Bangarra Dance Theatre is back, so’s the Scandinavian Film Festival, reports arts editor HELEN MUSA in her latest “Arts in the City” column. 

BANGARRA Dance Theatre is back in town with “Yuldea”. Marking Frances Rings’ inaugural season as artistic director. Inspired by her family’s connection to the area, “Yuldea” (Ooldea) tells the story of the Aṉangu people of the Great Victoria Desert. It features original music composed by the David Page Music Fellow, Leon Rodgers, and songs from the duo Electric Fields. Canberra Theatre, July 20-22.

THE Scandinavian Film Festival is screening new films from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland with the centrepiece, the historical drama “Godland” (Volaða land). It’s the story of a Danish priest who goes on a pilgrimage across Iceland in the late 1800s. Palace Electric, July 19-August 9.

CANBERRA indie folk, soul and blues muso Ben Drysdale has won second place in the Hawaii Songwriting Festival competition with his song, “Listen Now”. His track “I’m Flyin’ Now” also received an honourable mention in the folk/singer songwriter category of the 2022 Unsigned Only Music Competition.

MUSICA Viva’s director Paul Kildea has scripted a chamber music and theatre work to honour Chopin’s revolutionary 24 Preludes in “Chopin’s Piano”. Pianist Aura Go and actor Jennifer Vuletic will tell the story of the “pianino” (Chopin’s upright pianoforte in Majorca), through a performance of the preludes and storytelling. Llewellyn Hall, July 19. 

NATASHA Bullock, assistant director, collections and exhibitions at the NGA, received the 2023 Australian Award for Excellence in Women’s Leadership, of which she was the ACT winner at the Australian Women’s Leadership Symposium, largely for her part in the development and implementation of the National Gallery’s gender-equity initiative, “Know My Name.” 

CANBERRA-trained pianist Ronan Apcar, now studying at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne, will be back in town to play in a concert centring around David Lang’s song cycle “Death Speaks”. AJ America will be the soloist, born-and-bred Canberran Donica Tran, also studying at ANAM, will play violin and Ethan McAlister electric guitar. Drill Hall Gallery, July 21.