Events:
CANBERRA’s “SpringOUT” Pride Festival is hosting the AIDS Action Council Fair Day, at Gorman Arts Centre from 11am-4pm, tickets at the door, followed by the AIDS Action Council Rainbow Families Dance Party, “After Dark”, at Ainslie Arts Centre, 7.30pm to 11pm. Bookings to event eventbrite.com.au/e/fair-day-after-dark-tickets-38266633531?aff=es2
Talk:
POET Shane Strange lives in Canberra where he is the editor and publisher of Recent Work Press. He will introduce poets published in 2017 for the poetry group at Manning Clark House, 11 Tasmania Circle, Forrest, 7pm, October 26. Tickets at the door.
MUSE Café has author Hugh Riminton’s book, “Minefields”, launched through a conversation with Virginia Hausegger, 3pm-4pm, Sunday, October 29, East Hotel, Kingston. Bookings to musecanberra.com.au/events/
Workshops and classes:
CIT Adult Short courses are held every first weekend of the month all year round at Canberra Glassworks. Costs apply. To find out more email [email protected]
Arts Business:
THE Young Music Society is seeking a part-time (0.5) Business Manager who is a positive, energetic individual with administrative and computer skills, including financial and book-keeping qualifications and excellent interpersonal skills as the first line of contact with members and the public. Inquiries to 6251 8017.
THE Collie Art Prize, the $50,000 biggest single acquisitive art prize in regional WA and perhaps across Australia, focusses on the theme of identity, and is now open to all Australians until January 12, to collieartgallery.org.au
NIGEL McRae, the host at Smith’s Alternative on Alinga Street, Civic, is keen to have more classical musicians take advantage of his “Classical Capers” open mic sessions. The next one will be from 7pm–9pm on December 13. Sign up at smithsalternative.com
THE Nature Conservancy Australia Photo Competition aims to inspire Australians to engage with nature through photography, and celebrate Australia’s natural beauty. Competition categories include landscape, wildlife, water and urban. Entries can still be submitted to natureaustralia.org.au/photo until October 27. The prize pool has increased, with more than $8000 in prizes to be won.
M16 Artspace is seeking someone with deep knowledge and a keen appreciation of the visual arts scene in Canberra and nationally to become exhibitions and promotions coordinator, 18 hours per week. Applications are due by 5pm, Friday, October 27. Visit m16artspace.com.au or phone 6295 9438.
PIANIST-composer Sally Greenaway has launched a fundraising campaign to assist in the recording of the music from her music theatre piece, “The 7 Great Inventions of the Modern Industrial Age”. To donate visit pozible.com/project/recording-7-great-inventions
“HB17” is a festival that will bring together a large group of artist-run initiatives from across Australia and New Zealand, and ANCA needs support to be there, in order to present the exhibition, “Surface World”, featuring the work of Grace Blake, Thomas Buckland, Nicci Haynes, Patrick Larmour and Cat Mueller. Donations to australianculturalfund.org.au/projects/hobiennale-arts-festival/
MEGALO Print Studio + Gallery has a unique, supported residency open to Australian and international artists at all stages of their careers. In 2018 there will be three ACT based places, two national and one international place. The deadline for submissions is October 31 via [email protected]
ROBIN Davidson’s theatre company, Rebus, will develop an interactive “Forum Theatre” performance about where things can go wrong when people with disabilities want to participate in or use the services of community organisations. They need your responses by December 3. Fill out the survey at questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?id=5788264 or visit rebustheatre.com or phone 0403 815784.
THE M16 Artspace Drawing Prize 2017 is now open for entries. This prize is for drawing in either traditional drawing media and techniques, or non-traditional works that extend understanding of drawing within contemporary art practice. Prizes are valued at $4800 and entries are due 5pm, Thursday, November 2, to m16artspace.com.au/opportunities-for-artists
JULIA Landford’s new Canberra NatureArt Lab is at M16 Artspace, in Griffith, Canberra. Courses and workshops start in October, bookings are now open through the website www.natureartlab.com.au
ANCA has announced its 2018 Critic in Residence award. In partnership with “Art Monthly Australasia”, ANCA will be awarding two emerging Canberra Arts writers a stipend of $350per month for five months, a mentorship with “Art Monthly” editor Michael Fitzgerald, a 12 month subscription to Art Monthly and publishing opportunities. Applications to anca.net.au to November 1.
PRIZE-winning botanical artist, Sharon Field, has set up a blog which considers ideas of “beauty” and “creativity” in botanical art and summarises what is coming up for her on the art scene. Visit sharonfield.com.au or follow her on Instagram at @sharon_field_artist
GARY France’s Groove Warehouse in Hume is expanding its percussion business and now offers daytime adult classes and keyboard lessons at 5/1 Sawmill Circuit, Hume. Information and enrolments to groovewarehouse.com.au
“MAMMA Mia!” The musical, inspired by ABBA’s classic songs, has seen over 60 million people all around the world pack in for the show. Tickets are now on sale for a new Aussie production that will premiere at the Canberra Theatre from November 24 to December 10. Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.
AINSLIE and Gorman Arts Centres offers supported office accommodation for artists, creatives, as well as arts organisations and music-based organisations and individuals. Inquiries to agac.com.au
Literature:
SULARI Gentill’s novel “A Dangerous Language” is the latest in her award winning Rowland Sinclair Mysteries series. She was a “Writer in Residence” at the Museum of Australian Democracy in 2015 and both the research for the novel and plot are connected to Old Parliament House. Panthera Press, RRP. $29.99
CANBERRA author Catherine McCullagh has released her new book with Big Sky Publishing, “Dancing with Deception: Love, Lies and Deceit in Occupied Paris”, which is about an Australian Nurse who joins the Red Cross hospital in WWII occupied Paris and becomes caught up between the Gestapo and Resistance. RRP. $24.99
WRITING groups connected with aussiewriters.com.au are running a competition to give emerging writers an opportunity to have their work published alongside established writers from the region. There will be both under-50s and over-50s categories. First prize-winner will have his or her story published in the new anthology, “Canberra Culture” and $200 cash, while second and third prizes involve the same publication offer and cash prizes of $100 and $50. Stories have a maximum length of 2000 words on any Canberra-related topic, which should be emailed to [email protected] with the heading “Canberra Culture writing competition”. Extended to November 5.
Dance:
AUSDANCE ACT Open Class is continuing with advanced to professional level classes on Wednesdays from 10am-11.30am at the Belconnen Arts Centre and an evening class on Thursday from 6.50pm-8.20pm at QL2’s Dance Studio, for intermediate to professional level dancers of all genres.
IN “Dancing Stories” choreographer Padma Menon will recreate the atmosphere of traditional temple community performances as she portrays legendary Buddhist and Indian characters such as Kali, Green Tara and Siva. The ticket includes a vegetarian Indian dinner. Currie Crescent Community Centre, Kingston, 7pm, Friday, October 27. Bookings to movingarchetypes.com.au or via 0447 643646.
Film:
CANBERRA International Film Festival, National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton, October 26-November 5. Bookings and full program at ciff.com.au
FILM director Roger Pulvers will talk about his feature “Star Sand” at the Arc Cinema, 6pm, Sunday, October 29.
FROM the Palestinian Film Festival Australia comes Carol Mansour’s doco, “Stitching Palestine”, in which 12 Palestinian women connect through the ancient art of embroidery. Palace Electric Cinemas, October 27 only. Bookings to palacecinemas.com.au
THE National Film and Sound Archive of Australia has “Strictly Ballroom: Behind the Curtain”, a new online exhibition to celebrate 25 years since the release of Baz Luhrmann’s debut film in August 1992. Visit nfsa.gov.au/collection/onlineexhibitions
THE National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is celebrating 100 collections on its new website, with a 1980s special celebrating “everyone’s favourite decade – and all its excess and retro fabulousness”, at nfsa.gov.au/collection/curated/1980s.
Concerts and Gigs:
CANBERRA Jazz duo “In2DEEP” combines the vocal talents of Rachel Thorne with the pianistic and compositional abilities of Mike Dooley. They’ll be performing with Phil Dick on bass, Steve Richards on drums and guest Richard Manderson on saxophone. University house ANU, music starts 8pm, October 26. Bookings to 6125 5270 or [email protected]
TALENTED Wesley Music Scholars present beautiful music in their Spring Concert, Wesley Music Centre, 20-22 National Circuit, Forrest, (entry at Fitzroy Street) 3pm, Sunday, October 29. Tickets at the door.
THE ACT Churchill Fellows’ Association, the Canberra Recorder Orchestra and the Wayfarers’ Choir will perform a free concert at the High Court of Australia from 1.30pm on Sunday, October 29. Registrations essential to hcourt.gov.au
IN Selby & Friends’ 2017 finale, “Quattro”, pianist and artistic director Kathryn Selby will be joined by Sydney Symphony Orchestra principals Andrew Haveron, Tobias Breider and Umberto Clerici in performing classical piano quartets by Turina, Mozart and Dvo?ák. Fairfax Theatre, NGA, 7.30pm, Tuesday, October 31. Bookings to 1300 511 099.
PHOENIX Pub in Civic has as follows: “Piss Weak Karaoke”, Thursday, October 26, at 8pm; “The Veebees”, “Meat Cake”, “Coffin”, Friday, October 27, at 9pm; “Jacob Azim”, “Zain and His Lovely Bones”, “Rachel Maria Cox”, “Raised as Wolves”, “Dalmacia Capes”, Saturday, October 28, at 7pm; “Heartsounds”, “Nerdlinger” and more, Sunday, October 29, at 6pm.
Theatre:
THE eighth annual “Come Alive” Festival of Museum Theatre features original Canberra plays by college and school students. This year the impressive line-up includes Lake Tuggeranong College’s “Jailbirds”, inspired by the Belconnen Remand Centre’s cell door in the collection of the Canberra Museum and Gallery and Canberra College’s dance piece inspired by Tom Bass’s statue of Ethos in front of the ACT Legislative Assembly. Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre, October 23-28. Lunchtime performances are free but bookings advised to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.
TEMPO Theatre is taking a break from murder with its coming production of “Table Manners”, the hilarious first play in Alan Ayckbourn’s British trilogy, “The Norman Conquests”. Belconnen Community Theatre, October 20-28. Bookings to canberraticketing.com.au or 6275 2700.
SUBSCRIPTION bookings for The Canberra Theatre Centre’s “Collected Works 2018” are now open, canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.
CANBERRA Repertory is launching its 86th season, billed as “a season with something for everyone”, this Friday evening. Bookings will then be open to canberrarep.org.au
“LOVE is in the Air”, “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps”, and “Time After Time” are just some of the songs that will be danced to in “Strictly Ballroom the Musical” when Canberra Philharmonic Society’s production of Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the movie, directed by Chris Baldock, takes the stage at Erindale Theatre until October 30. Bookings to philo.org.au
BUDDING Theatre is looking for men and women of all ages (18-90) to perform new comic monologues, children and youth for “The Christmas Channel”, both to run at the Courtyard Studio, Canberra Theatre Centre in December. Email [email protected] to express interest and send a CV or outline of experience.
YOUNG choreographers will explore the “self” in a new Fresh Funk showcase, resulting from Tuggeranong Arts Centre’s Fresh Faced Young Choreographers Initiative. At the Arts Centre’s Theatre, 7.30pm on October 27-28and 5pm on Sunday, October 29. Bookings to trybooking.com/SBMN
Exhibitions:
CANBERRA Spinners and Weavers have scored a coup in getting Janet de Boer, long-serving CEO of The Australian Forum for Textile Arts and founding editor of “Textile Fibre Forum” to open their 50th anniversary show, curated by Meredith Hinchliffe, at Canberra Museum and Gallery, Corner of London Circuit and Civic Square, Canberra City, 2pm, Saturday, October 28 to March 18, 2018.
THE NGA’s summer exhibition “Hyper Real” consists of 50 works in sculpture and video art by 32 artists, varying from the huge “Pregnant woman” by Ron Mueck to Patricia Piccininni’s fragile hybrid babies. National Gallery of Australia, to February 18, 2018. Bookings to premier.ticketek.com.au or 132 849.
A new exhibition of portraits by Jane Duong, documented by Victoria Firth-Smith, celebrating LGBTIQ+ Canberrans opens in the East Hotel Foyer, 69 Canberra Avenue Kingston, on October 28 and runs 8am–8pm, daily, until November 26.
FORM Studio and Gallery has “Presence: Two Visions of Landscape” by Ros Auld and Claire Primrose and “Rest”, printed porcelain vessels and wall pieces by Tania Vrancic, at 1/30 Aurora Avenue, Queanbeyan to October 30, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–4pm.
“OLD Eagle” is an exhibition marking a milestone for Kate Vassallo and James Lieutenant, in which the pair’s collaborative work will be exhibited alongside their individual studio practices. The title refers to the Dulux suite of greys, which they will together use to create a wall painting in the Megalo Gallery, 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston, Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30am-5pm until November 11. All welcome.
BEAVER Galleries now have two exhibitions. Chris Denton continues to use the dahlia motif as he explores the idea of the material object in space, restricting his colour palette to white, red, and black. Also, in “Charm”, glass artist Nick Wirdnam explores the idea of the charm though sculpted everyday objects that have an historical association of good fortune, hope and consolation. At 81 Denison Street, Deakin until October 29, Tuesday to Friday, 10am-5pm and Saturday and Sunday, 9am–5pm.
FOUR Winds is staging “Fresh Salt”, an exhibition of visual art resulting collaboration between visual artists, musicians, composers, choreographers and creative writers inspired by the estuaries of the NSW Far South Coast – Yuin Country. Foyer gallery, ANU School Of Art and Design, until November 4.
CANBERRA’S newest “gallery of small things” is focussing on “the little things in life that make us happy”. First up are 27 works by Greg Daly, Janet DeBoos, Joanne Searle, Hsin-Yi Yang, Fran Romano, Amanda Small, Anna Calluori Holcombe and Ben Carter. The opening exhibition, “3 Cubed” is based around the number three and will run at 27 Wade Street, Watson, until October 30 after “33 days”.
ARTIST and painting teacher, Michael Winters, once made an honorary citizen of the island of Leros in Greece, for his art activities, is wandering again, this time to the Orange Regional Gallery, where his unusual exhibition of three-dimensional landscapes, “Dissected by Time and Space”, will run to December 20.
ERWIN Olaf and Hendrik Kerstens, two well-known and leading contemporary Dutch photographers, are showing at the ANU School of Art & Design’s Photospace to October 27.
CANBERRA ceramic artist Jo Victoria has drawn together her two academic disciplines, anthropology and fine art to present an exhibition of raw ceramic artistry in her new solo show “Whispering Earth” opening at Suki & Hugh Gallery in Bungendore to November 12.
“GLOW” is Kate Bender’s second solo exhibition at X Gallery in Bungendore, and continues her exploration of the representation of light in bold and luminous abstract paintings. 32 Gibraltar Street, Bungendore until December 4.
“SONGLINES: Tracking the Seven Sisters”, the story in arts of the women of Central Australia, at the National Museum of Australia, to February 25, 2018.
A DOUBLE-bill exhibition with works by Chrystal Rimmer’s “Famiglia: Oh Holy Father” and Sacha Pola’s “Legendary”, is in Nishi Gallery, NewActon, to November 26.
QUEANBEYAN Art Society has its Gallery Painters and Members’ exhibition on show at the society’s gallery in Trinculo Place Queanbeyan, under the bridge on the Queanbeyan Riverbank, until October 27.
GROUND-BREAKING Australian audio-video artist Angelica Mesiti has launched an exhibition of five major works, including the National Gallery of Australia’s most recent acquisition, “The Calling”, at the NGA until March 2018.
FRENCH-Australian Painter Marc Rambeau will be holding an exhibition, “Australia’s Red Landscapes”, at the Alliance Française, 66 McCaughey Street, Turner, to October 16, Monday to Thursday, 9am-7.30pm and Friday 9am-5pm.
“DOMBROVSKIS: Journeys into the Wild” celebrates the work of the Tasmanian photographer Peter Dombrovskis, whose Rock Island Bend image helped to January 30, daily.
THE National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition of 28 portraits by Nicholas Harding includes three works from the collection and 25 works on loan, now at Gallery One, NPG, to November 6.
THE ANU Drill Hall Gallery’s new show, “Liz Coats – Active Seeing”, coincides with celebrations for the ANU School of Art’s 40-year anniversary. As a former doctoral student (2009-2012) and vice-chancellor’s “College Artist Fellow” (2015) this major survey of Liz’s artwork will feed into these celebrations. The exhibition runs at the DHG, Kingsley Street, Acton, until December 17.
WOVEN textile artist, Jennifer Robertson, has installed “Crystal Imperfections as Agents of Deformation”, a dialogue with Prof Ian Jackson’s scientific research, produced under the ANU Vice-Chancellor’s College Artist Fellows Scheme. The work may be seen in the Research School of Earth Sciences, Jaeger 1 Seminar Room, 142 Mills Road, Acton, which is open during business hours. Visitors need to go first to the reception area of the Research School of Earth Sciences.
BELCONNEN Arts Centre’s October suite of exhibitions is as follows: “Unearthed” by Mirabel Fitzgerald; “The Price of Gold” by Stuart Whitelaw; and “Cut-Out” by Naomi Zouwer and Meredith Hughes. 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen.
“EX Machina”, curated By Alexander Boynes, with works by Nicci Haynes, Brian McNamara, Stelarc, Pia Van Gelder and Arthur Wicks, considers the role of the physical machine as artwork, at Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman Arts Centre, Braddon, 11am-5pm, Thursday to Sunday until November 11.
WORKS by painter/printmaker Pamela Griffith and sculptor/carver Silvio Apponyi are in the Octagon ArtSpace, Bungendore Wood Works Gallery. The show continues until December 10.
MEREDITH Hinchliffe has curated an online exhibition of work by tapestry exponent Belinda Ramson, who died in 2014. This exhibition was mounted at the American Tapestry Alliance, visit americantapestryalliance.org/exhibitions/tex_ata/belinda-ramson/
“FINDERS Keepers: Collectors and their Stories MoAD at Old Parliament House runs from 9am-5pm, daily, until the middle of 2018. Entry is free after museum admission. THE Australian War Memorial has as a permanent exhibition “The Holocaust: witnesses and survivors”, which includes over 85 collection items.
ANIMAL photography by members of Instagrammers Canberra — @igerscanberra — is opening at Tuggeranong Arts Centre. “Feathers, Fur and Fins” features 20 digital photographic prints, ranging from close-up to abstract and showcasing a variety of species. After a call-out to the #IgersCanberra community, the project received 300 submissions worthy of exhibition. The show runs to October 28.
CANBERRA Potters’ Members exhibition will be at Watson Art Centre, Aspinall St, Watson until November 3, 10am-4pm Thursday to Sunday.
SECOND World War veterans —6500 of them—are showcased in a unique photography installation at the Australian War Memorial, “Reflections – honouring our WWII veterans”. The images will be archived and made accessible to the public as part of the Memorial’s online collection.
“A Change Is Gonna Come” is an exhibition focusing on the 1967 Aboriginal Referendum and the 1992 MABO land rights decision by the High Court. At the National Museum of Australia, until January 30, 2018.
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