Piper-Heidsieck uncorks the best of the Melbourne Arts at The Australian Open 2022

Piper-Heidsieck, the Official Champagne for the Australian Open since 2019, will showcase the talents of emerging artists and performers deprived of a stage since the pandemic as part of its 2022 tournament campaign – Melbourne Uncorked by Piper-Heidsieck.

After two years of lockdowns, Melbourne is open for business, and the Piper Uncorked Crew will kick off the celebration with hip-hop dancer Dagogo Abago, saxophonist Ash James, London’s West-End ballerina Kealy Fouracre, mural and oil painter and illustrator Katherine Gailer, drag queen Valerie Hex, looping violinist Justin Bailey and street artists Shannon Lamden and Yasmin Frazzetto.

The stellar lineup of artists will feature in the Melbourne Uncorked by Piper-Heidsieck campaign and perform at the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Bar located at its Rod Laver Arena home during the 2022 Australian Open.

The Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Bar at its Rod Laver Arena Terrace home will deliver front row seats to the best of Melbourne's art community.

From looping contemporary violinists to hip-hop dancers, Melbourne's culture obsessed seeking local experiences can find them as Piper-Heidsieck offers an unmissable program of performances throughout the Happy Slam.

The extraordinary talents of the Piper Uncorked Crew are exciting and diverse. Just a taste of what to expect is Dagogo Abago, having grown up in Nigeria, discovered his natural talent and passion for telling stories through movement and began training in hip-hop, Latin and ballroom dancing. Eventually, Abago adopted the hip-hop genre to his personal style to wide aclaim. Ash James moved to Melbourne from the UK and is one of the most sought-after saxophonists, regularly playing Melbourne's live music scene and drawing huge crowds. Katherine Gailer, also known as Katira, is originally from Colombia and creates visual narratives exploring cultural identity, our natural environment, female empowerment, and contemporary design spaces, while Valerie Hex is one of the busiest dragons queens in Melbourne's nightlife scene. Inspired by the icon Amy Winehouse song, Valerie says drag performing is a 'fabulous way to exist.'

Piper-Heidsieck General Manager Benoit Collard said, "While studying at Melbourne University at the beginning of my career, I remember being struck by the outstanding spectrum of talented musicians and performers as you walked through the bustling city.

"Giving the art industry the opportunity to perform at the Piper-Heidsieck Bar during the Australian Open, after being unable to showcase their work for so long, allows us to pay tribute to the diversity of talents here in Australia. And what better way for all Melbournians to toast to tennis and arts than with a glass of Piper-Heidsieck." The campaign will also feature unexpected and incredible performances at a series of venue partners in Melbourne and Sydney.