This Week in The Can

Posted on 13 April, 2015

School holidays may have arrived but don’t despair because the calendar is full with exhibitions, tours and more taking place for everyone in and around the nation’s capital. Retrace your steps through history with the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival; take part in one of the free #CBRoutdoor fitness sessions; or venture outdoors for some family fun at the Australian National Botanic Gardens with their afterDARK Scavenger tours.

There always plenty do for foodies, market dwellers, sports fans and even art lovers too including a meander through the numerous, inspirational exhibitions taking place at the National Portrait Gallery and National Museum of Australia…

Here’s what’s happening This Week in The Can!

YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS…

Canberra and Region Heritage Festival

The Canberra and Region Heritage Festival theme for 2015 is ‘Conflict and Compassion’. Just how has our identity and heritage been shaped by conflict and compassion?  Search for answers and celebrate the importance of the region’s heritage. Heritage is retro, it’s vintage, it’s the region’s story, it’s part of everyday life. With over 100 events, most free, you can enjoy tours, open days, dances, talks, dinners, markets and more. The festival raises awareness to the ongoing need to conserve the region’s natural, historic and Aboriginal heritage. On until 26 April at various venues and locations. Check the website for programming times.

Bell Shakespeare’s As You Like It

Part of the Collected Works 2015 season at the Canberra Theatre Centre, As You Like It is an adventure of the heart, a journey through a forest of poetry (and lions), and a tale of a love so grand all the rules are broken to win the heart of a boy. Villains. Heroes. Wrestling. Cross dressing. And love at first sight. What’s not to love about As You Like It? Tickets from $35 through Canberra Theatre Centre. Opening night is Tuesday 7 April and runs through until Saturday 18 April at Canberra Theatre Centre.

#CBRoutdoors free fitness session

Get active with a free fitness session, led by celebrity trainer, Lee Campbell and HerCanberra founder, Amanda Whitley! She won’t even make you Zumba!

The fun kicks off at 5pm this Wednesday 15 April at neighbourhood oval off Chifley Place, Chifley and again at 10am on Saturday 18 April at Angas Street road verge, Ainslie . Get all the details here.

Wear green for Premmies

The ‘Wear Green for Premmies’ campaign is a day where thousands of people wear green to show their support of the 25,000 babies born prematurely in Australia each year. The day raises awareness of premature birth whilst highlighting the trials and hardships that families face after an early arrival. On Wednesday 15 April.

FOOD AND WINE

Backyard Produce Dinner

Your gateway to the vast array of stunning produce grown right on their doorstep, A.Baker present their intimate series of Backyard Produce Dinners to take the best fruit, vegetables and herbs that you’ve grown in your backyard and put it into their kitchen for the chefs to prepare once a month. Simple book at a table, bring in a bunch, box or bag of your best produce two to three days before the event and they’ll prepare a great dinner! Check in with the A.Baker website for details of the next dinner. Limited seating so bookings are essential online or by phoning (02) 6287 6150. Tickets are $60 food and $35 for matched wines.

OUTDOORS

Jerrabomberra Wetlands: Some surprising history

Join Mark Butz for a presentation on the many layered history of the Jerrabomberra Wetlands for an hour then, weather permitting, a guided walk for about an hour. It’s all part of the ACT Heritage Festival. Bookings can be made online. On Sunday 19 April from 10am to 12.30pm at Jerrabomberra Wetlands Offices, 2 Dairy Rd, Fyshwick.

Autumn Mt. Stromlo Observatory Site Tours

Take a walking tour of the Mount Stromlo Observatory and learn about one of Canberra’s oldest sites at 10am this Saturday 18 April. Mount Stromlo Observatory has been carrying out astronomical observations for over 100 years and, prior to the 2003 firestorm, had grown from a small outpost of pioneering astronomers to one of the great observatories of the world.

Its history includes designing optical munitions during the Second World War, weathering two devastating bushfires and earning one Nobel Prize. Come along and learn about the history, the science and the future of Mount Stromlo Observatory.

Bookings via Eventbrite.

afterDARK Scavenger Hunt Tours

Take an afterDARK Scavenger Hunt Tours and see what you can find in the Australian National Botanic Gardens at night. Gather your family for a night-time botanical scavenger hunt with treasures and treats to be found. Bring your torch, follow the clues and discover the fascinating plant, insect and animal life in the Gardens at night. Be the first to complete the scavenger hunt challenge and take home the coveted ‘super-sleuth’ prize. Finish your evening enjoying supper and toasting marshmallows over the open-air fire. afterDARK Scavenger Hunt Tours are not suitable for children under five years. Bookings essential on (02) 6250 9588. On every Friday from 7pm until 24 April at the Australian National Botanic Gardens.

Conflict, compassion & reconciliation guided tours

There may have been conflict in Australia’s past but through the strength and compassion of Indigenous, European and Torres Strait Islander people, their leadership and their lives we are on our way to being a truly united country. Join a volunteer-led walking tour of Reconciliation Place to learn more about the artworks and the stories behind them. Bookings are essential by registering on Eventbrite. On Tuesday 14 April from 10am to 11am at “Fire and Water”, the artwork closest to the National Library.

Tid by Torchlight

Canberrans and visitors can still enjoy the unique opportunity to explore Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve during the evening to watch native animals emerge from their hiding places for nightfall. The Tid by Torchlight program, which is organised by Conservation Volunteers Australia, run every Friday and Saturday night until 25 April, and subject to minimum booking numbers. The program is an opportunity to see and learn about our local, native flora and fauna in the stunning reserve with an expert guide. Each tour runs for five hours and begins with a dusk wildlife walk and gourmet bush BBQ before venturing into the forest at night, to discover animals you wouldn’t normally find.

Your guide will walk you through the reserve sanctuary and a spotlight tour of the forest, while teaching you about Australia’s native wildlife. Tickets are $80 for an adult and $65 for children. For visitors, the ticket price also covers the cost of transportation to and from Canberra hotels. Your ticket sale will support wildlife conservation at Tidbinbilla; a portion of the cost is donated directly back to Tidbinbilla’s endangered species breeding programs. For more information visit their website.

MARKETS & FESTIVALS

Canberra Baby and Kids Market

The Baby & Kids Market provides excellent quality preloved goods by great brands at bargain prices. It’s the perfect place to stock up on furniture, prams, toys, clothes, books and just about anything imaginable for babies and children. Mums sell their gently used baby and kids goods at very reasonable prices and it’s a fun way to grab some amazing bargains while recycling at the same time. Running since 2003, Baby & Kids Market is the original & largest market of its kind. On Saturday 18 April from 9am to 12pm at EPIC, Mitchell.

Mothers Day Market

With plenty of great stalls to check out, Henna Tattooing or face painting to be done, jumping castle to jump on and sausage sizzle , pies and ice cream to enjoy there is plenty of fun to be had at the mothers day markets. On Saturday 18 April from 10am to 2pm AT Kambah Scout Hall Springbett Street Kambah.

Gold Creek Markets – Mothers Day

At this month’s market we will be holding a Mother’s Day Raffle with lots of great prizes! All proceeds raised will be going to the Olivia Lambert Foundation! There will be lots of great gift ideas on offer ready for Mother’s Day. Pampering available on the day for mum including hot stone neck massages, mini makeovers and hand pampering! Sausage sizzle from 10am to 1pm hosted by the Olivia Lambert Foundation. Jumping Castle and Face Painting for the kids. Free Parking. On Sunday 19 April from 10am to 3pm at O’Hanlon Place, Nicholls.

Old Bus Depot Markets

Canberra’s national award winning indoor Sunday market focuses on the talent and creativity of regional arts and craftspeople. Discover 200 stalls within a fabulous old industrial building offering unique handcrafted items, gourmet take home food, regional wines, and freshly ground coffee. Visitors can browse all kinds of items including funky lamp shades, tea cups and saucers, retro decorative art, antique jewellery, china and art glass, silver, linens and restored pieces.

The Old Bus Depot Markets are easy to access, have ample free parking and a wide range of food stalls to enjoy a multicultural meal, a coffee or a quick bite to eat – while watching talented musicians and taking in the hustle and bustle of the markets. On every Sunday from 10am to 4pm on Wentworth Avenue in Kingston.

Capital Region Farmers Market

Visit the largest regional markets in the Southern Tablelands—the Capital Region Farmers Market! Be tantalised by fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers, seafood, cakes, condiments, meats, cheeses and more. Fresh produce reflects the exciting seasonal characteristics and diversity of the region providing opportunity for you to learn more about the food you’re eating and the region it comes, and discuss what you’re buying with the growers. On every Saturday from 7.30am to 11.30am at Exhibition Park on Flemington Road.

Gorman House Markets

For a quarter of a century, the Gorman House Markets have been Canberra’s much loved meeting place providing opportunities for the community and visitors alike to express themselves creatively, trade and shop in a vibrant environment, access to an audience, engage in the arts and be a part of living heritage. Experience them from 10am to 4pm every Saturday at Gorman House, Ainslie Avenue, Braddon.

FAMILY

Let It Go: The Aussie Frozen Tribute Show

Get dressed up as your favourite Frozen character and have a frosty good time at Let It Go: The Aussie Frozen Tribute Show at 10:30am this Friday 17 April. Fasten your seatbelts and let your wacky hosts Tweedledum and Tweedledee take you on an action-packed, freezing trip to the dizzy heights of Arendelle in this interactive treat of song, dance and snow.

Sing along to all the hits with Queen Elsa and Princess Anna. Play funny frosty games, learn some icy dance routines and frolic in real, falling snow!  Bookings via Ticketek.

Kids Autumn Digital Photography School

Imagine your kids doing something different in the nation’s capital these school holidays. Guided by expert tutors, kids will capture images and master the fundamentals of Adobe© creative software to create unique works of art at PhotoAccess, Manuka Arts Centre,.

Each participant will take home their own large-format photographic prints. Laptops provided, own cameras welcome but not essential.

Workshops run Tuesday to Thursday: 9am-4pm – 14-16 April or 21-23 April. Bookings essential on contact.us@photoaccess.org.au.

Shadow Play: Photograms and Pinhole Photography

Introduce kids to the mysteries and wonders of photography in the PhotoAccess darkroom! In this fun and interactive one-day school holiday workshop, kids will gain a practical understanding of black-and-white darkroom processes and pinhole photography.  Suitable for 10 to 16 year olds.

9am to 3pm this Friday 17 April. Bookings essential on contact.us@photoaccess.org.au.

Questacon

There’s always heaps for people of all ages to do at Questacon – check out their list of events here.

National Dinosaur Museum Weekend Tours

The National Dinosaur Museum holds tours every weekend. Join one of their expert staff to experience a journey through time. Take your camera, your friends, those burning dinosaur questions and join the knowledgeable staff for a fun and educational tour suitable for all ages. Tours are free with admission. Tours are 30-minutes and run every weekend at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm until 27 December.

Teddy Bears Picnic

All families in Queanbeyan with children 0-5 years are invited to a teddy bears picnic – bring your teddy, your picnic rug, water and morning tea. Come along to meet other local families and enjoy a morning at the park. Wet weather venue is the Schools as Community Centres on Isabella St. On from 10am to 12pm Monday 13 April at Ray Morton Park, Queanbeyan.

Play Up

Play Up pokes its tongue out at the idea that museums are hands off. Stand up, muck up, dress up, make up, think up and step up in a fabulous space that has turned the traditional idea of what goes on in museums completely on its head. In Play Up it is visitors to the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House (MOADOPH) who are the curators – the exhibition has been developed with children and celebrates the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Play Up celebrates the important role children have in the cultural life of our communities. Most importantly Play Up is a place for fun. At the MOADOPH and open from 9am to 5pm daily until June 2015.

Story Time

Head along to the National Portrait Gallery at 10:30am this Wednesday 15 April to listen to excerpts from the book Twelve Terrible Tales by Jill Mather and create your own visual response. This opportunity is part of the Gallery’s children and family program and is suitable for all abilities and ages. All children must be accompanied

Bookings essential, places are limited. Please phone or email the Gallery for further details.

Family Space

The National Portrait Gallery has something for everyone to enjoy this school holidays in the Portrait Gallery Adventure Family Space. Explore the lives of Australia’s greatest adventurers through interactive art carts, dioramas and dress ups. Make your own portrait that expresses your spirit of adventure using fun art materials and the photo booth. All materials provided and free for all to enjoy! From 11am to 4pm daily.

Leap into your local library

Your local library is a treasure trove…not only are there free books and resources, there are regular amazing events! Giggle & Wiggle with your little ones (up to 2 years) and help them learn through language play using interactive rhymes, songs, games and stories. Looking to improve your English and make new friends, then head along to your local library for one of the informal English conversation groups. For more events and info check them out here.

SPORTS & LEISURE

Brumbies v Rebels

See the Brumbies take on the Rebels at GIO Stadium Canberra at 7:40pm this Saturday 18 April. With the Brumbies on their home ground, you know they’ll be out for a win. Get along and cheer on your favourite team.

Widely regarded as the world’s toughest provincial rugby tournament, the Super Rugby competition pitches the best players from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa together with five teams from each conference fighting for the win.

Tickets from Ticketek.

COMMUNITY & CHARITY

National Youth Conference Opening Gala Dinner

The 2015 National Youth Conference will bring a number of young Australian change makers to the national capital. Guest speaker will be British High Commissioner to Australia, Menna Rawlings CMG. Tickets are $80 for the general public and $70 for ANU students and staff, and are available online. The Opening Gala Dinner will be the first formal event of the conference. On Tuesday 14 April from 6pm to 10pm at QT Canberra, Civic.

WORKSHOPS & TALKS

2015 National Youth Leadership Seminar

The 2015 National Youth Leadership Seminar is one of the key events of the 2015 National Youth Conference. It will bring together a number of government, community and business leaders to discuss leadership and share their leadership experience. Speakers include Amanda McKenzie (CEO Climate Council), Dr Andrew Leigh MP (Federal member for Fraser), Mick Gentleman MLA (ACT Minister for Young People), Matt Murray (US Embassy Economics Counsellor), Stephanie Jackson (Aust Gov 2015 Youth Week Rep), Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin AC (Chief of the Defence Force) and many more. The event is free to attend however registration is essential. On Wednesday 15 April from 9am to 12pm at QT Canberra.

In The Spotlight

In The Spotlight is a series of talks at the National Portrait Gallery exploring culture and identity through the lens of performers who have lived and appeared in the spotlight.

At 2pm on Monday 13 April, hear John Bell talk about ‘the real face of Shakespeare’, and on Sunday 17 May, hear David McAllister, Artistic Director Australian Ballet on performance and portraiture.

Valuing Heritage tour — Australian Parliament House

This is a rare opportunity to explore the creative design of Australia’s Parliament House for two hours with experts from the Parliament House heritage team. You will go to some of the private areas and find out about the heritage values and the work to preserve this iconic building. To finish your visit, you’ll enjoy a selection of sweet and savoury treats while taking in spectacular views of Canberra from Members’ Terrace.

Friday 17 April and Friday 24 April from 10am-12pm. Bookings essential on 02 6277 5050 or bookings@aph.gov.au

Canberra (Ainslie) Toastmasters

Canberra (Ainslie) Toastmasters is conducting a public speaking and presentation skills workshop on aspects of effective communications at Ainslie Football Club, Wakefield Avenue, Ainslie from 5.30pm to 7pm on Tuesday 14 April. Free for visitors.

Evolutionary Biology as written by flowers

In the eyes of evolution, finding a suitable mate for reproduction is one of the most critical stages in any organism’s life. The great majority of flowering plants have outsourced this essential service to animals, giving rise to a fascinating evolutionary dance between plants and pollinators. Dinner will follow the lecture in the Ainslie Football Club restaurant. To RSVP for the dinner please email mail@canberraskeptics.org.au. Dr Michael Whitehead will deliver his intriguing lecture at Ainslie Football Club, Ainslie on Monday 13 April from 6pm to 7.30pm.

Happiness through Science with Robin Ince

In Happiness Through Science Robin asks whether you can be happy and rational at the same time … covering Schrödinger cats, multiverses and evolutionary conundrums, Robin traverses the landscape of evolution and the depths of his own murky consciousness, all without the aid of a safety net.  Best known for presenting the BBC radio show The Infinite Monkey Cage with physicist Brian Cox, Robin’s recent tours include the Uncaged Monkeys Tour with Simon Singh, Brian Cox and Ben Goldacre, and The Importance of Being Interested. On Tuesday 14 April from 8pm at ANU.

National Gallery of Australia talks and workshops

The National Gallery of Australia has an extensive program of talks and workshops run in conjunction with their current exhibitions. Hear about local and international artists or specific techniques. Be inspired by the greats and create your own artworks. Talks and workshops cater for a range of different age groups. For full details visit the NGA website.

STAGE & FILM

Bell Shakespeare’s As You Like It

Part of the Collected Works 2015 season at the Canberra Theatre Centre, As You Like It is an adventure of the heart, a journey through a forest of poetry (and lions), and a tale of a love so grand all the rules are broken to win the heart of a boy. Villains. Heroes. Wrestling. Cross dressing. And love at first sight. What’s not to love about As You Like It? Tickets from $35 through Canberra Theatre Centre. Opening night is Tuesday 7 April and runs through until Saturday 18 April at Canberra Theatre Centre.

MUSIC, DANCE & MORE

Music at Midday

Canberra Theatre Centre are proud to announce that Autism Asperger ACT is the featured charity at Music At Midday concert this week. Come down at either 11am or 12.30pm and for just a gold coin donation you can enjoy the Royal Military College band playing their take on modern hits as well as some old favourites. On Tuesday 14 April from 11am to 12pm or 12.30pm to 1.30pm at Canberra Theatre Centre.

Pink Floyd Experience

The internationally acclaimed Pink Floyd Experience hits the Canberra Theatre Centre this Thursday 16 April, marking the 40th anniversary of an album so successful that it remains one of the fastest selling albums of all time. The band performs the album in full, plus other classic Pink Floyd tracks. They capture and convey the spirit, the sound and the jaw-dropping visual effects Pink Floyd are renowned for.

Tickets from Canberra Theatre Centre.

Jordie Lane + Special Guests

Jordie Lane returns to Australia for his first national tour in 18-months, playing songs from his latest EP Not Built To Last and acclaimed records Blood Thinner and Sleeping Patterns at The Street Theatre this Friday 17 April.

Lane will be performing in Australia as a duo with Clare Reynolds, who featured on Not Built To Last and has become a regular part of Lane’s live show over the past two years. The pair first performed together in 2012, when starring in the theatre show ‘Grievous Angel: The Legend of Gram Parsons’.

Selby & Friends – ‘Big Sky’ Tour

Selby and Friends – Big Sky features Vesa-Matti Leppänen on violin, Umberto Clerici on cello and Kathryn Selby on piano. Selby and Friends’ ninth season offers another extraordinary collaboration between Australian and international artists who come together to create memorable performances of beloved masterpieces, large and small.

Thriving in a festival-like atmosphere, Selby and Friends concerts create a strong and intimate connection with the audience. This allows the performers to share not only their brilliance and flair but also warmth, humour and personal musical experiences.

Performing at the James O. Fairfax Theatre, National Gallery of Australia, at 7:30pm on Monday 13 April.

Architects

Architects return to ANU Bar this Wednesday 15 APril for their first national headline tour since 2010. Joining them for the ride will be Stick To Your Guns (USA), Being As An Ocean (USA) and Stories (AUS).

Formed in 2007, Architects have been one of the most prolific and influential metalcore acts of their generation. Releasing their sixth album, Lost Forever, Lost Together (UNFD) in March 2014, the British four piece broke through in a massive way. The album debuted at #13 on the ARIA Charts, #16 on the UK Charts and saw them win the ‘Best UK Band’ award at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods.

Tickets from premier.ticketek.com.au

Khan Manuel

Described in guitar magazines around the world as one of the new guitar heroes, Khan Manuel performs at The Street Theatre this Saturday 18 April, showcasing songs from the new album The Message.

Combining soulful playing with blistering fretwork, soaring solos and memorable melodies, witness firsthand why many have categorized Manuel’s playing in the same league as guitar legends Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. Manuel’s voice on the guitar fuses styles of Rock, Blues, Jazz, Fingerstyle, Classical, Spanish Flamenco and Metal.

In addition to songs from The Message Manuel will perform covers of guitar classics including those from Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

To Heaven and Back on a Swing

To Heaven and Back on a Swing combines the talents of The Night Café, As Famous as the Moon and Andante Andante. They’ll create soaring harmonies in the Great Hall of the High Court with classic jazz numbers, Cuban salsas, an Argentinean tango, French café tunes, songs from the Romany and Gypsy Swing traditions and the sweet harmonies of ABBA.

Performing at 1:30pm this Sunday 19 April at the National High Court. Online booking necessary for entry. Seating not guaranteed.

No Lights, No Lycra

There is no light, no lycra, no teacher, no steps to learn, no technique, just free movement. NLNL is a space where you can completely let go, shake out the stresses of the week, and lose yourself in the music and the physicality of your body. NLNL is a daggy, non-pretentious place to completely be yourself.

NLNL takes place in two locations across Canberra: Monday nights from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at Mugga Mugga Scout Hall in Red Hill, and Wednesday nights from 7.30pm to 9pm at St John’s Anglican Church Hall in Reid (corner of Constitution Ave and Anzac Park West).

Lots of free onsite parking available, and admission still just $5 on the door.

Vinyl Lounge at NFSA

The popular Vinyl Lounge is back for 2015 at the National Film and Sound Archive. Join other vinyl lovers for nibbles then spin the turntables with your favourites records from 5.30pm. The NFSA’s Vinyl Lounge is on the first Friday of every month and is the perfect way to end the day (and working week). Reminscent of record clubs of the 1970s, enjoy a diverse selection of pop, rock, folk, world, funk and lounge music from the Golden Age of vinyl. Bring your own LPs and groove into the Vinyl Lounge. On the first Friday of each month from 5pm.

Weekly Dance Party for the Over 30s

30+ Dance Event will be hosting weekly Dance Parties every Saturday night at The RUC where you will be provided with an entralling and relaxed atmosphere to meet new people at your own leisure. A fun, safe and comfortable atmosphere to dance, meet new or other likeminded persons, romance, flirt or socialise and make friends. These are popular weekly Saturday night evens and the ideal night out for fun-loving socialable 30+s with pulsating music from the 60s, 70s, 80, 90s plus much more. Visit 30 Plus Dance Event for details. On every Saturday from 8pm onwards at The RUC, Turner and $20 per head.

Live Local Music

This post isn’t long enough to list all the various gigs around town, but if you’re into live music, we heartily suggest you check out what’s on offer at The Phoenix, Transit Bar, The Front, The Abbey, and BMA’s gig guide.

ART

Art in the Gardens with Friends Exhibition

On display at the Australian National Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre Gallery, the Art in the Gardens with Friends exhibition features botanical paintings and drawings dedicated to Australian native plants. Curated by the Friends Botanical Art Group, the exhibition brings together both amateur and expert artists who seek to portray plants found in the Australian National Botanic Gardens, some of which can be difficult for artists to find elsewhere. Most artworks featured in the exhibition are for sale. Exhibition opens 9.30am to 4.30pm until 19 April at the Australian National Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre Gallery.

Bespoke

As part of DESIGN Canberra, Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre is thrilled to partner with the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House (MoAD), to bring you an exciting exhibition Bespoke: Design for the people. In this stunning exhibition, 6 Australian craft and design practitioners have created new works that reflect and respond to the iconic designs of the original furniture at Old Parliament House. Each artist was given unprecedented access to the rooms and collections, and the freedom to create a personal response. Informed by their own artistic backgrounds, each artist considered notions of political perspective, change, accountability and power in their pieces. The result is a thought-provoking collaboration between design, creativity and Australia’s political history. Artists include Canberra artists Jennifer Robertson, Niklavs Rubenis, Julie Ryder, Caren Florance, in collaboration with Melinda Smith; and Sydney-based artist Cecelia Heffer. The exhibition will run until November 2015. To view the full DESIGN Canberra program of events visit their website.

James Turrell: A Retrospective

Following sell-out shows in Los Angeles and at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, comes the National Gallery of Australia’s 2014 summer blockbuster James Turrell: A Retrospective. Never before seen in Australia and showing only in Canberra, James Turrell is considered one of the greatest artists of our time. The National Gallery of Australia’s retrospective combines works from LACMA’s tour with spectacular new, site-specific installations. The exhibition is open until Monday 8 June, 2015 at the National Gallery of Australia. Ensure to check the exhibitions time changes over Christmas (closed Christmas Day). Tickets are available to purchase through Ticketek but bookings are also essential as only 15 people are allowed through in any one session.

Norforce: Tony Albert

Tony Albert works in a number of art forms, including drawing, painting, photography, and installation. A founding member of Queensland’s indigenous art collective proppaNOW, Albert’s art explores political, historical and cultural issues relevant to indigenous people in Australia today. Albert exhibits internationally and nationally and has been the recipient of numerous awards and prizes. Most recently Albert won the City of Sydney commission to create a public artwork in Hyde Park. Titled Yininmadyemi – Thou didst let fall the artwork honours the military service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander service men and women. Open until 3 November 2015 at the Australian War Memorial.

Warlpiri Drawings: Remembering the Future

Warlpiri Drawings: Remembering the Future tells the story of an intriguing collection of artworks created by Warlpiri people in the 1950s. Glimpsed through the eyes of the collector as well as more recent Warlpiri interpretations, Warlpiri Drawings explores how drawing has been used to make sense of 80 years of monumental change, to picture life in the present and look hopefully towards the future. The exhibition is open until 31 May 2015 at the National Museum of Australia.

Other exhibitions

For a comprehensive round up of smaller exhibitions around town, visit Capital Magazine.

EXHIBITIONS

The Home Front: Australia during the First World War

Commemorating the centenary of the First World War, The Home Front looks at life back at home and the pride, sorrow, passion, wonder and joy experienced by those far from the battlefields. On display at the National Museum of Australia until 1 January 2017.

Through 23 personal stories, this exhibition explores Australians’ choices, opportunities and challenges in a time of heightened emotions. See the effects of war on those at home. Rediscover Prime Minister Billy Hughes’s determination to impose conscription on a divided nation, Basil Watson’s thrilling and ultimately tragic aerobatic displays in his homemade biplane, May Gibbs’s quaint postcards that carried messages of joy to soldiers and more.

Crisis 1914! The call to arms

Crisis 1914! The call to arms explores the political events which led to Australia’s involvement in the First World War, from outbreak of war in August to the first convoy’s departure in November 1914. In Australia’s first crisis as a new nation, we went willingly, even enthusiastically, into the war.

See the original cabinet table used in 1914, along with other memorabilia from the era which help to tell the story of Australia’s political journey.

This exhibition contributes to the Anzac Centenary, marking 100 years of service by Australian servicemen and women, and the experience of war by all Australians.

At the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House until 5 August 2015.

Without Consent

Without Consent: Australia’s past adoption practices is now open at the National Archives.  An exhibition of moving experiences of heartbreak and resilience, shared by people impacted by Australia’s past adoption practices. This project has been assisted by the Department of Social Services. Open from 13 April until 19 July at the National Archives, Parkes.

Diplomacy: Translations in glass

Diplomacy: Translations in glass is an exhibition that responds to the international glass collections and glass traditions represented by diplomatic missions in Canberra. Australian glass artists Helen Aitken-Kuhnen, Andrew Baldwin, Erin Conron, Ben Edols and Kathy Elliott, Hannah Gason, Elizabeth Kelly, Klaus Moje and Lienors Torre respond to the cultural influences of Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Malta and USA. At the Canberra Glassworks until 16 April.

The Front Room

Explore Australia’s TV, radio and music collection at your leisure in the National Film and Sound Archive‘s latest screen and sound experience in Acton – The Front Room. Discover the history of sound, music and broadcast in comfort. Listen to radio broadcasts on a 1950s radiogram, watch classic TV in the lounge space or play CDs on one of the listening posts. Whether you’ve got five minutes or five hours, there’s always something to see, hear or do in The Front Room. Open until 24 December 2015. Visit their website for more information.

Art is a Weapon

Art is a Weapon takes you back to an Australia gripped by the Cold War. Amid propaganda for and against communism, artists turned to an image familiar to most Australians; the Southern Cross flag of the Eureka Stockade. The portfolio contains fourteen works from ten artists, including three from prominent Melbourne artist Noel Counihan. Counihan was a Social Realist who was heavily involved in the Communist Party, and was well-known in the Melbourne art community. The works reflect both the Eureka rebellion itself and, more broadly, the themes of workers’ rights and struggles against the established authorities.

Art is a Weapon explores how the Eureka story, legend and iconography have been used by groups and causes of all political flavours to spread their message. Alongside the portfolio of works, other objects and artworks using the Southern Cross motif show how the idea of Eureka has been adopted by groups as diverse as young communists and motorcycle clubs. Open now at the Museum of Australian Democracy. Visit their website for more information.

Behind the Lines 2014

Superheroes. Battle axes. Death stares. Who said politics was dry and dull? Highly anticipated and scorchingly honest, Behind the Lines 2014 celebrates the best political cartoons of 2014. The exhibition – one of the most anticipated of the year for politic tragics is now open at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. In the 2014 exhibition, cartoonists wryly comment on Tony Abbott’s first year in government. They see the Coalition attempting to deliver strong and stable leadership, as well as fulfilling their election promises to stop the boats, axe the tax, fix the budget and reduce red tape. Meanwhile, a restless Australian Labor Party waits for its Leader to ditch the past, move forward and say something. Each year the exhibition acknowledges a cartoonist as the Behind the Lines Political Cartoonist of the Year. Open until November 2015.

Afghanistan: The Australian Story

Afghanistan and the Middle East are now linked to Australia’s national story. Australia’s mission is clear: to combat international terrorism, to stabilise Afghanistan, and to support Australia’s international alliances. Yet a mission statement cannot capture the challenges, the successes, and the comradeship of the Australian men and women who pursue it. Nor the joys and heartbreaks, or the loneliness and the dedication of those who wait at home. Some of these experiences, set against the powerful imagery of a modern war, are told in this exhibition. Over time, the display will change and evolve as more veterans share their stories. Open until 3 November 2015 at the Australian War Memorial.

Enterprising Australians

An insight into how great ideas happen, hear the inspiring stories of Australia’s modern-day innovators. Discover the unique journey that inventors take from idea to product in this exhibition featuring video stories, product displays and interactive stations that explore the origins of products from a range of fields, including mining, agriculture, medical, automotive, and food science. Showing until 30 June 2016 at The Ian Potter Technology Learning Centre.

Keepsakes: Australians and The Great War

To mark the centenary of the First World War, the National Library of Australia invites you to explore their fascinating collection of wartime albums, medals, letters and diaries in Keepsakes. Keepsakes tells the story of The Great War as experienced by Australian servicemen and women, key political leaders, civilians, artists and families on the homefront. Discover how very personal stories become our nation’s collective memory. Open until Sunday 31 May 2015.

Power of 1: Does your voice count?

Discover the changing nature of Australian democracy and the power of your voice within it. Power of 1 is a ground breaking interactive exhibition shaped by the answers you share, about what matters to you. Step back in time to remember the events, people and experiences that have shaped each generation of Australians. Have your say about the state of democracy and help to create a new kind of museum experience curated by the voices of the Australian people. It’s time…have your say and be heard. Open until 12 November 2015 at Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.

Ben Quilty: After Afghanistan

After spending over three weeks talking to Australian servicemen and women in Afghanistan, Ben Quilty felt an overwhelming need to tell their stories. He went there in October 2011 as an official war artist, commissioned by the Australian War Memorial and attached to the Australian Defence Force. His task was to record and interpret the experiences of Australians deployed as part of Operation Slipper in Kabul, Kandahar, and Tarin Kot in Afghanistan and at Al Minhad Airbase in the United Arab Emirates. Quilty’s work employs a wide range of genres, including portraits, figurative subjects, still-lifes and landscapes. On display until 14 August 2015.

Menzies: By John Howard

Former Prime Minister John Howard has curated this Menzies exhibition and shares his unique and personal insights, reflections and stories on the intense first term of former Prime Minister Robert Menzies. The exhibition marks the 75th anniversary of Robert Menzies’ first term as prime minister (1939-41) and features objects never before seen by the public, including personal items on loan from the Menzies family. Open now until 3 September 2015 at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House.