The French call it Nuit Blanc. The night when the city of Melbourne was transformed into a labyrinth of cultural and artistic brilliance. On a night where most would often opt on the simple decision to stay home or get drunk at a night club, Melbournians and tourists alike were given the chance to truly experience the wonders of Melbourne’s world renowned art, film and music scene: free of charge. That’s right, for nothing- like something from the fevered dream of a broke uni student or starving artist. An endless of array of artists scattered all over the city exhibiting, singing, and dancing from dusk til dawn and all for peanuts.

There I was, stepping off the train, money scant and ambitions high; planning to see and do “all the things!” that blessed summer night could offer. A grand task given that there were over 300 artists, local and international, on display and more than 80 free events/activities. The diverse range of art, music and activities beckoned an equally diverse crowd and they came en masse. I was swept into a sea of a thousand different characters, young and old, art buffs and lay people, all just looking for a good time.

The sun still up and shining I started my night at the Australian Centre of the Moving Image (ACMI), heading straight for the installations on the lower floors. The enthralling and intriguing work of Candice Breitz occupied the lower gallery and took patrons on a tour of the human psych as affected by art and pop culture. Audiences who would normally shy away from such art watched in amazement, most wondering why they wouldn’t come here more often. On the floor above me patrons were getting in touch with their thespian side as they joined in the ACMI Screen Test complete with makeup and cameras. From there I made my way upstairs to ACMI’s cinema to see Cent Une Tueries Des Zombies (101 Deaths of Zombies), a glorious montage of zombie films through history, followed by Andy Warhol’s 13 Most Beautiful, a collection of the most ridiculously photogenic people who have ever lived. Blood and gore followed by the beautiful and genial.

The sun had finally set by the time I had left ACMI and by then the crowd had swelled. Standing on the steps of ACMI you could see that this monumental festival had brought the city together, Michael Leuings Boat of Faith quite literally sailing through a sea of spectators. Together as one people we watched the landscape transform. The buildings shed their skins and revealed the kaleidoscope of colours beneath their brick facades. People collectively gasped with awe as the colours that checkered the Forum shuddered and shivered into the form of a grand tree, it’s branches spanning across the buildings. It was existential moments like this that gave White Night its sense of importance and value. Thanks to the artists at Particle Pinic, Photon and Wonderland, along with the 3D projection technology they possessed, the city had literally blossomed into a surreal Wonderland of colour and life.

I had never seen anything quite like it. White Night united a city of around 300 thousand unique individuals using the

Thousands of people flocked to Melbourne for White Night.

universal language of art.  It stood as a tribute to our cultural diversity and beckoned those who are normally deterred by the exclusiveness and the high price of art, music and films to come and experience it as a community. Federation Square was packed with people in what looked like the biggest Dance Central party known to man. A stream of people flowed down the River Terrace admiring the futuristic light show that played across the water (“Light Fantastic”)  or were mesmerized by the incredible installation “World Without Sun”, six orbs each depicting its own strange and wonderful film. On Swanston St, “The Beasts From Behind” immersed its audiences, letting them become involved with the show as they interacted with projections with their shadows. Even people who weren’t artists joined in. They came in costume, lit up with glow in the dark paint, or carried boom boxes on their shoulders. Patrons at the NGV International all broke out in song (whilst at the Bouquet Final II foam art installation) when someone started playing George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” on their boombox. A surreal moment came when the silence of a strangely barren Flinders Lane was broken by the voice of Johnny Cash as his rendition of “Personal Jesus” echoed through the air from a cyclist’s boombox which was precariously perched on the back of the bike.

In a time when be have become so known to the dangers of our world, constantly hounded by news of global and local conflict, economic crisis, White Night served as an escape as well as an education. The city is often depicted as a perilous place, art believed to be a luxury for the rich and cultured. “Nay” the White Night says: “This city is a spectacle to behold and art is for everyone.”  We came together as a city and community without incident and witnessed something truly magical. For those in attendance it was an enriching experience, especially for someone whose city experience has grown quite dull; the idea that this may have been the only one pains me. I, and many patrons like myself, would love the opportunity to share this experience again and again taking our parents, or our children, nieces and nephews, and friends. The Night encourages people to come out of their shells and inject some lifeblood into the city and its art scene, to be aware of what’s happening in the city all year round. Spend a bit of money from time to time and reward yourself with an experience not unlike White Night. Just because the Night is over doesn’t meant you should sit idly by and wait for next time. Give back to the artistic community, try something new. White Night is a prophet, sharing the message on Melbourne’s artistic prosperity to the masses. It just doesn’t seem right to stomp it out now. It’s only just begun.