of live art and performance for people to come together…to experience the emotions, to stay and talk about it,’’ she said. “It feels like every performance is a call to action. And Hope Punk is about showing you that you have power within your community to do small things that can make a difference.’’ Click here to discover the full program. Find out more about our community partners here.