THE National Gallery of Australia now has the first major exhibition in Australia on the American painter and printmaker Joan Mitchell as it explores the final stage of her career with a selection of works on paper. “Joan Mitchell: Worlds of Colour” reveals her emergence in the early 1950s as a leading figure in the New York school of Abstract Expressionism alongside Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Willem de Kooning and is drawn from the Kenneth Tyler Collection. NGA until April 26.

OPERA Australia has set aside 2000 tickets for people who have not previously purchased tickets for an Opera Australia performance, thanks to the Susan and Isaac Wakil Foundation Access Program. One thousand applicants will be selected by ballot to buy two tickets for $20 per ticket for five selected performances of “Tosca”, directed by John Bell. Apply for tickets here.

THE newest exhibition at ANU Drill Hall Gallery, “Nicole Ellis, Fabrications”, curated by Tony Oates, covers 30 years of Sydney artist Nicole Ellis’s work, surveying her involvement with collage, assemblage and found materials, Kingsley St Acton. Until April 11.

ART Song Canberra has Jade McFaul (soprano) and Lucus Allerton (piano) performing Australian art songs by Sutherland, Glanville-Hicks, Tregaskis, Bowman, capturing the colours of the Australian landscape in all its moods. At Wesley Music Centre, 3pm then 4.15pm, Sunday, February 21. Bookings here.

“DRAWING Near” investigates the contrasting Taiwanese identity of artist and first-class ANU honours graduate, Chin-Jie Melodie Liu, who documents her journey of understanding her own identity as a Taiwanese woman of mixed heritage through reinterpreting objects and photographs and exquisite drawings with colour pencil. At the Australian Centre on China in the World, building 188, Fellows Lane, ANU, 9am-5pm, weekdays, until March 13. 

PHOTOACCESS’ 2021 open day will take place in the gardens at 30 Manuka Circle, Griffith, from noon to 4pm this Saturday, February 20. Children are welcome to join in photo-fun activities, including designing cyanotype t-shirts, creating lenticular magnets, hunting for augmented reality treasure and sitting for take-home, large format family portraits. Free event, bookings unnecessary.

THE Wayne Kelly Trio, featuring Brendan Clarke on double bass, Andrew Dickeson on drums and Kelly on piano, is presenting “Ugly Beauty”, featuring half Thelonious Monk’s classics and half new tunes composed by Kelly in response to the uncertain times of COVID. At the Street Theatre, 7.30pm, Saturday, February 20. Bookings here thestreet.org.au or 6247 1223.