Don’t know what to do this week in Canberra? We’ll leave this here…
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Here are our picks for what to fill your days with this week.
You’re welcome!
Four not to miss…
Rent: The Musical
You read that right, Jonathan Larson’s electrifying, multi-Tony® Award-winning musical Rent is coming to Canberra.
Featuring the iconic songs ‘Seasons of Love’ ‘Take Me or Leave Me’ and ‘La Vie Bohème’, this groundbreaking phenomenon is more than a musical; it’s a celebration of life, love, and the human spirit. Grab tickets now!
Until Thursday 13 June, 7:30 pm – 10 pm | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, City | Book here.
Dance Central Mid Year Crew & Troupe Fundraiser Show
Raising money to support the three Crews who are officially in the Australian Hip Hop International Team, travelling to compete on the world stage in Phoenix, Arizona, this showcase is not to be missed.
Tickets include an one-hour jaw-dropping showcase of the competition teams and there will be an epic-pre show party before hand with live entertainment, a mega raffle, drinks, food (including charcuterie boxes, sausage sizzle, burgers, and sweets) and a whole lot more! All proceeds go to the teams repping Australia.
Saturday 15 June, from 6 pm | Telopea Park Hall (enter via New South Wales Crescent) | Book here.
THE SHOW
Tickets include a 1-hour jaw-dropping showcase of our competition teams; our mega talented technical troupes and hip hop crews will tear up the stage for you! Plus, we’ll announce the winners of our Mega Raffles! Details on prizes and how to get raffle tickets are coming soon…
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
This is one the whole family can enjoy. But just a warning: it’s not a fluffy fairytale. Instead, this story is brimming with mirth and mayhem, whimsy and wickedness – and it’s probably what Shakespeare would have wanted.
Coming to the Canberra Theatre Centre this June, Bell Shakespeare’s fantastical adaption of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is bringing the beloved romantic comedy by William Shakespeare to the Playhouse stage, reimagined and refreshed.
Until Saturday 15 June | Canberra Theatre Centre | Tickets here.
Truffle Infused Weekends at Mount Majura Vineyard
It’s finally truffle season and that means it’s time to book your favourite truffle and wine experience.
Enjoy truffle infused triple-cream brie-style cheese with a flight of three 80ml glasses that have been perfectly matched for $40 per person. With sessions available all day Saturday and Sunday, online bookings close the day prior.
Every weekend until Sunday 1 September, 10 am – 5 pm | Mount Majura Vineyard, 88 Lime Kiln Road, Majura | Book here.
Walk to Defeat MND Canberra
Join in to show people facing motor neurone disease that they are not alone. Walking 5km from Upper Commonwealth Place, the money raised from this walk will provide vital support to people living with motor neurone disease, as well as their families and carers.
Designed for all ages and abilities, with stroller and wheelchair-friendly course around Lake Burley Griffin that you can complete at your own pace, everyone is invited to participate.
Sunday 16 June, 10 am – 1 pm | Upper Commonwealth Place, Mall Road West, Parkes | More information here.
Gig For Gaza
Canberra musicians and artists are coming together to show solidarity and support with Palestine with a GIG FOR GAZA at the Polo.
All ticket proceeds and funds raised are going to Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association (PANZMA) to provide medical resources for Palestinians in Gaza. There will be a massive lineup of local acts; visual artists selling works for the cause; and more.
Sunday 16 June, 2 pm – 7:30 pm | Polish White Eagle Club in Turner | Book here.
Markets
Capital Region Farmers Market
Fresh produce, flowers and the ready-to-eat food and coffee. What more could you need? The Capital Region Farmers Market has everything you need.
7 am – 11.30 am Saturday | Exhibition Park in Canberra, Old Well Station Road, Mitchell | capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au
Little Burley Markets
Offering a diverse array of multicultural foods, much-loved beverages and brunchables, beautiful blooms, locally made art, fashion, photography and homewares, artisanal bread, delectable pastries, seafood, smoked charcuterie, truffles, meats, puppy treats, and much more, you’ll be able to find plenty of goodies at this bespoke lakeside market
8 am – 1 pm Saturday | Queen Elizabeth Terrace, Parkes | thelittleburleymarket.com.au
Southside Farmers Markets
This village market is located at Canberra College, making it the perfect place to duck in to grab what you need (and maybe a few things you don’t). Order an egg and bacon roll to start the morning as you explore the best of fresh seasonal veggies, handmade pasta and pet treats.
8 am–11.30 am Sunday | 2 Launceston Street, Phillip | facebook.com
Haig Park Markets
Moments away from Lonsdale street’s boutiques and cafes, the Haig Park Village Markets will delight your senses with delicious cuisines, tasty treats, beautiful blooms, fresh produce, delectable charcuterie and artisan products. It’s a lovely place to enjoy a picnic whilst feasting your senses on the culinary delights on offer or to browse the fabulous local handmade design stalls.
8.30 am – 2 pm Sundays | Haig Park, Girrahween Street, Braddon | haigparkvillagemarkets.com.au
Old Bus Depot Markets
Lovers of fine hand-crafted wares, clothing collectors, food fanatics and jewellery junkies are just a few of the people who head to Canberra’s award-winning Old Bus Depot Markets every Sunday. In a fabulous old industrial building you’ll experience the endless colour, tastes, sounds and atmosphere that is “Canberra’s Sunday Best”.
Not your average market, each week you’ll find over 200 stalls of exceptional quality, featuring items all hand-crafted by local and regional creatives. There’s simply no better way to spend your Sunday in Canberra.
Every Sunday | 21 Wentworth Ave, Kingston | obdm.com.au
Food and Wine
Tipsy Sundaze
At “Tipsy Sundaze” the weekend doesn’t have to end on a flat note.
Come together with friends and elevate your Sunday at Amici. Unwind, sip, and savour while experiencing the very best Canberra’s music scene has to offer.
Every Sunday from 2.30-5.30 pm | Amici, Northbourne Avenue, City | Find out more here
Stage and Screen
Casper – Pizza and Pyjama Screening
Come in your comfiest PJs, bring your favourite teddy or blanket, and enjoy this extra-cosy, Friday night family screening of this 1990s family classic.
There will be pizza on arrival (included with ticket) and lots of fun!
Friday 14 June, 6 pm – 8:15 pm | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton | Book here.
Floor Element 2024
This is an electrifying dance competition at Canberra’s Harmonie German Club!
Showcasing captivating routines, diverse talents, and sultry moves that will leave you breathless, it’s a massive celebration of creativity and community.
Saturday 15 June, 6 pm – 10 pm | Harmonie German Club, Canberra, 49 Jerrabomberra Avenue, Narrabundah | More information here.
Terror by Ferdinand von Schirach
Guilty or not guilty? Enter the courtroom, hear the evidence, and make your judgement. An interactive show where the fate of a fighter pilot is placed in the audience’s hands, you’ll be the jury and judge.
Until Sunday 16 June | Mill Theatre at Dairy Road, 1 Dairy Road, Building 3.3, Fyshwick | Book here.
Music
Altstaedt plays Hadyn and Tchaikovsky
It’s been more than a decade since the young cellist burst onto the world stage as a BBC New Generation Artist, and now Nicolas Altstaedt is coming to Canberra.
Piling up musical accolades from the stages of New York, London and beyond, this is your chance to see his ACO debut as both director and soloist.
Friday 14 June, 8 pm – 10 pm | Llewellyn Hall, 100 William Herbert Place, City | Book here.
Exhibitions
Sisters Interwoven
From Wiradjuri artist Rechelle Turner and Ngunnawal Wiradjuri artist Megan Daley comes Sisters Interwoven, a new exhbition exploring their culture and connection to Country.
Created using a variety of media, these works were produced during Megan Rechelle’s residency at Megalo Print Studios
Friday 14 June until Saturday 10 August | Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway | More information here.
All Guns Blazing
All Guns Blazing is a body of work of artist Jamie-Lea Trindall, a Wiradjuri woman who explores the ancient traditions of carving and string making.
Described as “a voyage of discovery”, the exhbition uncovers the depths of intrinsic connections, where generations of brave trailblazers have carved winding paths through the outback country and how deeply connected her own bold life experiences are to the stories.
Friday 14 June until Saturday 10 August | Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway | More information here.
Breaking Ground
In Breaking Ground, Michele England and Heidi Smith have responded to significant Tuggeranong Valley sites by creating experimental mixed media artworks highlighting changes to urban and natural spaces.
Place, material, and contemplative conversations transform the mundane into the unexpected in this collaboration by incorporating found objects, creating pigments, using drawing apparatus and repurposing discarded items to create Breaking Ground: Chaos Theory and the Valley.
Friday 14 June until Saturday 10 August | Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 137 Reed Street, Greenway | More information here.
Women Who Rendered Blind
This is a solo exhibition by Sepideh Farzam. Based the ongoing challenges faced by women in Iran, Sepideh has been deeply inspired to develop a new body of work serving as a testament to the courage, resilience, and struggles of women who have stood up against oppression and fought for their rights.
In the form of textile and installation, she uses various materials such as uncoated canvas, waxed thread, marbles, plaster, steel plate, plexiglas, cotton bandage fabric and hand-woven carpet as well as symbolic imagery, to shed light on the experiences of Iranian women, giving voice to their stories and advocating for change.
Friday 14 June until Sunday 7 July | M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | More information here.
On Show – Sustainability
This is a group exhibition by the members of the Canberra Art Workshop (CAW).
It focuses on the theme of creating a world that sustains both us and future generations, alongside our natural environment.
Friday 14 June until Sunday 7 July | M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | More information here.
Life in the System
A solo exhibition by Melanie Olde, this represents her ongoing exploration of hand-woven three-dimensional fabric forms that mimic living tissue, life-like structures and functions.
Using weaving as a metaphor for complexity within life systems, the works challenge weaving as a medium for questioning how cloth can mimic a living system.
Friday 14 June until Sunday 7 July | M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | More information here.
Golden Hour
Sophie Ryan is an emerging artist originally from Bathurst, New South Wales, driven by a deep connection to her surroundings and a desire to convey the vitality and movement of the world around her.
Currently looking into different ways of representing landscapes through gesture, embodiment, emotion and memory while combining elements of drawing and painting, this solo exhibition will feature a series of landscapes and other depicted moments to respond to feelings of growth, and what it means to live in a new place but yearn for the grounding of familiarity and comforts.
Until Sunday 16 June | Strathnairn Arts Association, 90 Stockdill Drive, Holt | More information here.
Joan McKay: Touched By Fauna
In this exhbition at the Strathnairn Arts Association, artist Joan McKay uses hyperrealism to invite the viewer to connect with the beauty, gentleness and vulnerability of local animals and birds. Presenting a new body of work using scratchboards, you’ll see everything from red-necked wallabies to swamp wallabies, peewees, magpies and more.
Until Sunday 16 June | Strathnairn Arts Association, 90 Stockdill Drive, Holt | More information here.
Gardens of Academe
All inspired and created on the grounds of the Australian National University, don’t miss the latest watercolour and charcoal artworks by Elizabeth Truswell.
Showing at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the exhibition reflects the landscaped gardens from the lower slopes of Black Mountain and Sullivans creek.
Wednesday 5 until Sunday 30 June | Australian National Botanic Gardens, Visitor Centre Gallery, Clunies Ross Street, Acton | More information here.
Futures Exhibition
Presenting ongoing research from the Australian National University School of Art & Design, this exhibition explores everything from climate change, to digital heritage, maternal health, and the emerging arts of metabolism and digestion.
Until Friday 5 July, 10:30 am – 3 pm | ANU School of Art & Design Gallery, Building 105, Corner Liversidge Street & Ellery Crescent, Acton | More information here.
Canberra Potters’ Student | Teacher Exhibition
This annual exhbition is an opportunity to celebrate the skills and creativity of the many students who attend classes at Canberra Potters!
Giving students a welcoming environment to publicly display their work, participation is open to all students – adults and children – who have attended classes at Canberra Potters in the previous 12 months. All Canberra Potters teachers are excellent potters in their own right and their work is exhibited alongside the students’.
Until Sunday 7 July, 10 am – 4 pm | Canberra Potters, 1 Aspinall Street, Watson Arts Centre, Watson | More information here.
Temple at the NFSA
Created by Australian artists Leila Jeffreys and Melvin J. Montalban, this contemplative artwork celebrates the awe-inspiring beauty of native cockatoos.
Temple invites us to reflect on the wonder of nature and our place within it.
Until Sunday 30 June | NFSA Acton | nfsa.gov.au
NYARU
This is an exhibition of new works in glass by Yankunytjatjara / Western Arrernte artist, Robert Fielding. Co-curated by Erin Vink and Aimee Frodsham, the works challenges the perception of Central Desert artwork in the medium of glass with the artist combining strong cultural roots with contemporary views on the tensions between community life and global concerns.
Until Sunday 21 July | 11 Wentworth Avenue Kingston | More information here.
Sport
Raiders v Cowboys
Hello Friday night footy! The Canberra Raiders are returning home to GIO Stadium for NRL Round 15 action when they take on the North Queensland Cowboys. Grab your tickets before they’re gone.
Friday 14 June, 6 pm – 8 pm | GIO Stadium Canberra, Battye Street, Bruce | Book here.
Australian Sports Camps
This is a three day sporting camp children aged five to 15! Suitable for all skill and experience levels, the aim is to promote fun and enjoyment whilst playing sports with friends.
With a variety of sports on offer including AFL/AFLW, rugby union, netball, basketball and soccer, there’s something for every little budding sports star.
Sunday 16 until Tuesday 18 June | The Australian National University, North Road, Acton | More information here.
Workshops, Tours and Talks
Crafternoons at Smith’s
It’s time to get crafty! Grab your projects, whatever they be, and hang out with other crafty types doing their thing.
Cross-stitch, visible mending, crochet, embroidery, knitting, tatting, sewing buttons on, bead stringing, wire-weaving, tapestry – whatever you’re into, take it along.
Wednesday 12 June, 12:30 pm – 3 pm | Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga Street, City | More information here.
Libraries ACT Author Talk: How to Pay Your Mortgage Off in 10 Years
An evening with bestselling personal finance author and money coach Serina Bird? Yes please.
Discussing her latest book ‘How to Pay Your Mortgage Off in 10 Years: Even when interest rates are going up’, Serina will present practical strategies, calculates the savings and shares the steps se has used – and anyone can use – to become mortgage free.
Friday 14 June, 6 pm – 7 pm | Dickson Library, Antill Street, Dickson | Book here.
Create and Curate – How Mother Kangaroo Got Her Pouch
This is an interactive children’s workshop celebrating the launch of the new book How Mother Kangaroo Got Her Pouch by Rebecca Beetson and illustrated by Paul Lalo.
Children will listen to the story told by Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi women Rebecca Beetson and Aunty Diane Riley-McNaboe, learn about First Nations symbols and other stories and then create and display their own artwork. Bookings are essential!
Saturday 15 June, 10:30 am – 12 pm | National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent | Book here.
Artists in Conversation: Elizabeth Ficken, Isobel Rayson & Nick Stranks
Taking place at Belconnen Arts Centre, this special artist talk with Elizabeth Ficken, Isobel Rayson & Nick Stranks offers a rare opportunity learn more about their exhibitions “Awaken” and “Almost Always”. See you there?
Saturday 15 June, 2 pm – 3 pm | Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | Book here.
Tufting Class for Beginners
Discover the joy of tufting! In this beginners class you will create your own custom rug at DKTUTU Studio in Forde. Choose from over 200 yarn colours and let your creativity shine. $1 from every booking will be donated to Dementia Australia.
Every weekend until Sunday 29 December | Teacher’s Studio, 22 Beveridge Crescent, Forde | Book here.
Feature image: Lean Timms.