Next Wave is a registered not-for-profit organisation with a 40-year legacy of supporting early-career artists. Next Wave began as a Narrm/Melbourne-based festival, platforming the next generation of artists to showcase contemporary, experimental, and bold new work. In 2021, and responding to artist needs including space, time and resources to support creative development, Next Wave took on a new strategic direction – moving away from a hyperlocal festival model to a year-round programming model with a national focus. To this day, our vision remains the same: a world shaped by (the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of) artists.