IT’s UNESCO World Art Day tomorrow (April 15) and members of the Queanbeyan arts community will have a sneak peek at exhibitions being hung for the official opening of the Rusten House Arts Centre next Thursday (April 22). The galleries will include a history of the historic Rusten House, now refurbished to become a home for the arts. At Collett Street, Queanbeyan (located on the grounds of the hospital). 

“‘TO be or not to be’ means something entirely different when you’re 20 to when you’re 80,” says John Bell, who’ll be at the Playhouse until tomorrow, April 15, in “One Man In His Time: John Bell and Shakespeare”. Bookings here canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

FREE-Rain Theatre Company is returning to the stage with a feel-good show in “Mamma Mia!” with music and lyrics by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Jarrad West is directing, joined by Nick Griffin as music director and Michelle Heine as choreographer. At The Q, Queanbeyan, April 13 to May 8. Bookings at theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

SUBMISSIONS are now open for both adult and youth categories for WA’s premier portrait prize, The Lester Prize, now in its 15th year. The prize pool available to professional, emerging and young artists is worth more than $95,000. Finalists for this competition will be announced on August 6 and these works will be on at the Art Gallery of Western Australia from October 16. Submissions to lesterprize.com close on June 25.

GALLERY of Small Things (GOST) is holding its first pop-up exhibition for four days, starting 11am tomorrow (April 15). GOST director Anne Masters says she’s trialling a new project to host one-off events such as the launch of Canberra artist Al Munro’s exhibition “Dot Design”, which features crochet jewellery and felted home decor products. The pop-up is open physically to the public at 27 Wade Street, Watson, and online here from 11am, Thursday, April 15, continuing to 4pm, April 18.

CANBERRA Potters Autumn Market has been created to connect the ACT’s community of makers directly with the public. On sale will be original, handmade ceramics such as planter pots, tableware, sculptures, jewellery, vases and coffee from Sly Fox Coffee. At Watson Arts Centre, 1 Aspinall Street, Watson, April 16-18. All welcome.

“INTERESTING Mrs Abell” is a play set in Colonial Sydney and Bungonia written and directed by writer Annie Bilton, who tells the real story of heroine Betsy Abell (nèe Balcombe) and her rollercoaster ride through disaster to international fame. World première at the Lieder Theatre, Goldsmith Street, Goulburn, Friday, April 16. It’ll then run until Saturday, April 24. Bookings essential here. 

“STREAMED Shakespeare” takes the bard to outer space with an intergalactic version of “Henry IV Parts 1 & 2”, running over consecutive weekends on April 16-18 and April 23-24, including a special school matinee for HSC students. Bookings here.