The final days of & Juliet, ANZAC Day and more – everything that’s happening this week in Canberra
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Blockbuster shows, markets and so much more. Who said there’s nothing to do this week in Canberra?
With a long weekend on the horizon, here’s everything you can do to fill your days as you count down to ANZAC Day.
Don’t miss…
Constellations
What if the same conversation could be replayed infinite times, each version revealing something new? That’s the exquisite premise at the heart of Nick Payne’s Constellations, directed by Kelly Somes and presented by Free-Rain Theatre Company. When physicist Marianne and beekeeper Roland share an improbable romance, their story unfolds across multiple timelines–exploring free will, quantum theory, and the tender, complicated business of human connection.
Until Saturday, 25 April, 7.30 pm–9.30 pm | ACT Hub, Kingston | acthub.com.au
ANZAC Day at BentSpoke
BentSpoke Brewing Co. in Braddon is marking ANZAC Day in true community spirit, opening from 6 am for a hearty breakfast and fresh coffee after the Dawn Services. Two-Up kicks off from noon in the extended beer garden on Elouera Street, facilitated by the Australian Veterans Order of Gamers, with live music from 9 am setting the tone for the day. A dollar from every beer sold goes to the Soldier On Foundation, supporting current and former ADF personnel and their families. Bookings are encouraged but walk-ins are always welcome.
Saturday, 25 April, from 6 am | BentSpoke Brewing Co., Mort Street, Braddon | bentspokebrewing.com.au
ANZAC Day at Mercure Canberra and Olims Bar and Bistro
Just 600 metres from the Australian War Memorial, the Mercure Canberra is one of the most fitting places in the city to mark ANZAC Day. Olims Bar and Bistro opens from 6 am for a Gunfire Breakfast and full bar service after the Dawn Service, with a courtyard buffet, takeaway tea and coffee, bacon and egg rolls, and pies also on offer throughout the morning. As the day unfolds, Canberra’s largest outdoor Two-Up competition gets underway, with all proceeds donated to charity. A genuinely community-spirited way to spend the day.
Saturday, 25 April, 6 am–10 pm | Mercure Canberra, Limestone Avenue, Braddon | mercurecanberra.com.au
& Juliet
All the world’s a stage. This one’s yours. What if Juliet’s story didn’t end with Romeo? What if she had the chance to live, to love, and to write a new chapter – one that was truly hers?
Free-Rain Theatre Company presents & Juliet – the smash-hit musical that reimagines Shakespeare’s most famous heroine with a vibrant new future and a pop-powered twist. Set to an electrifying soundtrack of global anthems from legendary songwriter Max Martin, this award-winning production bursts with songs you already know and love, including… ‘Baby One More Time’, ‘Since U Been Gone’, ‘Roar’, ‘I Want It That Way’, ‘It’s My Life’, and ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’
With a witty and heart-filled script by Emmy®-winning writer David West Read (Schitt’s Creek), & Juliet is unapologetically theatrical and endlessly entertaining. Renaissance meets pop royalty, heartbreak meets empowerment, and Shakespeare shares the stage with Anne Hathaway. Don’t miss this explosive, feel-good sensation as Free-Rain Theatre Company brings one of the world’s most celebrated new musicals to Canberra!
Until Sunday 26 April | The Q, Queanbeyan | theq.net.au
Last weeks of Hallyu! The Korean Wave
An exhibition exploring Korea’s cultural journey to global influence through 250 objects from the V&A in London. The exhibition spans film, fashion, drama, beauty and music–from BTS to aespa, Squid Game to Parasite, glass skin to bibimbap. Visitors can discover the powerhouse behind Korea’s dramatic cultural transformation and the vibrant world of K-culture as it continues to sweep across the globe. The exhibition examines how creativity, collaboration and cultural ambition shaped Korea’s contemporary identity.
Until Sunday, 10 May | National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, Acton | nma.gov.au
Special Events and Festivals
Hop Into Colour at IKEA
For a low-key, no-cost Easter activity that makes a great accompaniment to a family lunch, IKEA Canberra is offering free Easter placemat colouring in the restaurant from Saturday 4 April through to Tuesday 21 April.
Available for children aged three to 12, it’s a simple and joyful activity that keeps little ones happily occupied while the grown-ups enjoy a Swedish meatball in peace.
Until Tuesday 21 April | 1030 Majura Road, Pialligo | ikea.com/au
No Lights No Lycra Canberra South
If the idea of dancing completely uninhibited in a darkened room to an eclectic mix of rock, disco, funk, EDM, and whatever else sounds good that week appeals–and it should–No Lights No Lycra at the Weston Creek Community Centre has been delivering exactly that since 2016. No choreography, no technique required, no judgment. Just music, movement, and the particular freedom that comes from dancing where nobody can quite see you. A genuine mix of ages and abilities every week, with children over 12 welcome with adult supervision.
Thursday, 23 April, 7:20 pm–8:30 pm | Weston Creek Community Centre, Whitney Place, Weston | nolightsnolycra.com
Paws Party
Haig Park is going to the dogs this Sunday – and that’s absolutely a good thing. Paws Party returns to the top of Mort Street in Braddon for a free morning made entirely for dogs and their devoted humans, with treats, playful activities, and more wagging tails than is strictly manageable. Big dogs, small dogs, scruffy dogs, glamorous dogs–all are welcome. Just grab the leash and show up.
Sunday, 26 April, 10 am–12 pm | Haig Park, Mort Street, Braddon | inthecity.com.au
Canberra and Region Heritage Festival
Autumn in Canberra signals the return of the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival, inviting locals to explore the stories and spaces that shaped the capital. With a focus on mid-century innovation, the program spans guided tours, exhibitions and hands-on experiences across the region. It’s a chance to see familiar landmarks through a fresh lens while uncovering lesser-known histories.
Until Sunday, 10 May, Various times | Various locations | environment.act.gov.au
Markets
Pandoras Recycled Fashions O’Connor – Everything Half Price Sale
Pandoras recycles high-end designer clothes, shoes, handbags, hats & jewellery. Top quality fashions at reasonable prices Everything you need to refresh your wardrobe from casual, work, evening or wedding. As the season changes Pandoras is having a half price sale to make room for all the fabulous Winter clothes we have ready to go.
Pandoras is based at St Philip’s Church in O’Connor and proceeds support local Canberra charities.
Half price sale dates are for three weeks on Saturday 18 and 25 April and 2 May. This is followed by the Winter launch on Saturday 9 May.
Pandoras is open every Saturday, 10 am–1 pm | Lamerton Centre, St Philips Church, Cnr Moorhouse and Macpherson Streets | facebook.com
Capital Region Farmers Market
This farmers’ market is iconic for a reason.
Go along to sample the region’s freshest produce from over 100 stallholders who bring freshly picked, grown and hand-crafted goods to Canberra and speak directly with growers and learn cooking tips while supporting the Rotary Club of Hall’s community projects.
It will make you appreciate your Saturday morning shopping trip in a whole new way.
Saturdays, 7 am-11:30 am | Exhibition Park in Canberra, Mitchell | capitalregionfarmersmarket.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. The sheer variety means you’ll discover something unexpected every visit, whether that’s a piece of pottery that speaks to you, a stunning necklace, or the perfect vintage find. There’s simply no better way to spend your Sunday in Canberra.
Sundays, 9.30 am – 2.30 pm | 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston | obdm.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, pet treats and more.
Sunday 7 am -11.30 am | 2 Launceston Street, Phillip | facebook.com/SouthsideFarmersMarketCanberra
Haig Park Village Markets
Another local favourite, spend your Sunday morning browsing delicious cuisines, fresh produce, artisan products and locally handmade crafts while enjoying live music, an artists’ table and family-friendly activities.
It’s the kind of market where you can linger over breakfast, discover a new artist, and stock up on fresh produce all in one lovely morning, making it the perfect Sunday outing in leafy Braddon.
Sundays, 8 am – 2 pm | Haig Park, Girrahween Street, Braddon | haigparkvillagemarkets.com.au
Food and Drink
High Tea in Canberra at The Pavilion
The leafy atrium setting of The Pavilion on Northbourne is one of Canberra’s loveliest spots for a long, unhurried afternoon, and the High Tea offering makes the most of every bit of it. Bottomless prosecco, soothing teas, and a beautifully curated spread of sweet and savoury treats create the kind of afternoon that stretches pleasantly past its scheduled finish. A perfect ANZAC Day treat for those who prefer their long weekend on the gentler side.
Saturday, 25 April, 12 pm–2 pm | Atrium Restaurant and Bar, Dickson | atriumrestaurantandbar.com.au
The Brunch Club at Capitol Bar & Grill
Sunday mornings in Canberra just got a serious upgrade. Capitol Bar & Grill’s Brunch Club is an all-day, unapologetically indulgent affair built for those who believe weekends deserve better than a rushed coffee and toast. The menu runs from fluffy buttermilk pancakes and classic cheeseburgers with secret sauce to miso grilled salmon and a few cheeky surprises in between. The real centrepiece, though, is the Bloody Mary cart–a Ketel One Vodka partnership that lets guests load up with crispy bacon, blue cheese olives, dill pickles, mussels, chilli, and more, built tableside by the brunch bartenders. Running every Sunday until 30 August.
Every Sunday until 30 August | Capitol Bar & Grill, Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra | qthotels.com
Sport and Wellness
Fitness in The Park
Fitness class for all levels of fitness for the whole community. Join Ginninderry local Vince as he takes you through a group fitness class in the fresh air at Paddys Park.
Every Wednesday, 7.30 am to 8.30 am, Paddys Park, Asimus Avenue, Strathnairn | Find out more here.
Yoga at Ginninderry
Get bendy on Thursday evenings at a yoga class! You don’t need any experience – just head along for the slow-flow class that will help melt away tension, build strength and mobility, and give you a chance to recharge. Take along a yoga mat, water bottle, and comfy clothes.
Every Thursday, 6.45 pm to 7.45 pm | The Link, 1 McClymont Way, Strathnairn | More information here.
Settlers Track Walk
ANZAC Day morning takes on a different kind of meaning on this guided ranger walk through Namadgi National Park. The 9km Settlers Track winds through beautiful landscape, visiting three heritage huts along the way and offering sweeping views of the surrounding ranges–a quiet, reflective way to mark the long weekend in one of Canberra’s most stunning natural spaces. No bookings details listed, so check with Parks ACT ahead of time to confirm availability.
Saturday, 25 April, 10 am–1 pm | Settlers Track car park, Boboyan Road, Tharwa | parks.act.gov.au
GIANTS v North Melbourne Kangaroos – Toyota AFL Premiership
ANZAC weekend footy comes to Manuka Oval this Sunday, with the GWS GIANTS hosting the North Melbourne Kangaroos for what promises to be a cracking afternoon clash. Beyond the action on the field, there’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained–local food stalls, the GIANTS Fan Zone with giveaways, face painting, and inflatables, and Macca’s Kick 2 Kick on the oval post-game. One of Canberra’s great sporting afternoons.
Sunday 26 April, 4.40 pm–7.40 pm | Corroboree Group Oval, Manuka | gwsgiants.com.au
Music
Richard Marx: After Hours Tour
Few artists can claim number-one singles across four consecutive decades–a distinction Richard Marx shares exclusively with Michael Jackson–and this April he brings that remarkable catalogue to Canberra for the After Hours Tour. Expect the timeless hits that defined a generation alongside new music, including recent releases featuring world-renowned trumpeter Chris Botti. His 2023 Australian run sold out completely, so the demand for this return is expected to be significant. The Royal Theatre at the National Convention Centre provides a beautifully intimate setting for a voice that has genuinely never sounded better. Don’t leave booking this one too long.
Monday 20 April, 8 pm | Royal Theatre, National Convention Centre, Canberra | premier.ticketek.com.au
From South to Vienna: Wesley Lunchtime Concert with Ida Pelliccioli
Italian pianist Ida Pelliccioli returns to Australia on her second tour, and Canberra is lucky enough to be on the itinerary. Acclaimed for the expressive depth and originality of her interpretations, Pelliccioli brings a beautifully curated program to the Wesley Lunchtime Concert series–a sonic journey from southern Europe to the heart of Vienna, taking in Scarlatti, Mozart, the rarely performed Blasco de Nebra, and Schubert along the way. Tickets are $15 and include program and refreshments. A second concert on Friday 24 April features works by Sibelius, Busoni, Respighi, and Janáček.
Wednesday, 22 April, 12.40 pm–1.20 pm | Wesley Music Centre, National Circuit, Forrest | trybooking.com/DIJJK
Cody Pennington: Country Show Tour
A high-energy country show filled with sing-alongs and crowd favourites, capturing the spirit of Nashville live on stage.
Thursday 23 April, 7 pm–11.30 pm | UC Hub, Bruce | moshtix.com.au
Keenan Te – The Constellations Tour: Canberra
Rising global star Keenan Te brings his emotional pop sound to Canberra for a night of connection and live music.
Friday 24 April, 7.30 pm–11.30 pm | UC Hub, Bruce | moshtix.com.au
Introspections: Wesley Music Centre with Ida Pelliccioli
The second of Italian pianist Ida Pelliccioli’s Canberra appearances this week takes a more inward turn. Introspections is built around the idea of self-reflective purity–casting light on the essence and origin of things through works by Sibelius, Busoni, Respighi, and Janáček, composers who each pursued their own deeply personal musical language. It’s a program of genuine depth and rarity, presented in the intimate setting of the Wesley Music Centre in Forrest. Tickets are $15 and include program and refreshments.
Friday, 24 April, 6 pm | Wesley Music Centre, National Circuit, Forrest | trybooking.com/DLFBE
Invitation to the Dance
Salut! Baroque transports audiences to the opulent court of Louis XIV for an evening of music and movement inspired by the Palace of Versailles, where dance and diplomacy were entirely inseparable. In Louis’ world, every pageant and performance was a carefully orchestrated assertion of absolute power–and the music that accompanied it was correspondingly magnificent. This Wesley Church concert promises to be a richly atmospheric evening of Baroque excellence in one of Forrest’s most beautiful performance spaces.
Friday, 24 April, 7.30 pm–8.45 pm | Wesley Church, National Circuit, Forrest | baroque.com.au
Harden Rodeo 2026: Broncs, Barrels and Bands
Just 90 minutes from Canberra, the Harden Rodeo makes a triumphant return to the Harden Racecourse and Rodeo Grounds this ANZAC long weekend for the first large-scale rodeo competition the region has seen since 2018. Barrel racing, team roping, open bronc events, and the Ladies Ranch Bronc Ride fill the arena, while markets, food vendors, and live music headlined by 2026 Toyota Star Maker winner Jarrod Wrigley make for a full weekend of authentic country atmosphere. Camping is available on site for those making a proper weekend of it.
Saturday 25 and Sunday, 26 April | Harden Racecourse and Rodeo Grounds, Harden-Murrumburrah | ticketebo.com.au/harden-rodeo
Smith’s at Belco: Mitch Tambo
Blending contemporary sounds with traditional Gamilaraay language and culture, Mitch Tambo delivers an energetic and uplifting live performance. With a mix of reimagined classics and original songs, the show invites audiences into a vibrant, immersive experience.
Saturday 25 April, 7 pm–9.20 pm | Belconnen Arts Centre, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
L’homme armé: Renaissance music and voices from the front
A deeply moving concert at Wesley Uniting Church this Sunday brings together Renaissance polyphony and the lived experience of World War I in a program that is as historically rich as it is musically beautiful. Robyn Mellor and the Polifemy women’s vocal ensemble perform Renaissance works built around the famous L’homme armé melody–a song beloved by composers of the 1500s–woven together with readings and images from the front line, drawn from the wartime correspondence of Mellor’s grandmother, Sister Ada Priscilla Smith, who served with the Australian Army Medical Corps from 1915.
Sunday, 26 April, 3 pm | Wesley Uniting Church, National Circuit, Forrest | trybooking.com/DKMSK
Stage and Screen
Sh!t-faced Shakespeare – Hamlet
A chaotic and humorous take on Shakespeare, where one cast member performs under the influence, ensuring no two shows are the same.
Thursday 23 April and Friday 24 April, 7.30 pm–8.30 pm | Canberra Theatre Centre, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Canberra REP presents Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Canberra Repertory Society presents Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Christopher Hampton’s stage adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 novel, at the REP Theatre in Acton. Set in pre-Revolutionary France, the play follows the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont – two aristocrats who use seduction and manipulation as instruments of power. Their schemes unravel into betrayal, obsession, and ruin.
Thursday 23 April (preview), Friday 24 April–Saturday 9 May | Canberra REP Theatre, Acton | canberrarep.org.au
Victorian State Ballet: Aladdin
The Victorian State Ballet brings the magic of Aladdin to the Canberra Theatre Centre stage across two performances this April, in a production of lush costuming, beautiful choreography, and breathtaking music. Created by Michelle Cassar de Sierra and Martin Sierra, this ballet is heavily inspired by Carl Davis’ score and the timeless richness of Scheherazade’s world–with a spectacular cave of dancing jewels and a Genie whose entrance is genuinely unforgettable. A wonderful school holidays experience for families, and a joy for ballet lovers of any age.
Thursday, 23 April and Friday, 24 April, Various times | Canberra Theatre Centre, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Thom Pain (based on nothing) by Will Eno
A 2005 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Drama, Will Eno’s celebrated solo monologue comes to The Mill Theatre at Dairy Road this April in a production that is both a significant creative milestone and genuinely unmissable theatre. Canberra local Joey Minogue takes the stage in a deeply personal performance directed by Maddie Lee, exploring the fragile, absurd beauty of the human condition through Eno’s razor-sharp, darkly comic text. Presented as part of The Mill Theatre Co-Production Series, this intimate production is described as “dazzling” and “heartbreakingly honest”–a rare opportunity to see a world-class work in an intimate Canberra setting.
Until Saturday, 25 April, 7.30 pm–8.30 pm | Mill Theatre at Dairy Road, Fyshwick | milltheatreatdairyroad.com
Ballroom Blitz
From the producers of Celtic Illusion comes a dazzling new show that takes classic ballroom dance and unleashes it completely. Created by Dancing with the Stars champion Aric Yegudkin, Ballroom Blitz fuses traditional ballroom with cutting-edge choreography, live music, and shimmering costuming in a show that moves from fiery Latin flair to sweeping waltzes without pausing for breath. Breathtaking lifts, irresistible storytelling, and bold, beautiful performance make this one of the most exciting dance productions to hit Canberra Theatre Centre this year.
Sunday, 26 April, 7:30 pm–9:20 pm | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
NFSA’s Autumn Film Series
Reality meets imagination this season at the National Film and Sound Archive. The Autumn Film Series presents powerful storytelling and big-screen spectacle, inviting audiences to question reality, explore new perspectives and enjoy cinema that lingers after credits roll. Magic realism, social realism and Cinema Verité explore the tension between fantasy and reality. Community-focused festivals and partnerships include the Sign on Screen Film Festival presenting sign language cinema, Upstaging Canberra screenings, Trans Day of Visibility with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Book Club at NFSA, First Nations stories, CLIPPED Music Video Festival, documentaries, Science.Art.Film series and Cult Classics. Varied dates throughout autumn.
Until Sunday 31 May | National Film and Sound Archive, McCoy Circuit, Acton | nfsa.gov.au
Talks
Skirt-suits and suffragists
A guided walking tour uncovering stories of women who shaped Australia’s political history.
Tuesday, 21 April, 10 am–11 am | National Archives of Australia, Parkes | eventbrite.com.au
Andrew Sayers Memorial Lecture: Should Portraiture Be a Competition?
An insightful talk examining the role of competition in the art world.
Wednesday, 22 April, 6 pm–8.30 pm | National Portrait Gallery, Parkes | portrait.gov.au
National Triangle gems–walking tour from National Archives to High Court
Two of Canberra’s most architecturally and historically significant institutions become the setting for a genuinely fascinating guided walk this Thursday. Beginning at the heritage-listed East Block at the National Archives–where visitors uncover the origins of Australia’s highest court and explore the original Constitution–the tour moves through the beautiful Constitution Place Gardens before arriving at the striking High Court of Australia for an inside look at its impressive courtrooms. A two-hour journey through the heart of Australian democracy. NAA Members receive a discount.
Thursday, 24 April, 10 am–12 pm | National Archives of Australia, Kings Avenue, Parkes | naa.gov.au
Workshops
Concertina Book Workshop with Sharon Peoples
Artist Sharon Peoples leads an intimate morning workshop at the National Library of Australia, guiding adult participants through the creation of a simple concertina book–a beautiful format for short poems, prose, images, or even a treasured family recipe. The session begins with accurate paper folding, moves through a mock-up stage, and finishes with the completed piece and its cover attached. Morning tea and all materials are supplied. Bookings through the National Library website are essential.
Wednesday, 22 April, 10 am–12.30 pm | National Library of Australia, Parkes | library.gov.au
The audiobook’s evolution from the analog era to AI
Audiobooks feel like a modern convenience, but their history stretches back nearly 150 years–and the questions being asked about AI-generated voices today have been debated in various forms for decades. Professor Matthew Rubery traces the audiobook’s development across six pivotal phases, from the first experiments with recorded sound in 1877 through to today’s smartphones and synthetic narrators. Does listening count as reading? Should narrators perform? Can audiobooks do more than imitate print? This free lecture at the National Library promises to reframe a very current conversation in genuinely illuminating historical context. Available to attend in person or watch via livestream.
Thursday, 23 April, 6 pm–7 pm | National Library of Australia, Parkes | library.gov.au
Make Your Own Sandcast Wedge
Explore glassmaking techniques by creating a sandcast piece with guidance from experienced artists.
Sunday, 26 April, 1 pm–4 pm | Canberra Glassworks, Kingston | canberraglassworks.com
A deep dive into visual storytelling workshop–Belconnen Arts Centre
The final session of Belco Arts’ free Infuse Workshop series with Lee Evatt, founder of Sticky Beaks Comic Magazine, lands at Belconnen Arts Centre on ANZAC Day. This three-hour introduction to graphic storytelling guides adult participants through the basics of comics and zines, with everyone leaving with a finished or in-progress bound zine and all materials supplied at no cost. Places are strictly limited–the organisers ask that bookings are only made by those who are certain they can attend, and that participants choose only one of the available sessions.
Saturday, 25 April, 12:30 pm–3:30 pm | Belconnen Arts Centre, Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Story Dogs on Sunday
The last Sunday of each month brings one of the National Library’s most heartwarming programs to the Foyer, and it’s exactly as lovely as it sounds. Story Dogs pairs trained volunteer readers and their accredited dogs with children aged seven to 12 for a relaxed, nurturing hour of stories and pats just outside the Bookshop. The program is designed to make reading genuinely enjoyable, helping young readers build confidence in the most low-pressure setting imaginable–curled up beside a friendly, attentive dog. Younger children are welcome to listen and pat the dogs with parental supervision. No bookings required, just turn up.
Sunday, 26 April, 11 am–12 pm | National Library of Australia, Parkes | library.gov.au
Exhibitions
Illustra: 50 Women for 50 Years
Illustra: 50 Women for 50 Years is a permanent portrait exhibition celebrating 50 years of women as residents at John XXIII College. Featuring fifty alumni, the exhibition pairs portraiture with personal reflections to capture the evolving experience of women across five decades. Photographed by ANU School of Art graduate Bronte Morel across Australia and internationally, each work is set in a location of personal significance. Together, the collection forms an intergenerational narrative of leadership, identity and community, recognising the enduring contribution of women to the College and beyond.
Permanent exhibition, open 9 am–5 pm daily | Front foyer, John XXIII College, 51 Daley Road, Australian National University, Canberra | johnxxiii.anu.edu.au
Ruwi (Country): Amanda Westley solo exhibition at GOST
South Australian artist Amanda Westley presents her first solo Canberra exhibition at the Gallery of Small Things (GOST), bringing nine acrylic paintings that explore Ngarrindjeri culture, country, and connection. Westley, a Ngarrindjeri woman from Victor Harbor, creates works centred on themes of land, food sources, and community — each accompanied by a written statement explaining the meaning behind the piece. The exhibition carries particular significance following the 2025 gifting of her painting Raukkun (Meeting Place) to Pope Leo XIV by the Australian Prime Minister. Artworks are unframed and available for purchase, with each sale including a collector’s provenance package.
Thursday 23 April–Monday 4 May, 11 am–5 pm (Thursday–Monday) | Gallery of Small Things, Canberra | galleryofsmallthings.com/exhibition
5th National Indigenous Art Triennial
The National Indigenous Art Triennial brings together commissioned work by established and emerging First Nations artists from across Australia. Artistic Director Tony Albert (Girramay/Yidinji/Kuku-Yalanji peoples), one of Australia’s foremost contemporary artists, leads this iteration. After the Rain presents new immersive projects resonating with ideas of rebirth and cycles of cleansing, celebrating inter-generational legacies and cultural warriors of past, present and future. Made possible through the continued generosity of Wesfarmers Arts and key philanthropic supporters, the Triennial creates an important platform for art and ideas. Following its Kamberri/Canerra presentation, After the Rain will tour nationally.
Until Sunday, 26 April 2026 | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
THE WEATHER AND WHAT IS by Olive Burgess
This exhibition makes central a lesbian experience within a world shaped by dualisms—mind/body, nature/culture, windy/still, useful/redundant, productive/wasted, man/woman, hetero/not. Printmaking, photography and sculptural materials hold subject Burgess’ garden as kin, alongside her body.
Full, generous, focused, and sensual, The Weather and What Is opens space for a re-imagining of intimacy, ecology, history, and embodiment beyond dominant cultural frames.
Until Sunday, 26 April | Platform, 19 Furneaux Street, Forrest | canberracontemporary.com.au
The hidden world of the small – beautiful, powerful or vulnerable
The Hidden World of the Small examines the often overlooked. Seven artists from the Tin Shed Art Group pull focus onto the minute details of life, finding the power and beauty in tiny, quiet subjects.
Through a range of mediums, the group navigates the tension between beauty and power on a small scale, uncovering moments that usually stay hidden in plain sight.
See how the smallest subjects can tell the biggest stories.
Until Monday 27 April | Strathnairn Arts Association, 90 Stockdill Drive, Holt | More information here.
Sentient | Elliott Fox
Following a spectacular debut exhibition on greyhound advocacy that raised over $8,000 for charity, emerging Canberra artist Elliott Fox returns to M16 Artspace with Sentient–a powerful new body of work examining the sentience of all non-human animals as deserving of the same care and protection as any family member. Working across impasto paintings, screen prints, and installation, Fox creates work that is as visually striking as it is ethically urgent. Opening alongside three other new exhibitions at M16: Shorelines, Bloom by Eggpicnic, and Partial Index by Dörte Conroy.
Until Sunday, 10 May | M16 Artspace, Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | m16artspace.com.au
Bloom | Eggpicnic
In a world shaped by colonisation, conflict, and climate change, what does it mean for life to persist? Bloom, a new exhibition by Eggpicnic at M16 Artspace, brings together works centred on animals that survive within fragile and changing environments–honouring their lives while holding space for hope and examining the profound responsibility humans carry to protect the conditions for life to flourish. Rich, considered, and quietly urgent, Bloom opens alongside Sentient by Elliott Fox, Shorelines, and Partial Index by Dörte Conroy. Visit the M16 website for opening details.
Until Sunday, 10 May | M16 Artspace, Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | m16artspace.com.au
Partial Index | Dörte Conroy
Dörte Conroy’s new body of work at M16 Artspace draws on a personal collection of documentary photography spanning the late nineteenth century through to the 1990s, removing images from their original contexts and combining them with vivid blocks of colour in large paper collages. The result is a layered surface where past and present, image and pigment coexist in quiet dialogue–historical fragments softened and interrupted by saturated colour, creating a subtle physical texture that invites slow looking. Opening alongside Sentient, Bloom, and Shorelines as part of M16’s April program.
Until Sunday, 10 May | M16 Artspace, Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | m16artspace.com.au
Shorelines | Helen Brancatisano, Miriam Cullen, Trish Yates
Three artists. Two years. One stretch of NSW Central Coast coastline, observed across all its changing moods. Shorelines at M16 Artspace brings together works on paper by Helen Brancatisano, Miriam Cullen, and Trish Yates–linocuts, Mokuhanga, monotypes, ink drawings, artist books, and paper sculptures developed from preparatory drawings made on site. Three very different artistic responses to the same landscape, united by a shared attentiveness to what can be seen, heard, touched, and smelled at the shoreline. Opening alongside Sentient, Bloom, and Partial Index.
Until Sunday, 10 May | M16 Artspace, Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | m16artspace.com.au
Hallyu! The Korean Wave
An exhibition exploring Korea’s cultural journey to global influence through 250 objects from the V&A in London. The exhibition spans film, fashion, drama, beauty and music–from BTS to aespa, Squid Game to Parasite, glass skin to bibimbap. Visitors can discover the powerhouse behind Korea’s dramatic cultural transformation and the vibrant world of K-culture as it continues to sweep across the globe. The exhibition examines how creativity, collaboration and cultural ambition shaped Korea’s contemporary identity.
Until Sunday, 10 May | National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula, Acton | nma.gov.au
Between What Remains
Belconnen Arts Centre hosts this creative reunion between David Manley and Hilary Wardhaugh. Through photography and post-documentary urban landscapes, the exhibition explores trauma, memory and disconnection. Conceptually aligned yet distinct, their works invite quiet reflection on time, place and shared histories.
Until Sunday, 17 May | West Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Witness
Reef and coastal ecosystems are environments of inspiration where many escape to rejuvenate, enveloped in the natural world. These teeter on the edge of flourish and destruction, resilience and fragility. Witness focuses on the pursuit to explore, experience and bear witness to these ecosystems undergoing critical change in the artist’s lifetime—with a wavering mix of awe, grief and hope. The exhibition examines environments that serve as sources of renewal while simultaneously facing unprecedented pressures. It documents the tension between beauty and vulnerability in marine and coastal landscapes.
Until Sunday, 17 May | The Nook, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Chasing Alice
Annie Lok’s exhibition features the latest works in her ongoing Rabbit Holes series. Each piece features a female protagonist, the Alice, navigating carefully constructed compositions imbued with symmetry, balance, texture and colour theory. Using photo editing software, Lok manipulates personal and found imagery through filtering, warping, stretching and layering to invent a landscape for each Alice to discover. Influenced by academic interests tackling the human experience through social, political and art historical lenses, the work also serves as an escape from chronic pain following a 2021 workplace accident that left Lok with ruptured discs and neuropathy.
Until Sunday, 17 May | Window Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Inhabiting Change
Fiona Heard’s exploration of impermanence invites viewers to see the present as the dynamic space between what was and what will be. Heard’s artistic process embraces the unpredictable nature of hand printing, accepting unexpected marks and reduced control to create initial imagery. The compositions are based on the landscape of southern NSW, reflecting Heard’s memory and ongoing relationship with this environment. Final artworks are built through configuration—tearing, combining and sewing images to produce the work. These pieces move beyond representation, evoking a feeling of abstracted familiarity that speaks to continuous becoming.
Until Sunday, 17 May | East Wall, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Mental Health and Nature
Jennifer Adams challenges the narrow view of mental health treatment as a clinical activity within four walls, positioning experiences of nature as vital for mental health. This is Adams’s first solo exhibition in over ten years. Mental Health and Nature celebrates nature experienced locally in Canberra, nearby farmland returned to its natural environment and other Australian locations. Adams draws out shapes, adds vibrant colours and decorative elements to express her response to the natural world. Subjects include people participating in nature and their bonds with animals. The experiential exhibition wraps viewers in colours, designs and positive imagery.
Until Sunday, 17 May | Generator Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Stained with Light
Sarah Murray brings together earlier work exploring embodied experiences of landscape with current work exploring the sublime, spirituality and sin. Murray has created a series of paintings in acrylic and oils that explore painterly dynamics of figuration versus representation, layering, shifting grounds, gestural mark-making and vibrant colour use. Using references to religious art-historical paintings as grounding, Murray creates vibrant, visceral compositions on traditional and non-traditional supports of sewn quilt-like canvases. Earlier work created embodied experiences of landscape through en-plein air painting, while current pieces translate themes of sublime versus grotesque and depictions of sin.
Until Sunday, 17 May | Pivot Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
In real life: inventors, innovators and opportunists
Celebrate Australian innovation at National Archives’ latest exhibition in Canberra, In real life: inventors, innovators and opportunists. Explore the history of Australian invention, from First Nations creativity to 150 years of patents, designs and trademark registrations.
See life-changing inventions, iconic designs and household brand names with original design drawings and trademarks from the national archival collection alongside their real-life counterparts.
Australians from all walks of life have pursued their ideas in the laboratory, at the drafting table and in the humble backyard shed. Learn about the innovators behind advances such as the baby capsule, spray-on skin and the stump-cam. Discover the origins of everyday products and national icons such as the Victa lawnmower, Hills Hoist and ‘goon bag’.
From pedestrian crossing buttons to dual flush toilets, see how the Australian Government played a vital role in supporting inventions and designs that you regularly see, hear, use – and flush. Spark your own imagination and be inspired by stories of bold dreams, determination and Australian ingenuity.
Until Sunday 17 May | National Archives of Australia, Kings Avenue, Parkes | naa.gov.au
Good Neighbour
Belconnen Arts Centre presents an offsite group exhibition at SLA Display Village and Innovation Precinct, Whitlam, curated by Brooke McEachern. A printmaker, glass blower, ceramist, mark maker and knifemaker come together celebrating local makers and quiet creative lives unfolding around us. Estelle Briedis, Hugo Curtis, Jacky Lo, Isobel Rayson and Dan Venables live and work in our neighbourhoods as familiar dog-walkers, corner café regulars or simply good neighbours. Through functional objects and considered craftsmanship, the exhibition presents works feeling personal and lived-with, as though gathered over time from friends and neighbours. The collaboration highlights the creative talent existing within everyday community spaces, making visible the artistic practice happening in homes and studios throughout Canberra’s suburbs.
Until Sunday, 13 July | SLA Display Village, Whitlam | belcoarts.com.au
Ngura Puḻka–Epic Country
One of the most ambitious exhibitions to open at the National Gallery of Australia this year, Ngura Puḻka–Epic Country showcases major works by senior First Nations artists and collectives from the APY Lands, Coober Pedy, and Adelaide. These large-scale paintings depict Country while celebrating the powerful Tjukurpa–the law and cultural stories–that lies within, rendered sometimes in explosions of colour, sometimes in muted, contemplative palettes. From the beginning of the APY art movement, these artists have embraced monumental works as the ultimate expression of cultural freedom. The result is an exhibition that is genuinely epic in both scale and significance.
Until Sunday, 23 August | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes | nga.gov.au
Trent Parke: The Christmas tree bucket
Trent Parke’s photographic series The Christmas tree bucket 2006–09 is a tender and darkly humorous portrayal of his extended family coming together to celebrate Christmas. The series showcases Parke’s distinctive and acclaimed visual style and his skilful use of light and colour, to transcendent effect.The Christmas tree bucket is a candid, unsettling and often absurd portrait of family life—centred on the chaos, rituals and contradictions of the suburban Australian Christmas. It is a fond, insider’s view—sharp but affectionate—and one that the participants, after initial bemusement, actively embraced.
Parke draws from the legacy of postwar American photography while retaining a distinctly personal visual language, using light and colour to transform the everyday. The resulting photographs are both intimate and theatrical, sometimes hilarious, sometimes poetic and haunting. The exhibition also features a small selection of work from Parke’s black-and-white series Minutes to midnight 2003‒04 and a number of his handmade concertina photobooks, which he sees as a central part of his practice.
Until Sunday 6 September | National Gallery, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
Wangka Wakaṉutja: the story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre
Between 1979 and 1990, the Papunya Literature Production Centre produced hundreds of illustrated bilingual books–funny, moving, extraordinary documents of Pintupi-Luritja language and culture, guided by community Elders who were also pioneers of the Western Desert art movement. Many of those books have been held in the National Library’s collections ever since, and this landmark new exhibition finally brings them to life. Featuring stories, drawings, photographs, manuscripts, and oral histories drawn from multiple collections, it’s a profoundly significant celebration of Aboriginal literary culture, collective creativity, and the remarkable human effort to keep language alive across generations.
Until Sunday, 11 October | National Library of Australia, Parkes | library.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/wangka-wakanutja
Hop In! an immersive world of play
Canberra Museum and Gallery launches one of its most delightful exhibitions this April–and it’s designed for the youngest visitors. Hop In! turns the familiar family home inside out, shifting rooms in scale and perspective to invite children aged 3–12 to move, build, crawl, splash, and imagine in surprising new ways. Stretch out beneath a sky of clouds, create secret worlds under oversized furniture, or wander through reimagined kitchens and backyards where creativity has completely taken over. At the heart of the experience is Bunny Dearest, a gentle guiding companion created by artist Beci Orpin.
Until Sunday, 11 October | Canberra Museum and Gallery, London Circuit, Canberra | cmag.com.au
Illuminate: How Science Comes to Light
Questacon presents an interactive exhibition exploring the science of light through 13 hands-on exhibits. Visitors can experiment with light refraction, colour blending, shadow manipulation and reflection across multiple activity stations. The exhibition demonstrates how light travels, reflects and refracts, alongside displays of tools humans have developed to harness light. Activities include bending light, using sensors to create music, and working with lenses. The exhibition is designed for hands-on engagement with scientific concepts. Illuminate: How Science Comes to Light is a Museums Victoria Touring Exhibition running until November 2026.
Until Sunday, 22 November | Questacon–The National Science and Technology Centre, King Edward Terrace, Parkes | questacon.edu.au
Behind the Lines 2025: ‘Are We Rolling?’
Behind the Lines 2025: ‘Are We Rolling?’ celebrates the year’s best political cartoons.
Featuring established and emerging cartoonists from across Australia, this exhibition highlights the significant contribution they make to cultural and political debates through witty, insightful and often poignant satirical drawings.
This year our Behind the Lines theme is the cinema, acknowledging that, like some of our favourite movies, 2025 has been full of thrills and spills, romance and heartbreak, with plenty of unexpected plot twists. Australia’s cartoonists and illustrators have tackled many of the issues that made news, including the federal election, the cost of living, energy policy, interest rates, housing security, the economy, climate change and stories from overseas.
Until December 2026 | Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House | moadoph.gov.au
Gurindji Freedom Banners
A powerful new exhibition commemorating the pivotal 1966 Wave Hill Walk-off opens at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Gurindji Freedom Banners: Mumkurla-nginyi-ma parrngalinyparla–From the darkness into the light unites all ten hand-painted banners for the first time in years, telling the story of when Gurindji and neighbouring peoples, led by Vincent Lingiari AM, walked off Wave Hill Station on 23 August 1966.
Their demands for fair working conditions and return of traditional lands sparked landmark change, leading to the first handback of Aboriginal land in 1975 and paving the way for the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976. The textile banners were created in 2000 by 35 Gurindji people, many walk-off participants, with one recently recreated after going missing.
Now showing until late 2026 | Museum of Australian Democracy, Old Parliament House | moadoph.gov.au
Know My Name: Kee, Jackson and Delaunay
Know My Name: Kee, Jackson and Delaunay showcases two of Australia’s leading fashion designers: Linda Jackson and Jenny Kee, in conversation with international, multidisciplinary artist Sonia Delaunay (1885–1979).
The iconic and vibrant early designs of Kee and Jackson from the 1970s and early 1980s were directly inspired by the dynamic legacy of Delaunay, who was a member of the School of Paris and co-founder of Orphism, an art movement noted for its use of intense colours and abstract, geometric forms. As well as working in traditional mediums such as painting and printmaking, Delaunay’s practice also included textile, fashion, and theatre design.
For Jackson and Kee, who were beginning their shared journey in creating clothes as works of art, the discovery of Delaunay was revolutionary. This powerful display feature a rarely-seen collection of Kee and Jackson’s garments from their archives and are shown with the National Gallery’s collection of Delaunay’s prints, drawings, textiles and costumes.
Showing now | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | nga.gov.au
National Library of Australia Treasures Gallery
The National Library has millions of books, and the Treasures Gallery answers the frequently asked question, ‘Where are they’. They also collect other items. From maps and manuscripts to photographs and paintings, the Treasures Gallery is where you can find highlights from their vast physical and digital collections. Behind-the-scenes videos, pages from William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice from the First Folio, a cedar bookcase carved by Dorothea Mackellar, photographs from the nation’s photo album, and a display of The Wiggles’ websites from 1997 to today from the Australian Web Archive are among the new additions.
Until December 2030 | National Library of Australia, Parkes | library.gov.au
Taglietti: Life in Design
Discover the world of The Global Architect, Enrico Taglietti (1926–2019), a visionary whose design principles shaped modern Australian architecture and left an indelible imprint on Canberra, the city he and his wife Franca chose to call home. Celebrating the centenary of Taglietti’s birth, Taglietti: Life in Design explores the life, philosophy, and legacy of one of Australia’s most original architects.
Trace the compelling story of Taglietti’s arrival in Australia through the groundbreaking 1955 Italy in Australia exhibition at David Jones, Sydney, which introduced the latest Milanese design to a globally curious audience and demonstrated the soft power of design diplomacy. Encounter iconic projects from Canberra’s Cinema Center to Sydney’s St Antony’s Parish Church, and gain insight into some of his extraordinary residential designs. Highlighting his collaborative spirit, international acclaim, and significant contribution to Canberra’s architectural identity, Taglietti: Life in Design is a landmark exhibition celebrating a true visionary in architecture and design.
Until 3 May | Canberra Museum and Gallery, Canberra City | cmag.com.au
