CD brings you the latest in arts and entertainment news from around the Canberra region. Highlights this week include a design competition, a feat of theatre and a musical favourite coming to town.
Sculpt the future of NGA’s garden
One of Canberra’s best outdoor art displays is getting a makeover with the announcement of a $60 million revitalisation for the National Gallery of Australia’s Sculpture Garden.
The Gallery is calling on all architects and visionaries to share their ideas in the two-stage Sculpture Garden Design Competition. They are hoping to see innovative designs that incorporate a public place to experience art, education, cultural and social events while honouring the garden’s original design.
Open to all design teams, the NGA is encouraging multidisciplinary partnerships from both Australian and international teams. They say applicants are encouraged to include a landscape architect, an Australian First Nations practioner, an artist, an architect and a botanist or horticulturalist on the team.
The plans for the gardens will be judged by a jury of art and design experts who will anonymously decide on a shortlist to progress into the second stage. The shortlist will be announced in June, with those selected being invited to further develop designs for consideration ahead of the winning design being announced in October.
The successful applicant will lead the major redevelopment of the three-hectare garden that surrounds the Gallery, as the future design brings the garden into the 21st century. NGA director Dr Nick Mitzevich says the original design was never fully completed, nor has the garden seen a significant investment for many years and the NGA is keen to see what will unfold.
Established in 1981 and beloved by locals and visitors alike, the Sculpture Garden features works by leading Australian and international artists surrounded by native plants that thrive in the local climate. The resilience of fauna, sustainability, accessibility and the embedding of First National Principles are vital necessities of future garden designs.
Entries close at 12pm 29 May; nga.gov.au/art-artists/sculpture-garden/design-competition
NMA fellows head abroad
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has been awarded to six Indigenous cultural workers thanks to the National Museum of Australia’s Encounters Fellowship Program for 2024.
From Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory, the group which includes a historian, curator, cultural heritage practitioner, artist and program coordinator will learn from experts at leading cultural institutions.
Heading to institutions in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the fellows will have the opportunity to explore First Nations museum collections and the role they have in revealing the past and shaping the future.
In its third iteration, the fellowship program aims to help build competencies in a range of activities and skills relevant to careers in the cultural sector. Working alongside museum, gallery and culture specialists, fellows will be given behind-the-scenes on-the-job training in areas like collection research, preservation, planning, storytelling, educational programs, design and project management.
The 12-week program kicked off this month with an orientation at the NMA. Next, the fellows will travel to the Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand in Wellington to focus on First Nations-led cultural work and programs. The fellows will then visit leading cultural and collecting institutions in the UK to conduct research, participate in workshops, undertake individual placements and build networks.
The Encounter Fellowship Program is possible thanks to the generosity of supporting partners and the Australian government.
Theatre prepares young adults for work
Inclusive theatre company Rebus Theatre, through consultation with Skills Canberra, has developed an innovative ready-to-work program for young adults with neurodivergence or intellectual disabilities.
Set to launch later this year, Expressive Pathways is open to those aged 17-24 with neurodivergence or intellectual disabilities who are looking to enter the workforce. The program leans into the playfulness of theatre to teach real-world skills and offers the opportunity for industry placements at the Canberra Theatre Centre.
Running over the course of a year, the program sees a registered trainer and accessor, as well as the Rebus Theatre director, guide participants through foundational workplace skills.
In a supportive and expressive environment, participants learn through hands-on activities that help them enhance communication skills. Immersive role-playing activities simulate job interviews and workplace scenarios in preparation for real-world challenges. The placement in front-of-house roles at CTC is a vital part of the program and helps pave the role for potential employment opportunities.
“This initiative underscores our ongoing commitment to inclusivity, providing valuable opportunities for participants to gain practical experience and contribute to our vibrant theatre community, fostering a welcoming environment for all,” says Alex Budd, Director of Canberra Theatre Centre.
Receiving funding through the ACT Adult Community Education Grants program, the program launches on 23 July and then runs for four 9-week long terms.
Expressions of interest are open until 13 May; rebustheatre.com/programs/expressive-pathways
Song, dance and All that Jazz come to Canberra
Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery, treachery and an undoubtedly good time come to Canberra as Chicago the Musical, the longest-running musical on Broadway, comes to Canberra Theatre Centre from 7 September.
In what will be the first professional production of Chicago to be played on a Canberra stage, audiences are invited to witness the tale of Roxie Hart. A housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her affair partner, Roxie is desperate to avoid conviction and goes to great lengths to trick the media, cellmates and husband.
A talented lineup, Chicago stars Anthony Warlow as the slick criminal lawyer Billy Flynn, Zoë Ventoura as rival cellmate Velma Kelly, Peter Rowsthorn as Roxie’s gullible husband Amos Hart and Asabi Goodman as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton. Our Damsel who creates her own distress, Lucy Maunder takes on the enormous role of Roxie Hart.
The show is sure to razzle and dazzle audiences with flawless sets and costumes, dance numbers like we have never seen on our stage before, a hint of burlesque and a display of incredible vocal ranges.
Presale tickets are now available for Chicago the Musical at Canberra Theatre Centre on 7-22 September; canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Support local arts at Hub-Athon
In its first fundraising project for the year, ACT Hub is showcasing a theatrical feat of endurance in the 12 Hour Hub-Athon on Saturday 27 April.
A collective of independent theatre companies, ACT Hub embarks on a massive half-day of continuous play readings, showcasing their devotion to producing independent theatre. From midday to midnight, 25 actors will perform seven plays to demonstrate their commitment to the creative endurance that is required in independent theatre making.
Aiming to tell stories that matter, ACT Hub is in its third year of delivering honest and thought-provoking productions. The hub is deeply committed to being the home of independent theatre in the ACT both now and into the future, with the help of the local community.
Throughout the 12 hours, the Canberra community is invited to watch the action online or live in person and make a donation in support of live theatre in Canberra. Donations made through the Hub-Athon will contribute to a more sustainable future for ACT Hub through varied income streams, allow the hub to deliver new programs and invest in the Hub’s long-term sustainability through the purchase of their own technical equipment.
The 12 Hour Hub-Athon at ACT Hub, Saturday 27 April, 12pm – 12am; acthub.com.au
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