ANIMALS rule in the National Portrait Gallery’s summer exhibition, “The Popular Pet Show,” on display until March 13. Bookings to portrait.gov.au or at the information desk;  young people under 18 are free. “Family space: Pets Backyard” is a program of creative activities inspired by “The Popular Pet Show” for families to enjoy together.

Events:

SLACKY Flat Showgrounds at Bulli (Wollongong) will become a Mecca for musicians, dancers, singers, songwriters, poets, yarn spinners, choirs in the 32nd Illawarra Folk Festival. There are 88 acts representing every state in Australia and 72 from the Illawarra. January 12-15, Bookings to illawarrafolkfestival.com.au

Film:

FOUR Winds is introducing “Summer Movie Nights,” a series of best-loved Australian movies on the big screen under the stars at Four Winds, Barragga Bay, 6.30pm to 10pm, on December 29, Kenneth Branagh’s “Cinderella” and December 30, “Eddie the Eagle”. Each evening a “junior” film will be screened in the Windsong Pavilion early on for the littlies, and this will be the contingent venue for wet-weather. Food, bar, tea and coffee will be available for sale, or byo picnic, rugs and low seating. Bookings to fourwinds.com.au/whats-on

Books:

CANBERRA political commentator John Passant has just released his first book of poetry, “Songs for the Band Unformed” (Ginninderra Press 2016) a mix of the personal and the political. A signed copy costs $21.95 and can be purchased at independent-australia.myshopify.com

Arts business:

FORMER artistic director of the National Folk Festival and internationally recognised multi-instrumentalist, Dave O’Neill, is accepting enrolments in classes, commencing Monday January 30, and has a handful of vacancies email daveoneillmusic@gmail.com or call Sharon on 0418 405236. Information at daveoneillmusic.com

Artists from the Southern Tablelands Arts region including Hilltops, Goulburn Mulwaree, Queanbeyan Palerang, Upper Lachlan, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly and Yass Valley, and from the Macarthur Region interested in having their artwork projected on to key buildings in Picton as part of the “illuminARTe Wollondilly Festival” in April are invited to submit their works for consideration. Upload works to wollondilly.nsw.gov.au/lifestyle/recreation-facilities/illuminarte/ by Friday, February 18. All inquiries to 4677 9611.

BILK Gallery in Manuka is broadening is seeking proposals and expressions of interest for a limited number of exhibitions in 2017 and 2018. These could be a solo exhibition, installations, experimental works or group –  specific to jewellery and objects in metal or glass. Proposals will be accepted until February 28 to bilk.com.au

ONE of Canberra’s longest continuously running youth arts programs is Canberra’s Young Music Society’s 47th annual Summer Music School, run by composer/director Stephen Leek. At Radford College, Bruce, January 9-20. Bookings still open to youngmusicsociety.org.au

ART, Not Apart, Canberra’s largest contemporary arts festival, centred on New Acton and Westside, is calling for proposals for works from local, national and international artists. Call for projects will close at midnight, January 7, submissions to artnotapart.com

REGISTRATIONS are now open For “RAW Comedy”, Australia’s largest open-mic comedy competition. Registrations to rawcomedy.com.au

REGISTRATIONS are now open for Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s national secondary school comedy competition, “Class Clowns.” To register visit comedyfestival.com.au/2017/classclowns

Exhibitions:

Over 12 years Karen O’Clery’s Narek Galleries has staged more than 60 exhibitions in the Old Tanja Church,  1140 Tathra to Bermagui Road. “Porcelain & Politics” by Marianne Huhn is the last show, running to January 8 and  O’Clery is now looking  for a new space in Bermagui.

THE summer exhibition at Ivy Hill Gallery, 1795 Tathra-Bermagui Road, Wapengo, features large abstract landscapes by Antonia Haege, watercolours and graphite drawings from Liz Jeneid and ceramic studies of kangaroos by Gwenna Green. Until January 15.

THE Royal Australian Mint is showcasing the story of Stuart Devlin, Geelong-born designer of Australia’s circulating coins and goldsmith and jeweller to the Queen in an exhibition called “The Designer with the Midas Touch”. On show is  the Wiltshire Staysharp Knife MK1 and scabbard, furniture, tableware and candelabra that lit up dining rooms of the rich and powerful. Until April.

“PETER Hislop, photographer: People, Performances and Places” is an exhibition that looks back 40 years to the beginning of Hislop’s remarkable work in documenting Canberra’s fine music performance and performers – around 200 events each year. At the High Court to January 25, free.

THE High Density Housing Art and Craft Show is now showing arts and craft created by Ainslie Avenue residents at Kanangra Court community garden, Ainslie Avenue, Braddon.

THE War Memorial has joined the Jewish Holocaust Centre to mount “The Holocaust: witnesses and survivors”, a show that includes more than 85 collection items from both institutions. It also features the artwork of the official Australian war artist Alan Moore, who accompanied British troops as they liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany.

“THE Sell: Australian Advertising, 1790s to 1990s” at the National Library of Australia until April 25. FREE exhibition.

A really splendid exhibition, not to be missed” is how our reviewer describes “Versailles: Treasures from the Palace”. At the National Gallery of Australia, until April 17.

“COLLEGE Express 8” is presented by Belconnen Arts Centre and celebrates the work of almost 100 students from the North Canberra region. Young artists in years 11 and 12 from colleges in the north Canberra region explore the world around them through photography, painting, drawing, ceramics, textiles and design technology. At 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen, until January 15, 10am-4pm, Tuesday-Sunday.

AMIEL Courtin-Wilson’s winning digital video work will be on display with six other finalists in the Digital Portraiture Award 2016 exhibition which is open to the public at the National Portrait Gallery until Sunday, April 9.