Space-Out Competition: Find your mat. Evacuate your mind. Drift to victory.

RMIT and the RISING Festival present Space-Out, making its Naarm debut. Created by South Korean artist Woopsyang, this global competition celebrates the art of doing nothing. Participants sit still for 90 minutes—no tech, no talking, no sleeping. Judged on heart rate and crowd reaction, glory goes to those who go blank.

Lose the thread. Abandon the point. Replace your mental to-do list with a cymbal-playing monkey. This is Space-Out—the global competition to see who can do the most nothing. 

In a world that glorifies productivity, the event is a gift to us all. South Korean artist Woopsyang first held the competition in Seoul while she was struggling with ad agency burn-out. Since then, it's toured work-stressed cities like Beijing, Taipei, Rotterdam, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Now, we're challenging Naarm to reach for collective stillness in the centre of the rat race. 

Presented by RMIT University, in partnership with RISING, Woopsyang invites you to apply and compete—or simply come and watch. The rules are simple: sit still for 90 minutes and remain calm —no sleeping, laughing, or tech allowed. Participants wear attire related to their respective professions, symbolising a small city. Winners are judged by audience vibe (artistic score) and heart rate stability (technical score). The champion will be flown to the next Space-Out competition to pass on the trophy!  

Expect live sports commentary to keep spectators abreast of (non)developments. But don't get distract by the spectacle of it. Remember: nothing is happening. Nothing matters. Glory comes to those who go blank.

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