With two performing arts festivals kicking off and a host of other live performances, exhibitions and markets on this weekend, there’s plenty of things to do across Canberra from 30 April – 2 May.
30 April
Start your weekend off with two Canberra musical talents, Lucy Sugerman and Reverend Bones, play their new music in a joint concert that will rock Kambri, ANU from 8pm; moshtix.com.au – read more about the show here.
Then, just up the road at The Street, renowned Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee plays a live show at 7.30pm; thestreet.org.au – CW spoke with Lee ahead of the show, read it here.
Having kicked off yesterday, Australian Dance Week 2021 features free classes, workshops, films, performances and more across Canberra, 29 April-9 May; ausdance.org.au – more here.
A highlight from the program taking place this weekend is The Point, a dance performance by Liz Lea Dance Company at Belconnen Arts Centre, on 30 April and 1 May; belcoarts.com.au/point
The 2021 Canberra International Music Festival begins today, evoking Vienna and its 250 years of musical history to Canberra with a dynamic program running to 9 May; cimf.org.au
1 May
Backstage with Jessica Cottis sees the Canberra Symphony Orchestra artistic director in conversation with Robyn Holmes revealing what goes into her remarkable role, 1 May, 3.30-6.30pm, ANU School of Music, Acton; cso.org.au
Canberra’s first all-transgender original musical, Lost in Transit, is showing at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, until 1 May 7.30pm; tuggeranongarts.com
The Spooky Men’s Chorale perform their first gig in more than a year at Gungahlin College Theatre, 1 May 2pm; humanitix.com.au
The first large-scale indoor market in Canberra since the pandemic, the CBRmade winter makers market, is on at EPIC, 1 May 9am-4pm; CBRmade.com.au
Canberra Spinners and Weavers have their new exhibition Warped by Covid, Twisted by Fate, at Textile Works in the Chifley Community and Wellbeing Hub, 1-9 May 10am-4pm.
The NFSA and NGA present the Stanley Kubrick epic Barry Lyndon at the NGA’s James Fairfax Theatre, 1 May 2pm; free, bookings essential via nfsa.gov.au/whats-on
The Autumn Leaves Market at the Pearce Community Centre sees 16 stallholders selling a range of pottery, jewellery, soaps, candles, cards, cookies, and more, 1-2 May 10am-2pm.
The Gold Creek art space Aarwun Gallery hosts a landscape painting masterclass with Herman Pekel, 1-2 May, 10.30am-4pm; $295, book via [email protected]
2 May
This weekend is a great opportunity to get along to Hall’s Kyeema Gallery, located at Capital Wines, who host new exhibition, Brilliant Landscapes … with a difference, by Floriade founder Chris Slotemaker de Bruine, until 24 May; capitalwines.com.au
As part of Dance Week, Love Dance will fill the National Portrait Gallery’s Australian Love Stories exhibition with pop up dance from 10.30am-2.30pm; free, ausdanceact.org.au
Canberra Choral Society perform Voices for Music and Brass, designed and conducted by CCS’s Dan Walker this weekend on 2 May 5pm, at Llewellyn Hall ANU; canberrachoralsociety.org
An intimate program of Romantic chamber music, titled Australian Romantic & Classical Orchestra, will be performed at Fitters Workshop, Kingston as part of CIMF, 2 May 11am and 1pm; arco.org.au
The Friends’ Botanic Art Group’s 14th annual art exhibition, titled From the Desert to the Sea, is on at the Australian National Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre, Canberra, and finishes this weekend on Sunday; free entry.
For more entertainment:
