Your ultimate guide to events, eats, and entertainment this week in Canberra
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Your only regret for this week? Not clearing your schedule completely!
This week our quirky capital is serving up everything from a dedicated wool expo to Broadway magic to a Middle Eastern-inspired foodie feasts that would make a parliamentarian skip question time. Read on!
Special Events and Festivals
Birdnest Pop Up
Go along to meet birdnests team of wardrobe wingbirds, and shop from a curated selection of new season styles from their brands. Visit their pop-up store to shop your favourite birdsnest brands or book a ticket to join in on one of their tour events – think fashion parades, sip & shops and one on one styling sessions!
Thursday 15 May until Sunday 18 May | Sanctuary, 17 Brockman Street, Narrabundah | birdsnest.com.au
Artshow@Radford: A Celebration of Creative Excellence
Discover exceptional artwork at Artshow@Radford, featuring pieces from talented students, Collegians, and professional artists. Begin your experience at the Gala Opening with champagne, canapés, and entertainment, where guest judge Kacy Grainger (Grainger Gallery) will present the prestigious $2000 Jonquil Mackey Prize.
Throughout the weekend, browse and purchase original artworks, and cast your vote for the People’s Choice award. This annual event offers a perfect opportunity to support local creativity and find unique pieces for your collection while celebrating the vibrant Radford community.
Friday 16 May – Sunday 18 May 2025 | Radford College, 1 College Street, Bruce | Tickets via Humanitix
Movie Night supporting PANDA
Get along for a night at the movies, watching all-time classic GREASE, while supporting a great cause – PANDA – Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia.
Tickets are $40 pp and include medium popcorn, drink, choc top and entry into the lucky door prize draw!
Saturday 17 May, 6:30 pm–10 pm | Limelight Cinemas Tuggeranong, 150 Anketell Street, Greenway | trybooking.com
EUPHRATES: A Flowing Collective Experience
Immerse yourself in a multi-sensory celebration where community, creativity, and culture converge. This unique gathering features live DJs spinning everything from downtempo to deep bass, mesmerising fire performers, traditional henna artists, and an oracle temple for inner discovery.
Retreat to the Tea Oasis or “The HUTT” sanctuary space between experiences. Your ticket includes a Middle Eastern-inspired dinner, with rich flavours nourishing body and soul as you connect with others in this flowing collective experience.
Saturday 17 May, 6 pm – midnight Sunday 18 May | The Circus, Canberra | events.humanitix.com
Canberra Wool Expo
Wool is timelessly popular – just ask the many craftspeople from Canberra, the region and interstate who come to create, demonstrate and sell this most fabulous of fibres. The Canberra Wool Expo is a great time to meet and speak with wool producers, craftspeople and artists and see demonstrations from hand-spinning to weaving.
Saturday 17 May – Sunday 18 May | The Old Bus Depot Markets, 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston | obdm.com.au
Canberra Treasures Market Day
The National Capital Authority is celebrating the rich history, culture, and stories of Australia’s capital in partnership with the 2025 Heritage Festival ACT. Step back in time at Blundells Cottage Market Day, join a workshop or cottage tour, enjoy children’s activities and delight in the live music!
Sunday 18 May | Blundells Cottage, Wendouree Drive, Parkes | nca.gov.au
Jamala Wildlife Lodge Open Days
Curious about Australia’s most luxurious wildlife lodge? Jamala Wildlife Lodge is opening its doors for exclusive behind-the-scenes tours this May. Experience the five-star accommodations including stunning uShaka lodge suites, a Giraffe Treehouse and a Jungle Bungalow, plus preview the award-winning Cave Restaurant.
These guided 50-minute tours offer a rare glimpse into what makes Jamala a truly extraordinary experience where luxury meets wildlife conservation. Meet the team, bring your questions, and discover how you can sleep just meters from some of the world’s most magnificent animals.
Sunday 18 May and Sunday 25 May , tours every half hour from 1 pm–4 pm | Jamala Wildlife Lodge, National Zoo & Aquarium | nationalzoo.com.au
Your Local Wedding Guide Canberra Expo
At Your Local Wedding Guide Expo, you can create your perfect wedding day with the help of the best wedding industry suppliers in the Canberra region. Find new products and ideas, listen to live music, see gorgeous displays, and more!
Sunday 18 May | Budawang Pavilion, Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), EPIC Budawang, Flemington Road, Mitchell | weddingguide.com.au
Mighty Guts Walkathon
Canberra Hospital Foundation is inviting the community to their Mighty Guts Walkathon to fundraise for kids with IBD in the ACT. Every step you take will support young patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) by providing IBD Comfort Packs.
Sunday 18 May, 9:30 am – 12 pm | Patrick White Lawns, around Lake Burley Griffin | canberrahospitalfoundation.org.au
Markets
Capital Region Farmers Market
Sample the region’s freshest produce from over 100 stallholders who bring freshly picked, grown and hand-crafted goods to Canberra. Speak directly with growers and learn cooking tips while supporting the Rotary Club of Hall’s community projects.
Saturdays, 7 am-11:30 am | Exhibition Park in Canberra, Mitchell | capitalregionfarmersmarket.com.au
Haig Park Village Markets
Browse delicious cuisines, fresh produce, artisan products and locally handmade crafts while enjoying live music, an artists’ table and family-friendly activities. It’s the perfect Sunday outing in leafy Braddon.
Sundays, 8 am – 2 pm | 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.
Sundays, 9.30 am – 2.30 pm | 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston | obdm.com.au
Food and Wine
Margarita May
Midnight Bar is turning limes into good times this May, with a month-long celebration of everyone’s favourite cocktail – the margarita. And you can celebrate Margarita May by designing your own custom margarita! Simply choose your tequila, triple sec, citrus, sweetener and salt to create a cocktail that’s truly unique to you. Prefer to keep things simple? Sip your way through four limited-edition house margaritas, each with its own distinctive twist. And yes – frozen margs are also on the menu.
Here for a good time, not a long time – pop in for a cheeky marg, any day of the week from 3 pm ‘til late.
Until Saturday 31 May | Midnight Hotel, Ground Floor/1 Elouera Street, Braddon | midnightbar.com.au
Stage and Screen
Inception: Science.Art.Film Series
Join the NFSA and ANU for a special screening of Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending masterpiece “Inception,” followed by a fascinating panel discussion exploring consciousness, dreams, and the human mind. Distinguished experts including ANU philosophy professor Dr. Colin Klein, veteran architect Catherine Townsend, science communicator Dr. Dan Santos, acclaimed film composer Kenneth Lampl, and science communication lecturer Dr. Anna-Sophie Jürgens will unpack the film’s themes and scientific concepts. Part of the innovative Science.Art.Film series, this event bridges entertainment and intellectual discovery.
Wednesday 14 May 2025 | 6:00 PM | Arc Cinema, NFSA Acton, McCoy Crescent, Acton | tickets.nfsa.gov.au
If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show You How I Love You
Halloween. A small town in the west of Ireland. There’s a party to get to and Mikey and Casey have everything they need . . . Booze. Cash. Drugs. Each other. The only problem is they’re stuck. Stuck on a roof. Stuck together. And as they wait for the Guards to stop circling the house, they find out there are some truths you just can’t climb down from.
Wednesday 14 May until Saturday 24 May | ACT Hub at Causeway Hall | acthub.com.au
The Dictionary of Lost Words
In 1901, the word bondmaid was discovered to be missing from the Oxford English Dictionary. The Dictionary of Lost Words is the story of the girl who stole it.
South Australian novelist Pip Williams’ internationally best-selling book, comes to vivid life in this critically acclaimed stage adaptation by South Australian playwright, Verity Laughton.
Thursday 15 to Saturday 24 May | Canberra Theatre Centre | Tickets from canberratheatrecentre.com.au
ATL Screening: This Much Is True
This story continues the tale of Lewis from Summer of the Aliens and Cosi, now older and living in an inner city suburb where he mixes with a core of unique customers at The Rising Sun hotel.
Friday 16 May | Mill Theatre at Dairy Road, Building 3.3, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick | ticketing.humanitix.com
Suma Iyer and Felix McCarthy – Realistic Beauty Standards
In a world where images of perfection now rule our lives, local butterfaces Suma Iyer and Felix McCarthy are tired of keeping up appearances. Why be easy on the eye when you can be difficult?
Friday 16 May | Fun Time Pony, 122 Alinga Street, City | canberracomedyfestival.com.au
Ross Noble – Cranium of Curiosities
Roll up, roll up! Or use a more conventional form of transport to get to the show. It’s entirely your choice. Don’t miss the Wizard of Waffle, The Rambler Royale, The Noodlers’ Noodler, as he’s back live on stage to tour a tornado of tangents.
Friday 16 May | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, Canberra | alist.com.au
La Dignia Rabia
What happens when a storyteller/musician who specialises in Australian stories and was a founder of the famous Bushwackers Band, teams up with an actor/musician/theatre worker who for 23 years has been creating theatre in a Chilean men’s prison? The result is a storytelling show for our times – La Digna Rabia, DIGNIFIED ANGER, Stories for a Perilous Now.
In this show, Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky and Penny Glass will have fun with the audience, as they debunk old, worn-out stories that got us to these perilous times – such as ‘survival of the fittest’ and that we humans should ‘subjugate nature’ to our will. Then, with such ‘dangerous bullshit’ out of the way, they move on to tell and sing alternative stories!
Friday 16 May | 76 Alinga Street, City | janwositzky.com.au
ATL Screening: Italian Baroque with Circa
The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s fourth collaboration with contemporary circus company Circa takes you on a rollicking ride through Italy’s multi-layered past with vivacious period instrumentalists and energetic acrobats performing to music by Vivaldi, Falconieri, Caccini and Corelli.
Saturday 17 May | Mill Theatre at Dairy Road, Building 3.3, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick | ticketing.humanitix.com
Blithe Spirit
An improbable farce. Psychics, séances and dabbling in the unknown all in the name of research. Something is bound to go awry.
Following the critically-acclaimed world premiere of Baby Jane, Canberra REP returns to deliver audiences a rollicking time at the theatre with Noël Coward’s self-described ‘improbable farce’, Blithe Spirit – in a production that cheekily dances between the contemporary and classic. Grab your tickets now!
Until Saturday 17 May | 3 Repertory Lane, Acton | canberrarep.org.au
Wankernomics – Just Touching Base
After entirely sold-out runs in Australia, Edinburgh and London, your favourite workplace wankers are back with an all-new, all-in, all-hands meeting. Wankernomics are masters at skewering the buzzwords, bureaucracy, banality and bulls**t of modern work.
Saturday 17 May | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Sweet Charity
Winner of four Tony Awards, this musical follows the adventures of Charity Hope Valentine, a hopeful dance hall hostess looking for love and a better life. With a score by Cy Coleman, book by Neil Simon, and original choreography by Bob Fosse, featuring beloved songs like “If My Friends Could See Me Now” and iconic dance numbers including “Big Spender”, you’ll want to see it.
Until Sunday 18 May | The Q, Queanbeyan | theq.net.au
Lights, Camera, Book Club | In partnership with Canberra Writers Festival
Read. Watch. Discuss. Join the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia and Canberra Writers Festival for some screenings and discussions, exploring how culturally significant books have been adapted and reimagined as films.
Sunday 18 May | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, McCoy Circuit, Acton | bit.ly
Music
Bells and Echoes
The Wesley Lunchtime concert series welcomes back the exciting young pianist Ben Francis in a program of works by Chopin, Beethoven, Debussy and Rachmaninoff.
Wednesday 14 May, 12.40 pm to 1.20 pm | Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest | Tickets here
Beethoven’s Violin
CSO brings Beethoven’s iconic Violin Concerto in D major to life on the Llewellyn Hall stage with full orchestra and the extraordinary soloist Anna da Silva Chen. This program begins with a world premiere from Australian composer Peggy Polias.
Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 May | Llewellyn Hall, ANU School of Music, City | cso.org.au/concerts/2025-beethovens-violin
Dion Pride Sings the Songs of His Father
As the son of legendary Country Music Hall of Famer Charley Pride, Dion carries on his family’s musical legacy while forging his own path. Joined by original Charley Pride touring musicians, this multi-talented instrumentalist and songwriter showcases his remarkable talent playing guitar, piano, drums, and bass.
Wednesday 14 May | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Llewellyn Series: Beethoven’s Violin
CSO brings Beethoven’s iconic Violin Concerto in D major to life with extraordinary soloist Anna da Silva Chen and guest conductor Carlo Antonioli. The program also features a world premiere by Composer in Connection Peggy Polias and Ravel’s colorful ‘Ma mère l’Oye’ suite inspired by classic children’s tales.
Wednesday 14 May | Llewellyn Hall, ANU School of Music, William Herbert Place, Building 100, City | cso.org.au
This Mirror Has Three Faces
This captivating program opens with Lera Auerbach’s second piano trio. This Soviet-born, New York-based composer is one of today’s most exciting creative voices, featured on prestigious stages from Vienna’s Musikverein to Carnegie Hall.
The evening continues with Schumann’s passionate final piano trio and Smetana’s poignant work from the great Czech “Father of Nationalism.” Audiences will welcome talented Australian violinist Kristian Winther in his debut appearance, alongside returning favorite cellist Clancy Newman. Pianist Kathryn Selby has assembled these outstanding musicians for what promises to be an exceptional performance.
Friday 16 May |15 Blackall Street, Barton | selbyandfriends.com.au
Prinnie Stevens – Lady Sings Soul
Get ready to lose yourself in the soul-stirring magic of Prinnie Stevens! After hit show Lady Sings The Blues, Prinnie is back with no ordinary cabaret. It’s where powerhouse vocals meet raw emotion, where musical theatre meets the raw energy of Soul, RnB, Pop, and Gospel.
Saturday 17 May | The Street Theatre, 15 Childers Street, City | thestreet.org.au
Smiths at Belco: Meg Washington
Meg Washington is a platinum-selling, award-winning, and genre-defying singer-songwriter who fluently weaves the worlds of jazz, pop, folk and musical theatre together. Solo, Meg’s shows cast an intimate and captivating spell. Don’t miss it!
Saturday 17 May | Rehearsal Room, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Riversong
Celebrate the timeless relationship between humans and rivers at a unique fundraising concert coming to Canberra – ‘Riversong: a tribute to the spirit and strength of our rivers.’ Riversong will bring together the acclaimed voices of ‘The Resonants’, Canberra’s premier adult choir.
Saturday 17 May | Gandel Atrium, National Museum of Australia, Lawson Crescent, Acton | riversong.au
Fanning Dempsey National Park
Bernard Fanning and Paul Dempsey are two of the most revered and successful Australian artists of the last 30 years. The esteemed pair launched new project Fanning Dempsey National Park releasing their highly acclaimed debut album The Deluge and capped off 2024 with a sold out headline tour. See you there?
Sunday 18 May | Canberra Theatre Centre, London Circuit, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Exhibitions
Touching Space – Madeline Cardone
Experience Madeline Cardone’s captivating exhibition “Touching Space” at COX Gallery, where glass and drawing converge to explore the relationship between body, space, and form. This thoughtful exhibition examines how fleeting physical encounters become embedded in bodily memory, and investigates the connection between intangible memory and tangible materials.
Showing until Friday 6 June, 9 am-5 pm daily | COX Gallery, 1/19 Eastlake Parade, Kingston
Stilleven
Stilleven is an exhibition of glass work by Rose-Mary Faulkner, considering connections to places and objects as both self portraiture and representative of lived experience and narrative.
Softly focused compositions of domestic settings form an avenue to explore dynamics of the absence and presence of people and bodies, connection to environments we embody and the way objects can exist as metaphors.
The Bees and the Ledger – Kai Wasikowski
Explore the intimate exhibition “The Bees and the Ledger” by Kai Wasikowski, a poignant investigation of industry, migration, and labor through the story of his Polish grandmother, Natalia Broadhurst.
Through a photographic taxonomy of tools and belongings, Wasikowski traces his family history from Australia back to Poland, using cargo ship ledgers as a visual metaphor.
The exhibition includes a working photographic studio where the artist will continue developing this project throughout its run, engaging with Canberra’s Polish community to create an evolving narrative of cultural identity and belonging.
Now showing until Saturday 14 June | PhotoAccess, 30 Manuka Circle, Griffith | photoaccess.org.au
An Satong Kawaran – George Calvelo
Discover “An Satong Kawaran” (In Our Absence), a dreamlike photographic exhibition by George Calvelo exploring the migrant experience between the Philippines and Australia.
Before relocating, Calvelo exposed several rolls of film capturing his childhood home and final goodbyes, then re-exposed the same film upon arriving in Australia. The resulting double exposures create ethereal compositions where past and present, memory and reality converge.
This visually striking work offers a deeply personal meditation on displacement, nostalgia, and the evolving concept of home when straddling two worlds.
Now showing until Saturday 14 June | PhotoAccess, 30 Manuka Circle, Griffith | photoaccess.org.au
Traced Life
Experience the poignant paintings of Racheal Bruhn and John Nelson in this moving exhibition exploring shadows and echoes of past stories.
Bruhn’s reflective watercolour installation uses leaves as motifs to grapple with grief and family history, creating a family tree with five hundred leaves representing years lived by her loved ones. Meanwhile, Nelson’s works emerge from observations of his surroundings—evening walks, gardens and overlooked objects—presenting diptychs that invite viewers to complete broken narratives. Together, they offer perspectives on time, place and fractured stories that resonate with us all.
Friday 16 May – Sunday 8 June | M16artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | Find out more at m16artspace.com.au
SPLIT OPEN
Discover Natasha Tareen’s captivating debut solo exhibition, rooted in the mythological and folkloric elements of Central and South Asia. Through deeply personal and ancestral narratives, Tareen explores brown femininity, bodily autonomy and generational memory, drawing from her Afghan heritage.
Figures emerge from dreamlike spaces, hovering between presence and disappearance, while resisting colonial linear storytelling. Featuring large-scale, scroll-like pieces alongside reimagined objects and painted clothing, this multidisciplinary exhibition investigates what it means to hold trauma and resilience in the same space while reclaiming cultural legacy.
Friday 16 May – Sunday 8 June | M16artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | Find out more at m16artspace.com.au
New Works: 3 Stories
Join printmakers Susan Morris, Caryn Giblin and Paula Watson as they present work emerging from their shared three-month artist residency at Hyphen Creative Studio, Wodonga. This thoughtful exhibition explores their experiences and relationships with the natural environment through visual stories about Fuzzy Blue Banded Bees, curated collections and misty memories of nature.
The Albury Wodonga artists have collaborated for over twenty years, sharing techniques and experimenting with different print mediums. Through prints, drawings and mixed media, they document their experience of nature, location and attachment while showcasing the endless possibilities of printmaking.
Friday 16 May – Sunday 8 June | M16artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | Find out more at m16artspace.com.au
The Arrival
Visit CHUTESPACE to experience Brenda Runnegar’s intriguing installation featuring a room with a cocoon or pupa surrounded by insects, welcoming a new arrival emerging from the pupa. This evocative exhibition explores themes of transformation and new beginnings through delicate sculptural elements.
Friday 16 May – Sunday 8 June | M16artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith | Find out more at m16artspace.com.au
Artshow@Radford: A Celebration of Creative Excellence
Discover exceptional artwork at Artshow@Radford, featuring pieces from talented students, Collegians, and professional artists. Begin your experience at the Gala Opening with champagne, canapés, and entertainment, where guest judge Kacy Grainger (Grainger Gallery) will present the prestigious $2000 Jonquil Mackey Prize.
Throughout the weekend, browse and purchase original artworks, and cast your vote for the People’s Choice award. This annual event offers a perfect opportunity to support local creativity and find unique pieces for your collection while celebrating the vibrant Radford community.
Friday 16 May – Sunday 18 May 2025 | Radford College, 1 College Street, Bruce | Tickets via Humanitix
The once in 50 years Bonsai Show!
See Canberra’s best 100 bonsais on display as the Canberra Bonsai Society celebrates its 50th Anniversary. The Bonsai Exhibition is a feature of the 37th Annual Australian Bonsai Convention, with visitors to the Exhibition also having access to a vendor display offering a high-quality range of bonsai pots, trees, stands, books, artwork and tools.
Saturday 17 May and Sunday 18 May | Canberra Rex Hotel, 150 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon | canberrabonsai.club
Megalo: 45 Years of Print
This year Megalo Print Studio proudly celebrates 45 years of printmaking. From its humble beginnings in a poorly ventilated tin shed in Ainslie, Megalo has grown into Australia’s largest open-access printmaking studio, expanding on 300-year-old traditions with a new generation of artists.
‘45 Years of Print’ is an exhibition featuring works drawn from Megalo’s archive. The show pays respect to Megalo’s roots as a collective of printmakers with a taste for political activism, while also documenting the studio’s evolution with works by renowned artists such as Rover Thomas, Judy Horacek, Richard Larter, Alison Alder, April Phillips, and Daniel Boyd.
Until Sunday 8 June | Megalo Print Studio, 21 Wentworth Ave, Kingston | More info at megalo.org
Djara
Djara reveals the profound connection between First Nations peoples, stars, sky, and Country. Through storytelling, dance, song, and a captivating audio-visual experience, this exhibition brings together leading artists, traditional custodians, and astrophysicists to share millennia-old knowledge.
Until 8 June 2025 | Canberra Museum + Gallery, City | More information here.
Beyond Measure: Expanding the Sky
Beyond Measure presents multidisciplinary artworks that challenge and expand perceptions of the cosmos. Featuring photography, installation, and digital technology, it explores our relationship with space, shaping our understanding of the universe and our place within it.
Until 8 June 2025 | Canberra Museum + Gallery, City | More information here.
Ali Nasseri | Boredom Doesn’t Exist
Shot exclusively on medium format Kodak film, this exhibition reflects on the evolving nature of identity, displacement, and resilience. Born in Iran and was displaced at the age of seven, two years after the 1979 revolution, for over two decades, Ali Nasseri has worked exclusively with analogue film, building a practice rooted in honesty and reverence. He has exhibited widely, published monographs, and been recognised in contemporary photography prizes both in Australia and internationally. His work is held in the collections of several of Sydney’s most respected creative institutions.
Don’t miss this chance to see his works for yourself.
Until Sunday 15 June | Suki & Hugh Gallery, 38a Gibraltar Street, Bungendore| More information here.
Lindy Lee
Lindy Lee is one of Australia’s most accomplished contemporary artists. This exhibition brings together highlights from across the artist’s career as well as a monumental new installation and works on paper.
Exploring themes of ancestry, spirituality, the environment, and the cosmos, this display of new and recent works will shed light on Lee’s ever-evolving and ambitious practice.
Until Tuesday 1 July | National Gallery of Australia, Parkes Place East, Parkes | More information here.
The Lodge by Amala Groom
The Lodge is the third moving image work in Amala Groom’s Raised by Wolves series. Filmed on Ngunnawal Country in Canberra’s Parliamentary Triangle, The Lodge engages with Groom’s history of direct action at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy and ceremonial rites of passage within and without the halls of Parliament House spanning the past 20 years from activist to advocate to artist.
The work references David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and its White and Black Lodges, reinterpreting them as the indivisible duality of ‘light’ and ‘dark’—a dynamic embodied by Canberra’s historical and political landscape.
Until Saturday 12 July | 19 Furneaux Street, Manuka | canberracontemporary.com.au
Am I in your way by Racquel Ormella
Am I in your way? extends Raquel Ormella’s career-long focus on the visual cultures of protest and resistance. This exhibition takes as its starting point the position of Canberra Contemporary at the centre of the Parliamentary Triangle as a site to consider past and present formations of national identities.
In this current moment of charged international and national relationships through conflict and brinkmanship, the work looks at the ways political protestors use their bodies as direct forms of passive disruption. In an environment where attitudes towards legitimate disruption and protest are changing, Am I in your way? is a timely exploration of an emerging criminalisation of ‘inconvenience’.
Until Saturday 12 July | 19 Furneaux Street, Manuka | canberracontemporary.com.au
KULATA TJUTA: TIRKILPA
Kulata Tjuta: Tirkilpa is the largest and most significant installation of the culturally important and visually spectacular Kulata Tjuta (Many Spears) Project.
Like others in the series, it is rooted in age-old traditions, knowledge and skills that are designed around keeping Country and culture strong. On show at the National Gallery of Australia head along to see the large-scale, multi-disciplinary installations that incorporate film, sound, live performance and other artistic collaborations.
Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive selected by Mike Bowers
Showcasing the best of Australian photojournalism, the National Library has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select some of his favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive.
Tracing the art of photojournalism from its infancy to the highly illustrated news stories you know so well today, the free exhibition explores how the pioneers of press photography in Australia developed their storytelling skills.
Until Sunday 20 July | National Library of Australia, Parkes Place West, Parkes | More information here.
Resonance – Art as the Voice of Nature
This exhibition at the Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG) showcases art from the NatureArt Lab teaching team and community, nature journals and natural history objects collected over our eight years of operation.
Celebrating the richness of biodiversity and the deep connections between art and the natural world, the exhibition extends beyond visual art, incorporating community engagement, school programs, and international nature tours spanning Borneo, Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands, Amazonian Ecuador, and Peru.
Until Sunday 27 July | 176 London Circuit, City | More information here.
A Total Work of Art: Sidney Nolan and the Stage
Celebrate 50 years of Nolan’s cultural legacy with the Canberra Museum and Gallery’s year-long program of exhibitions, concerts, talks, and a symposium. A Total Work of Art: Sidney Nolan and the Stage showcases Sidney Nolan’s dynamic stage designs for opera, ballet, and theatre. You’ll discover costumes, set designs, and the iconic “Lyrebird” costume from The Display, 1964.
Until 8 March 2026 | Canberra Museum + Gallery, City | More information here.
The Immersive World of Thom Roberts
This is the first solo exhibition for this multidisciplinary, contemporary Australian artist opens at the National Portrait Gallery. Showcasing over 100 works spanning his prolific, decade-long career, the exhibition features painting, installation and animation, as well as major new work, inviting audiences to consider the world through his eyes.
Until Sunday 20 July | National Portrait Gallery | portrait.gov.au
Outer Space: Stromlo to the Stars
Celebrating 100 years of Mount Stromlo Observatory, this interactive exhibition highlights groundbreaking astronomical discoveries and the vibrant community of scientists and families behind them. Features immersive installations, historical objects, and interactive activities perfect for all ages.
Until 16 November | Canberra Museum + Gallery, City | More information here.
Sport and Wellness
Yoga for Wellness & Joy: with Trish @ Sanctuary
Trish is committed to the collective wellbeing of all her clients and sharing the joy and benefits of Slow Flow Yoga. She is running classes at Sanctuary every Friday morning, followed by a cuppa!
No experience required. Wear loose comfortable clothing, bring a mat (if you have one), water, a small towel and a light blanket as the weather cools.
Every Friday, 7.45 am and 9.15 am | 17 Brockman St Narrabundah | Register by emailing trish@wisdominone.com.au
ilLustrious Grand Opening & Launch Party
ilLustrious dance and burlesque is opening its doors with a full day and night of queer celebration, dance, and sparkle. The daytime Grand Opening features free dance classes and mini performances showcasing what ilLustrious Dance is all about: creativity, connection, and a whole lot of queer joy. Once the sun sets, the space transforms for a glittering launch party with burlesque, drag, and show-stopping performances from some of Canberra’s finest. Expect bold vibes, rhinestones, and a whole lot of community joy.
Saturday 17 May. Open Studio: 10 am–4 pm. Launch Party: Doors 7 pm | 35 East Row, Canberra | illustriousdance.com
Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies vs Queensland Reds
The Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies take on the Queensland Reds at GIO Stadium. Opening with a double header, the Wallaroos will take on USA, marking the return of the Wallaroos to the capital for the first time since 2008.
Saturday 17 May | GIO Stadium, Battye Street, Bruce | brumbies.rugby
Fox Superflow
Get ready to experience Gravity Enduro mountain bike racing at the Fox Superflow at Stromlo Mountain Bike Park! For the first time they’re bringing their Stromlo East and Stromlo North rounds into one huge weekend – double the tracks and double the points! You get to choose which trail network you ride, on what day.
Saturday 17 May and Sunday 18 May | Stromlo MTB Trails, Dave McInnes Road, Wright | rockytrailsuperflow.com
Raiders v Titans
Be part of the action at GIO Stadium on Sunday afternoon as the Canberra Raiders battle the Gold Coast Titans. Raiders halfback Jamal Fogarty broke the hearts of his former club last season, kicking Canberra to victory in Golden Point.
Sunday 18 May | GIO Stadium Canberra, Battye Street, Bruce | raiders.com.au
Workshops and Programs
Book launch: Red Dust Running with Anita Heiss at the National Library
Join Anita Heiss as she discusses her new book Red Dust Running at the National Library of Australia. Anita is an internationally published, award-winning author of 25 books, a proud member of the Wiradyuri Nation, and Professor of Communications at the University of Queensland.
Wednesday 14 May | National Library of Australia, Parkes Place West, Parkes | library.gov.au
Building a Sustainable Home Workshop series – Taylor
This workshop series provides detailed information about how to build or renovate your home with sustainable living in mind. In this workshop, you’ll discover what a sustainable home is and why it’s a smart choice.
Saturday 17 May | The Hive, Margaret Hendry School community space, 100 Sutherland Crescent, Taylor | suburbanland.act.gov.au
Artists in Conversation: Sophie Baker
Join an artist talk with Sophie Baker to learn more about her exhibition Circumnavigating ‘Bush Capital’ from the (bike) saddle. Sophie asks ‘do we really cherish the bush?’ and explores what happens when she rides forth brandishing a paintbrush to paint the Bush Capital today.
Saturday 17 May | West Gallery, Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
Young Rangers Program
The Young Rangers Program is a program, provided by ACT Parks Rangers, for young nature enthusiasts between the ages of seven and 15 who wish to develop their knowledge and skills in the natural environment. Children are invited to join a Ranger or other special guests, to explore a variety of nature-based topics.
Sunday 18 May | Jerrabomberra Wetlands Office, 2 Dairy Road, Fyshwick | actparks.bookeasy.com
Feature image of Kristy Griffin as Helene, Amy Orman as Charity Hope Valentine and Vanessa Valois as Nickie in Sweet Charity. Supplied.
