Bowditch is a former winner of the Australian Recording Industry Association best female artist award and was named Rolling Stone woman of the year in 2010.

Festival organiser Kate Finnerty said the city would come to life on opening night with a raft of interactive performing and visual art events.

“It’s great. It’s so exciting to have her on opening night when there’s going to be so much else happening,” she said.

“She’s a real personality as well, so it will be more than just music. It will be a real event.” 

Aside from her musical career, Bowditch has a starring role in the popular television drama Offspring.

Ms Finnerty said the performance would cap off a dynamic range of events to launch the festival.

“Melbourne band 8Foot Felix will perform in the streets, then we’re going to follow them on a bit of a tour as we launch a video work from Ash Keating,” she said.

“We’ll also open the Museum of Lands Past and announce the winner of the photography competition and leave you enough time to have dinner before Clare Bowditch comes on.”

Bowditch will perform at the Wesley Performing Arts Centre on May 30 from 8pm.

Wesley Performing Arts Centre spokeswoman Charee Bolwell said tickets would be available from www.wesleypac.com.au from Wednesday.