Equip yourself with the necessary skills to get through the end of the world at Melbourne Festival's series of performance lectures, taking place over two big days at Arts House in October.
We live in a world in which the work that artists produce is often considered secondary to the essential elements of life; and yet, when faced with dark times, creative thinkers often hold the answers to our stickiest problems. At Survival Skills for Desperate Times, a host of the country's most fascinating personalities will share some of the abilities they've picked up, and teach you how to use them when the going gets tough.
On Saturday, award-winning comedian Zoë Coombs Marr will reveal 'How to Keep it Funny', comedian Lawrence Leung will teach you about outsmarting your opponents in 'How to Survive with Lies and Trickery', and artist Lois Weaver will train audiences in the art of meaningful dialogue in 'How to Talk to People'.
On Sunday, the astounding interstellar artist Sarah Jane Pell will talk about 'How to Survive on the Moon', author Alice Pung will present 'How to Write Your Life into Fiction' and novelist and performance artist Darren O'Donnell will attempt to bridge the gap between opposing opinions with 'How to Survive Social Discomfort and Locate an Ember of Love Within People Whose World View You Hate'.
But that's not all. Your ticket will gain you access to a talk by one headliner, plus two extra survival skill sessions. The possibilities are virtually endless here: you could learn how to make a length of rope, eat bugs and weeds, master your melancholy, or even the art of convincing people.
For the full list of sessions, visit the Melbourne Festival website.
Check out our Melbourne Festival 2017 highlights hit list, and our Melbourne Festival Feasts guide.