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Canberra Today 15°/17° | Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Arts / What’s on in Canberra this weekend?

A work by International Native American Artist Brent Learned
AN open studio day will be held at Strathnairn Arts Woolshed Gallery, Holt, from 10am to 3pm this Saturday February 25. Artist in Residence, international native American artist Brent Learned, joins Australian indigenous artist Merryn Apma in opening up their collaborative working space for one day only. There’ll also be an exhibition of works for sale.

Events:

International Mother Language Day Walk (2 km) begins at the International Flag Display behind Questacon car park at 10am and ends near Stage 88, where there will be free activities for children. Free event. Inquiries to 0408 089235.

Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centres are holding a free “Sun-Down Get-Down” garden party and program launch in Gorman Arts Centre’s courtyards, 6pm this Friday, February 24. director Joseph Falsone and creative producer Adelaide Rief will talk about the “Season One 2017” program. All welcome.

Muse Café in the East Hotel Kingston, resumes its regular Sunday Salon with social researcher Rebecca Huntley in conversation with journo Laura Tingle. 3pm-4pm this Sunday, February 26.

Classes and Workshops:

THE Museum of Australia Democracy is seeking the help of the Canberra community to weave 10,000 stars in protest against violence—they will be displayed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. MoAD is accepting public “star” donations from now until July but meantime free Sunday “Crafternoons” begin on February 26 (and run on the last Sunday of the month until July). Details at onemillionstars.net

AUSDANCE ACT Open Class is continuing with regular Wednesday classes 10am-11.30am for advanced to professional level dancers held at the Belconnen Arts Centre. They also have a new evening class on Thursdays from 6.50pm-8.20pm for intermediate to professional level dancers of all ages, inquiries to 6247 9103.

CIT Adult Short courses are held every first weekend of the month, all year round at Canberra Glassworks. Costs apply and to find out more email education@canberraglassworks.com 

Arts Business:

Entries are open for the 50th Annual AWGIE Awards, celebrating the very best in Australian stage and screen writing, including film, television, documentary, theatre, radio and interactive media. Entriesto awg.com.au by Wednesday, March 8.

The late Heath Ledger – Photo by Frances Andrijich.
THE ninth annual Heath Ledger Scholarship is looking for emerging Australian actors aged between 18-35 years who shows potential for great career longevity. Established in memory of Australian actor Heath Ledger, the prize has become a fixture in the industry landscape. Applications to australiansinfilm.org will close on the date of the late Ledger’s birthday, April 4.

THE “Meet + Make EXPO”, to run at Bungendore Showground in May 6 will be a community showcase of makers, artists, writers, poets, musicians and performers in the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council local government area. Applications due by Friday, February 24 to qprc.nsw.gov.au and inquiries to cultural.services@qprc.nsw.gov.au or call 6285 6170.

BILK Gallery in Manuka is now 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 exhibitions – specific to jewellery and objects in metal or glass. Proposals can be sent until February 28 to bilk.com.au

‘The ‘Shine Dome’ during Design Canberra, photo TimRoss
CRAFTACT is inviting contemporary craft artists and designers to develop original work interpreting Roy Grounds’ Academy of Science, also known as the “Shine Dome” or “Martian Embassy” — Canberra’s emblematic modernist building — for a “DESIGN Canberra” exhibition in 2017. Inquiries to craftact.org.au

Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre is also seeking an experienced and motivated person to develop and implement public programs, particularly as creative producer for Design Canberra. Details at craftact.org.au, submissions close 9am on March 3.

EXHIBITION applications for M16 Artspace’s 2018 Gallery program are now open. M16 welcomes applications from artists and curators from Canberra, interstate and overseas. Applications to m16artspace.com.au

Films:

JOHN Pilger will be at Dendy to talk about his latest feature-length documentary, “The Coming War On China”. The film is billed as both a timely warning and an inspiring story of people’s resistance and will be released nationally in cinemas from this week. Q&A screening, 6.30pm, February 23, bookings to dendy.com.au

Dance:

TALENTED young people from in and around Canberra will form the Quantum Leap ensemble (ages 15-26), and collaborate with three choreographers. QL2 Artistic director Ruth Osborne will oversee the project and Pip Buining will be dramaturg. This show will be performed at the Canberra Playhouse in late July. To register phone 6247 3103.

Concerts and Gigs:

Eighth Blackbird
SUPER-musicians Eighth Blackbird celebrated their twentieth anniversary in 2016 with a fourth GRAMMY, Chamber Music America’s inaugural Visionary Award and the title of 2017 Ensemble of the Year from Musical America. They’ll be at Llewellyn Hall at 7pm tonight, February 23, bookings to musicaviva.com.au or tickets at the door.

CANBERRA Opera will present an excerpt from Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus” ahead of their May production, as well as arias, duets and a trio from Mozart, Bellini, Puccini and Gounod. High Court of Australia, 1.30pm, Sunday, February 26. Free, but bookings essential to hcourt.gov.au

ART Song Canberra’s first concert for 2017, “Dangerous Romantics”, features sensuous music by Hahn, Fauré, Debussy, FS Kelly, Quilter and Koehne, to be performed by Christina Wilson with Alan Hicks at the piano. Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest, 3pm, Sunday, February 26, no bookings, tickets at the door only.

Yu Kosuge Photo: Marco Borggreve
JAPANESE virtuoso pianist Yu Kosuge is coming to Australia for the first time, and she’ll be at Llewellyn Hall at 7pm on Friday, February 24. NYC critics have praised her “acutely poetic sensibility…wit, drama, and effulgent lyricism”. Bookings to ticketek.com.au

“MOZART by the Sea”, performed by Sydney Youth Orchestra, will feature pianist Piers Lane. The Sydney Youth Orchestra conducted by Alexander Briger will be performing some of Mozart’s most loved orchestral works. Four Winds Sound Shell Amphitheatre, Bermagui, this Sunday, February 26 at 2pm.

“SHE-RIFF” is an event to showcase Canberra’s talented female musicians that provides a performance space for female musicians. The young musos as The Colours Are, Sally Chicane, Rumblr and Dalmacia. At Transit Bar in Civic, 8pm this Saturday, February 25. Bookings to transitbar.com.au or tickets at the door.

The Never Ending 80s team
SYDNEY tribute show, “The Never Ending 80s” is coming to The Basement this weekend. Billed as “a three hour musical time-warp taking people right back under that disco ball”, you can expect the best of Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna and INXS. At 2 Cohen Street, Belconnen. 8pm, this Saturday, February 25. Bookings to oztix.com.au

Theatre:

JORDAN Best is directing a really scary show for Canberra REP in Frederick Knott’s “Wait until Dark”. This Broadway thriller sees blind Susy turning off all the lights to thwart a villain. Jenna Roberts, who won a Critics Circle award for her Lady, plays Susy. At Theatre 3, until February 24 to March 11. Bookings to 6257 1950.

Kevin Kropinyeri
THIS Friday, comedian-storyteller Kevin Kropinyeri will host the ACT Deadly Funny Comedy Heats, giving those adults brave enough to take the stage at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre a chance to strut their stuff and represent the ACT in the Melbourne Comedy Festival’s comedy competition. At TAC, 137 Reed Street, Greenway, February 24, free entry, no bookings required.

Exhibitions:

CANBERRA Bonsai Society is staging its annual exhibition at the Australian National Botanic Gardens from 9.30am–4.30pm on February 25-26. There’ll be over 30 works showcasing the use of Australian plants in the art of bonsai. Visitors will be able to attend demonstrations at 2pm each day.

“BOTANICAL Capital” by prize-winning artist Cheryl Hodges is an exhibition of watercolours telling stories of Canberra’s landscape history. Opening by Bernadette Hince, at Yarralumla Gallery, Cottage 1, Weston Park Road. Begins 3pm, Sunday, February 26, all welcome, runs to March 24.

A work by Kate Bender
KATE Bender & Keith Bender: “Transitions” is an exhibition of new painting and sculpture at Form Studio & Gallery running from February 22 to March 14, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-4pm. Opening reception, 6pm, Thursday, February 23. At 1/30Aurora Ave, Queanbeyan, all welcome.

THE Dominican Art Exhibition and the launch of English translation of Yves Congar’s Diary of the 1914-1918 Warwill be opened by French Ambassador, Christophe Lecourtier. In Room 300.G.23, ground floor of Blackfriars Building, Australian Catholic University Canberra campus, 127 Phillip Avenue, Watson at 5pm this Friday, February 24.

“FOOD, friend or foe, guardian, mascot or symbol, animals appear everywhere in our society,” says the staff at Tuggeranong Arts Centre as they launch into the 2017 theme, “animals connect us to the wild and anchor us in the domestic.” “3 Memories, 3 Animals and a Hunk of Wax” is a reflection on animals, death, experience and curiosity by Julia Higgs, while “Seek” is an exhibition and retail event by animal rights advocate Gabriella Tagliapietra. At 137 Reed Street, Greenway until February 25.

PAINTING and photographic works by Jenny McEwan Mason & Nathan Kellett are showing in Gallery One & Two at Strathnairn Arts Gallery, Holt, to March 5.

PHOTOACCESS presents two new exhibitions, “Move up to the Views” by David Flanagan and “Finlandia Hymn” by Anja Longhead. At the Huw Davies Gallery, Manuka Arts Centre, running to February 26.

Zelma Lew, ‘Malcolm Turnbull marriage equality’
THE 24rd Bald Archy prize exhibition, at Watson Arts Centre, Aspinall Street, Watson, to March 14 takes an irreverent look at Australia’s top public and political figures.

THE next exhibition, at Kyeema Gallery is “Desert Dreamings”, is a selection of works by indigenous artists of the central and western deserts in WA, SA and the NT, with two paintings by a well-known Alice Springs artist, Sarah Brown. All proceeds go to the Pukatja Fund to establish the first community-based renal dialysis centre at Ernabella. Capital Wines Cellar Door. At 13 Gladstone Street, Hall Village Court, Hall, to March 12, Thursday to Sunday, 10.30am-5pm.

CRAFT ACT has joined forces with the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning USA, to create a great exhibition inspired by glass history. Curated by Mel George it exhibits current makers and its future. Also opening “Code X: Contemporary Book Binding”, in association with 2017 Australian National Conference of Bookbinders, which will be held in Canberra, to March 27, Craft ACT, the North Building, Civic.

M16 ARTSPACE at 21 Blaxland Crescent Griffith, has three new exhibitions to February 26; “Orpheus Island” by Kurt Brereton”, “Polarising Colour”, a sound and light installation by Canberra artist David Keany and“The Plate Show” by Ukrainian sound artist Giorgiy Poltapalsky, where 21 Canberra artists “bring a plate”.

A work by Stuart Devlin
THE Royal Australian Mint is now showcasing the story of Stuart Devlin, Geelong-born designer of Australia’s circulating coins and goldsmith and jeweller to Queen Elizabeth II in “The Designer with the Midas Touch.” Until April 2017.

BEAVER Galleries have two new exhibitions. The first is Dianne Fogwell’s “Renascent paintings and works on paper” which features layered linocuts that engage with the cyclical passage of decay and renewal within her local environment. The second is Andrew Baldwin’s “impermanence”. At 81 Denison Street, Deakin. From Tuesday to Friday, 10am-5pm & Saturday and Sunday, 9am–5pm. Until March 5.

ANCA Gallery in Rosevear Street Dickson has “I see Re(a)d” is a group exhibition featuring the works of Sophie Bishop, Mimi Fairall, Michelle Hallinan, Kelly Hayes, Jess Higgins, Rebecca Setnicar and Diana White. All are recent graduates from the ANU School of Art Printmedia and Drawing Workshop. The show runs until February 26.

“ENGAGE: Community Posters” is running at Megalo, 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston, to March 4. Tuesday to Saturday 9.30am-5pm. In 2015 Megalo sought financial support to run three targeted community workshops in Screen Printed Posters and Design to coincide with Youth Homelessness, Reconciliation and Mental Health Weeks in 2016.

“ELISABETH Cummings – Interior Landscapes” sees one of Australia’s most distinguished artists showing at the ANU Drill Hall Gallery, Kingsley Street (off Barry Drive). Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm.

NATALIE Maras (former Artist in Residence at the CSIRO National Research Collections) is presenting fine handmade polymer and mixed media works at the Australian National Botanic Gardens until March 13. For the duration of the exhibition, Maras will be teaching a variety of adult and family workshops. Bookings are essential to anbg.gov.au

NANCY Sever Gallery is presenting its first exhibition for 2017, Suzanne Moss’s “Make Light of It”. Moss is a brilliant academic student in the visual arts and in 2014 she was artist-in-residence at Hill End and in 2015, at Borgo Santo Pietro in Tuscany. Several paintings in this exhibition were inspired by the 13th century Persian Sufi mystic, Rumi. 4/6 Kennedy Street, Kingston, to March 5, 11am–6pm. Wednesday to Sunday.

PAINTERS Margaret Carr and Isla Patterson have an exhibition called “Pathways of our Lives” at the Bungendore Fine Arts Gallery, 42b Ellendon Street, Bungendore. Running through February and March. From 10am-4.30pm.

“DEFINING Moments” is an exhibition acknowledging the moments of success and of disaster that demonstrate the pivotal role glass artists Matthew Curtis and Harriet Schwarzrock played in the journey of husband and wife. At Canberra Glassworks, 10am–4pm, Wednesday to Sunday. Until March 26.

BILK Gallery’s bi-annual glass miniatures exhibition is at the gallery in Palmerston Lane Manuka until February 25.

IN “Life & Landscape”, well-known Canberra painter Val Johnson reflects the variety of work done over the past two years. Subject matter is based on travels overseas, to the Australian outback, and on the coast. At Yarralumla Gallery and the Oaks Brasserie until February 25.

FEBRUARY’S artist at Ginninderra School House Gallery, Gold Creek, Nicholls is Elena Macintyre, whose exhibition, “Stop a Moment, Smell the Flowers”, watercolour and ink on glass, opens on fabric to and continues until February 26.

THE National Portrait Gallery’s summer exhibition, “The Popular Pet Show”, on display until March 13. “Family space: Pets Backyard” is a program of creative activities inspired by the exhibition.

“VERSAILLES: Treasures from the Palace” is still at the National Gallery of Australia, until April 17.

THE Photography Room at Kingston Bus Depot presents three new exhibitions by artists Sean Davey, Spiro Miralis and Dimitri Mellos running until March 12.

AMIEL Courtin-Wilson’s winning digital video work “Charles” 2015, 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.

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

THE Australian War Memorial has “The Holocaust: witnesses and survivors”, a show that includes over 85 collection items from both institution.

 

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