October 31st, 2021Elvis lives on

In an Australian exclusive, Bendigo will celebrate the life and legacy of the “King of Rock’n’Roll” Elvis Presley with a major exhibition travelling from Memphis, Tennessee to Victoria in 2022.
Elvis: Direct from Graceland, curated by Bendigo Art Gallery in collaboration with Graceland and supported by the Victorian Government, will run from March to July and draw visitors from around Australia.
The latest feature in the successful Bendigo International Collections series, the exhibition will feature 300 artefacts owned by Elvis including his military uniforms, a 1976 Red Bicentennial Custom Harley Davidson and some of his famous jumpsuits.

The exhibition will also include personal items like baby clothes from his daughter Lisa Marie, his first job application and his first-grade crayon box he took to school.
Elvis’ wedding tuxedo and wife Priscilla’s wedding dress will also be on display along with a stage costume from the acclaimed TV performance known as the ‘68 Comeback Special, and garments from his eclectic home wardrobe.
Elvis never visited Australia but his appeal was global and the exhibition is expected to attract thousands of local and interstate visitors to the Bendigo region. The exhibition will run from 19 March-17 July 2022.
Previous Bendigo International Collections exhibitions at Bendigo Art Gallery include Grace Kelly: Style Icon in 2012 and Bendigo Art Gallery and Twentieth Century Fox present Marilyn Monroe in 2016, which delivered an economic impact of $2.8 million and $2.6 million respectively to the state.
The exhibition is supported by the Government’s Major Events Fund, which was boosted by $152 million this year to provide an annual pool of $100 million to ensure Victoria continues to secure the best cultural and sporting events.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula said landing this exhibition was a major coup for Bendigo and Victoria and thousands of Elvis fans will be marking the dates in their diaries right now.
“Whether people come for the jumpsuits, the Harley or just to celebrate one of the great figures in recent history, the benefit will extend to cafes, restaurants and hotels across the region.”