About us

TOPIA is an immersive arts experience by Tessellate Club, a Naarm/Melbourne based collective celebrating togetherness through art, music and community.

To tessellate is to intersect. Individual pieces join together to create something intricate, something greater and stronger than the sum of their parts. No one shape stands alone – with each element supporting and holding space for the next, creating a cohesive mosaic.

Founded in 2018, Tessellate Club emerged from parent collective Crate Mates (formed by friends Alex Tatoulis, James Benjamin and Will Karras), with the goal of elevating fine arts and multidisciplinary practices to the same height as the conventional club/live music scene. The Tessellate Club collective delivers concept-driven experiences that support local, emerging and established artists while creating safe spaces for self-expression across a diverse range of communities.

TOPIA is the next evolution: a day-to-night festival experience exploring the tension between utopia and dystopia. Now an annual event directed by James Benjamin, Kevin Weffer and Alana Leptos, TOPIA strives to break the boundaries of social norms and inspire curiosity through creativity.