Splendour In The Grass Reveals Forum, Comedy Club & Science Tent Programs

We’re just over a month away from this year’s edition of Splendour In The Grass taking over the North Byron Parklands, but that doesn’t mean the announcements stop rolling.

This morning, Splendour organisers revealed the itineraries for their Forum, Comedy Club and Science Tent programs and the first-ever Forum Live Podcasts.

The Splendour Forum returns with a bang, featuring an unmissable Australian exclusive interview with Pussy Riot founder, activist, and artist Nadya Tolokonnikova. In addition to the one-off chat, Pussy Riot will then take to the GW McLennan stage for their only Australian live performance.

Here’s a round-up of what’s happening at the Splendour Forum, Comedy Club and Science Tent:

FRIDAY

Aussie youth music organisation The Push hosts a panel of industry professionals from music festivals, Live Nation, triple j, Moshtix and more for the ground-breaking chat, So, You Wanna Work in the Music Biz? 

Elsewhere on the program, The Daily Aus aims to educate alongside harm minimisation experts for a live demonstration of the scientific equipment at Pill-Testing Is Here. Nat Damena and Marty Smiley will then remind us that we’re Generation F*CKED, exploring why Gen Y and Z are the first generations set to be worse off than their parents. The pair will present the conversation alongside Federal Youth Minister Dr Anne Aly, Greens Senator Dr Mehreen Faruqi, Harshdeep Kaur, and Joey Moloney.

SATURDAY

In a timely information session, host Brooke Boney and panel guests Tony Armstrong, Rachael Cavanagh, Dean Parkin, and Carla McGrath will discuss what the Indigenous Voice to Parliament will actually mean from a social, political and community perspective at The Voice to Parliament – Explained. 

It’s a political day in the Splendour Forum, with Can-I-Buys?, an investigation into New Cannabis Laws moderated by Sam Koslowski (The Daily Aus), who will be joined by Greens Senator David Shoebridge, Tyson Craig, Bee Mohamed, Dr Emily Rigby, and David Heilpern. Dr Karl is then scheduled to explore Great Moments in Science.

As mentioned above, Nadya Tolokonnikova is coming for a very special appearance at the Splendour Forum, and she’ll be in conversation with The Project's Hamish McDonald. As a press release states, Splendour punters will have the opportunity to hear her remarkable story, spearheading a global feminist protest-art movement at a heavy price. Tolokonnikova has incurred the wrath of Russian President Vladimir Putin, having served time in prison and now lives in exile. It’s sure to be an unforgettable moment.

SUNDAY

The new documentary Burn Gently celebrates 50 years of Aussie hip-hop and features 36 of the biggest names in Australian hip-hop as they dive into the history and key issues of the genre. Presented by APRA AMCOS, this director’s cut screening will be followed by a discussion panel with director Antony Attridge (Sensible Antixx), producer N’fa Jones (1200 Techniques), rapper DOBBY and hosted by music photographer Michelle Grace Hunder.

Splendour Forum will then host its inaugural Town Hall, which includes a chat with Australia’s Youth Minister, Dr Anne Aly, hosted by Cheek Media’s Hannah Ferguson. 

Ferguson will later lead another panel, exploring the pitfalls and new platform of female empowerment found in online sex work. You won’t want to miss Social Media x Sex Commerce: The Oldest Profession Meets The Newest Technology.

You can find the full Science Tent program HERE and plan your laughs at the Comedy Club HERE. Here’s who’s going to be bringing the laughs:

SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS

COMEDY CLUB LINE-UP

Alex Hines + Alexandra Hudson + Bec Charlwood + Blake Freeman + Cameron Duggan + Cameron James + Dahn Rozario + Damien Power + David Quirk + Dave Woodhead + Hot Department + John Cruckshank + Luka Muller ₊ Michael Hing + Nat Damena + Nina Oyama + Rosie Delaney + Sam Taunton + Sashi Perera + Sonia Di Iorio + Tim Hewitt + Tom Cashman + Urvi Majumdar

You can buy tickets to Splendour In The Grass from Moshtix and find the full line-up headlined by Lizzo, Mumford & Sons and a festival-exclusive set from Flume here.