Melbourne International Arts Festival is one of Australia's leading international arts festivals and has an outstanding reputation for presenting unique international and Australian events in the fields of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia, free and outdoor events over 17 days each October.

First staged in 1986 under the direction of composer Gian Carlo Menotti it became the third in the Spoleto Festival series – joining Spoleto, Italy, and Charleston, United States. Melbourne's Spoleto Festival changed its name to the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts in 1990. Past artistic directors are John Truscott, Richard Wherrett, Leo Schofield, Clifford Hocking, Sue Nattrass, Jonathan Mills and Robyn Archer. In 2003, the Festival was renamed Melbourne International Arts Festival. The Artistic Director for 2005 - 2008 is Kristy Edmunds.

Melbourne International Arts Festival future dates:

2008 - 9 to 25 October
2009 - 8 to 23 October