Events
THE 33rd Illawarra Folk Festival at Bulli Showground in January will feature over 450 concerts, workshops dances and over 600 performers all at the Bulli Showground, Wollongong from Festival January 18-21. Advance 4 Day Season Pass until January 13 and/or bookings to eventbrite.com.au or 1300 887 034.
THE Paperbark Treehouse, made from recycled timber and designed and built by Cave Urban, has been launched by the Friends of the Australian National Botanic Gardens and is now open to the public.
Workshops and classes
PAINTER Leeanne Crisp is running four Sundays of drawing and painting at the Margaret Whitlam Pavilion in the Nation Arboretum. Crisp’s work can be seen in the National Portrait Gallery and the National Library collections. 9.30am-4.30pm, January 7, 14, 21 and February 4. Fees apply and lunch is included. Bookings to gingercatering.com.au
TICKETS are now on sale for the 24th Canberra International Music Festival, running from April 27 to May 6. There’ll be 23 ticketed concerts, intimate conversations with festival artists, musical talks and free events. Bookings and full program at cimf.org.au
FOUR Winds 2018 Easter Festival, Barragga Bay, March 28 to April 1. Bookings to fourwinds.com.au or 6493 3414.
NIDA Open will launch its summer program of fun performing arts classes for young people and adults in a new partnership with Ainslie and Gorman Arts Centre. Professional artists will be leading courses at the venue from January 22–28. Details and bookings to nida.edu.au/summer
THE Alliance Française de Canberra at 66 McCaughey Street, Turner, offers language and culture courses all through the year. Information about courses to afcanberra.com.au
MUSIC for Canberra has opened enrolments for Term 1, 2018. To trial a new class or audition for the James McCusker Orchestra and Canberra Youth Orchestra visit musicforcanberra.org.au
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]
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
CANBERRA Repertory has now launched its 86th season, billed as “a season with something for everyone”. Bookings to canberrarep.org.au
Literature
POETRY on Holiday is an informal open mic event where women poets are invited to read a ‘holiday’ poem they’ve written or a poem they like to read when on holiday. Guest is Maggie Shapley, author of “Proof”, published by Recent Work Press. Smiths Alternative 76 Alinga St, Canberra, 7-9pm Monday, January 15. Free Admission.
Arts Business
ENTRIES are now open to register the annual ‘RAW Comedy’ competition where new performers test their skill and stamina with five minutes of new, original comedy material – stand-up, sketch, double and triple acts and musical comedy. The National Grand Final are at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in April. ACT heats at The Civic Pub on February 21 and 28, and the final will be at The Street Theatre on February 28. Registrations and details to rawcomedy.com.au
CRAFT ACT is calling for new exhibition proposals from artists, craftspeople, designers, makers and curators for the 2019 (next year’s) program. Submissions close at midnight on Sunday, March 4 to craftact.org.au
CANBERRA artist Val Johnson and Fellow of the Royal Art Society of NSW, is planning to take an art tour to Scotland from August 27 to September 5, 2018, in conjunction with Reis and James Travel Associates and Backroads Touring Company. Participants will spend time painting in the Cairngorms, in quaint fishing villages, on the Isle of Skye, the Isle of Mull and Iona, and view the Colourists work in galleries in Edinburgh, Kirkaldy Perth and Glasgow. Bookings to Lisa on 6208 0155 until January 31, $200 summer discount now available.
“SHORT+Sweet Theatre 2018” is in planning now and playwrights have until January 15 to submit scripts for 10-minute plays to festival director, Trevar Alan Chilver at [email protected]
THE Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council will be trialling a new concept in The Q Exhibition Space in early 2018. “Quirk” will, as well as functioning as an exhibition space, be a shopfront to support and promote regional creatives, with a selection of souvenirs and gourmet goodies. Council’s cultural staff are currently compiling a list of local producers, artists and craftspeople who may be interested in becoming suppliers. Inquiries to [email protected] with “Quirk” in the heading.
ALSO, The Q would like to invite artists and creators to help celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre in February through to March by submitting a work with the theme of “ten”, “celebration”, “party”, “anniversary” and “birthday” to [email protected] with “Ten” in the heading.
THE Young Music Society is holding a “Music Amnesty”. Any items readers can identify that belong to the YMS would be gratefully welcomed back by their rightful owners – no questions asked. Phone 6251 8017 for pick up, or just drop items into the YMS office, or the Belconnen Arts Centre front desk.
JULIA Landford’s new Canberra NatureArt Lab at M16 Artspace, in Griffith is proving very popular. Bookings for 2018 are now open through the website natureartlab.com.au
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
AINSLIE and Gorman Arts Centres offers supported office accommodation for artists, creatives, as well as arts and music-based organisations and individuals. Inquiries to agac.com.au
Prizes
AUSTRALIAN and NZ art music composers have the chance to share in about $100,000 worth of funding to create a new commissioned work thanks to the APRA AMCOS Art Music Fund, now in its third year of existence. Applications are now open here and will close in February 2018.
ENTRIES have now opened for the 2018 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. The Museum and Art Gallery of the NT hosts this annual event that showcases the best in indigenous art from across the country. Entries are open to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists over the age of 18 until March 16 at magnt.net.au/entries
THE Matt Withers Australian Music Composition Competition is on again, with the first prize doubling to $2000 and total cash prizes of over $3000, also there’s recording and performance opportunities too. Entries close COB, April 20, 2018 to mattwithers.com.au
Film
SANGUINETI Media’s Dan Sanguineti will run for the first time a “junior” Primary School summer holiday filmmaking workshop alongside the usual “Hero” program. Filmmakers from the age of 8 years and older will run on an editing deadline with a screening planned for the final afternoon session at the end of the week. Canberra Technology Park, Watson, January 15-19. Details and bookings to sanguinetimedia.com.au/workshops
THE National Film and Sound Archive will turn the spotlight on fashion and in film until January 14. Guests include academy-award nominated costume designer Anna Senior (“The Getting of Wisdom” and “My Brilliant Career”) who still designs costumes for REP and Pigeonhole Theatre. Focus films like “The Dressmaker”, “Moulin Rouge!” and “Picnic at Hanging Rock” will also be screened. Bookings and program details to nfsa.gov.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
Concerts and Gigs:
A day of choral singing and conducting will be led by the Professor of Choral Music Education at Temple University, Philadelphia. Dr Rollo Dilworth. R. A. Young Hall, Radford College, Wednesday January 20, bookings to trybooking.com
JAZZ at the Village will start again next week Melbourne trumpeter, Alex Raupach along with Sydney musicians Steve Barry, Tom Botting and Alex Hirlian. The band delves into both originals and masterpieces of the American song tradition. ANU pop-up village, doors open 6pm, music 7.30pm, Wednesday January 17, bookings to [email protected]
BRILLIANT Polish pianist from Warsaw Lukasz Krupinski will be performing at an afternoon tea concert in late January. Krupinski won the San Marino Piano Competition in 2016 and was a Finalist in the Busoni Piano Competition in August. His CD “Espressione” has been nominated for the International Classical Music Award in the Solo Instrument category and will be available for purchase. 57 Arthur Circle, Red Hill, 3pm on Sunday January 21 bookings to 0412 625 920 or [email protected]
Dance
“CITYNEWS” Artist of the year, Liz Lea, is calling for expressions of interest from dancer/creators s for the forthcoming ‘DANscience Moving Well’ event to be held in Parramatta, from June 1-2. Email [email protected] by February 16 with proposals.
SYDNEY Opera House will become a hub of dance activity this summer as theatre-goers are treated to free waltz classes ahead of performances of “The Merry Widow,” directed by Graeme Murphy. Classes are free for all paid ticket holders and will be held 30 minutes before evening and matinée shows in the Southern Foyer until January 13. No booking required. The operetta continues until February 3, bookings to opera.org.au
QL2 Dance is looking for an inspiring, creative and entrepreneurial permanent, full time general manager to commence in late February. This position offers the opportunity to make a lasting difference to young people and dance in the ACT and environs. For full position details and application process visit ql2.org.au
Theatre
AND there’s another “Alice in Wonderland” show produced by local company Ickle Pickle Productions. Featuring a cast of 35 adult and youth performers, it’s at Belconnen Theatre from January 12-28. Bookings to canberraticketing.com.au or 6275 2700.
THE ‘Infamous Spiegeltent’ circus has been so popular that it is returning to Majura Road, Cnr Spitfire Ave, opposite Costco, for another season running until January 28, bookings to ticketbooth.com.au
Exhibitions
“SMALL Worlds” is an exhibition of photographs of moss, lichens and fungi by Brenda Runnegar with drawings by Emma Kelly, at the Visitor Information Centre, Australian National Botanical Gardens Canberra until February 4, daily 9.30am – 4.30pm. All welcome.
“PLAYUP” is the exhibition space in Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House for children and families based around the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child. The new and third PlayUP includes lots of hands-on activities such as listening pods, a fuzzy felt wall, a voting interactive and a role play ‘Kindness’ café.
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 new media in “College Express 9”, sponsored by Ray White Belconnen, at Belconnen Arts Centre, until January 28.
BELCONNEN Community Gallery and the BCS Bungee program presents “Under the Sea”, an immersive experience created by the Expressive Art Bungee Youth Resilience group, which created an exciting underwater experience during term four. In gallery@bcs Swanson Court, Belconnen, until January 12, Monday-Friday.
IN the exhibition “Unfinished Business”, artist Belinda Mason reveals the stories of 30 people with disability from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through 3D photography. The show was originally launched in Geneva by the director-general of the United Nations and was a part of Australia’s official contribution to the United Nations 2014 World Conference on Indigenous Persons in New York. At Tuggeranong Arts Centre, until January 20.
“THE Selfie Factory” by Ralph Kenke and Elmar Trefz, winner of the 2017 Digital Portraiture Award at the National Portrait Gallery, will be available for public interaction using the hashtag #selfiefactory along with all the front-runners, until February 18. Interaction times are between 10am-11am, 1.30pm-2pm and 3.30pm-4pm daily. All of the finalists’ works can be viewed at dpa.portrait.gov.au
THE National Museum of Australia is showing artworks inspired by plants of north-east Arnhem Land by Yol?u elder Mulku? Wirrpanda and landscape painter John Wolseley, in the exhibition “Midawarr Harvest”, until February 18. Free entry, but donations welcome.
NGA Play has opened an arty play area for children set up by Indonesian art duo Santi Ariestyowanti and Miko Bawono, known as “Indieguerillas” in the play space near the entrance desk, National Gallery of Australia, until May 13.
SA Adair’s “Encasement” is an amazing network of felt components making an organic, perhaps alien appearance. Adair’s work has been selected by the Canberra Museum and Gallery for the ‘Enlighten’ festival in March. “Encasement” is in the Civic Square window gallery facing the Legislative Assembly until further notice.
THE Australian War Memorial has as a permanent exhibition “The Holocaust: witnesses and survivors”, which includes over 85 collection items.
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 large painting by artists from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands in South Australia has gone on permanent display in the Australian War Memorial. “Kulatangku angakanyini manta munu Tjukurpa” [Country and Culture will be protected by spears] is in in the orientation gallery, directly opposite the Gallipoli landing boat that took men of the 13th Battalion ashore on April 25, 1915.
CANBERRA Spinners and Weavers have their 50th anniversary show, “Crossing Threads”, curated by Meredith Hinchliffe, at Canberra Museum and Gallery, Corner of London Circuit and Civic Square, to March 18.
‘FINDERS Keepers: Collectors and their Stories’ is at MoAD at Old Parliament House and runs from 9am-5pm, daily, until the middle of 2018. Entry is free after museum admission.
“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. ALSO at the National Museum is the annual exhibition celebrating the achievements and contribution of nominees for the Australian of the Year Awards. Main Hall, until February 18. Free.
GROUND-BREAKING Australian audio-video artist Angelica Mesiti has an exhibition of five major works, including the National Gallery of Australia’s most recent acquisition, “The Calling”, at the NGA until March 2018.
“EIRENE Mort: A Livelihood” marks the 40th anniversary of Eirene Mort’s death at the age of 98. Mort was a prolific artist, collaborator, teacher, writer, family historian and a ‘new woman’ pursuing a profession in the arts at the beginning of the 20th Century. Curated by Dale Middleby, this social history exhibition features an extraordinary array of artworks and artefacts created by her. Canberra Museum and Gallery, until February 25.
“BEHIND the Lines”, with the theme this year “Three Ring Circus”, is showing the best political cartoons of 2017 and Political Cartoonist of the Year – at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Old Parliament House, until further notice.
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.
THE NPG’s big summer exhibition, “Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits”, is for people who love film and portraits, at the National Portrait Gallery until March 4. Bookings to portrait.gov.au
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/
MEGALO Print Studio + Gallery 21 Wentworth Ave, Kingston, is closing over the festive break until January 23.
“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.
THE exhibition “Boundless Volumes”, new artworks made from excess leather bound volumes of parliamentary proceedings by Michael Eather, Simryn Gill, Katherine Hattam, Pam Langdon, Archie Moore, Elvis Richardson, Kylie Stillman, Imants Tillers and Hossein Valamanesh. Presiding Officers’ Exhibition Area (level 1) at Parliament House. Free to the public and open until February 11.
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