Melbourne has been ranked the world’s sixth-best city for art and culture in Time Out’s 2026 global rankings, reclaiming its reputation as Australia’s cultural capital.
The ranking follows a major survey conducted by Time Out involving 24,000 residents across more than 150 cities worldwide, assessing the quality and affordability of local cultural experiences.
Melbourne secured sixth place globally, behind only London, Paris, New York City, Berlin and Cape Town.
The city earned a 92 percent approval rating from locals for its arts and culture scene, one of the highest scores in the survey, while also topping global rankings for comedy and street art.
Time Out noted that Melbourne’s vibrant arts scene, including world-class galleries, independent theatre, live music venues and free public events, continues to define the city’s identity.
Upcoming major events highlighted include the Cartier exhibition and the Triennial at the National Gallery of Victoria, alongside the return of the Rising arts festival.
Smaller creative venues such as the First Nations-owned Honey Bones Gallery and the multi-arts space Fortyfivedownstairs were also praised for contributing to Melbourne’s diverse and dynamic cultural landscape.
