Shakespeare, Van Gogh and International Women’s Day: 12+ things to do this week in Canberra

Posted on 7 March, 2022

We might only be a week into March, but already there’s so much happening.

This week we see a plethora of International Women’s Day events (and if you need a bigger guide, click here), our HerCanberra Ladies Night Out at the Alliance Française French Film Festival, a massive laneway rock gig, the return of street feast-ival The Forage at Enlighten and plenty more.

It’s back! Our beloved HerCanberra Ladies Night at the Alliance Française French Film Festival is happening again on Thursday 10 March at Palace Electric and we can’t wait to get cultural with you all!

Kicking off with welcome champagne from renown French champagne house Nicolas Feuillatte, guests are encouraged to snack on canapes and mingle in the foyer of the Nishi Building while enjoying live entertainment and unwinding from the day.

Then, head inside to watch Rise—a captivating exploration of family, career and dance.

In Rise, Dynamic choreography and a strong performance by Marion Barbeau bring out the elegance and the fortitude of dance that will naturally inspire audiences.

Barbeau impresses with an astounding physical performance that feels as though we are there fighting alongside the young aspiring artist as she reaches for her dreams. Epic dance scenes are complemented by small intimate moments that give the viewer an insight into the psyche of the dancer.

Tickets are $30 for Alliance Francaise members and $35 for non-members.

Thursday 10 March from 6 pm | Palace Electric Cinemas, NewActon | Purchase tickets and find more information at affrenchfilmfestival.org/highlights/canberra

The Canberra Labor Club’s Annual International Women’s Day Charity Dinner

The Canberra Labor Club is proud to be hosting its Annual International Women’s Day Charity Dinner on Thursday the 10th of March 2022.

This event offers the opportunity to bring amazing women together to hear stories from other amazing women and help forge a community free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, whilst raising funds for a local charity Toora Women Inc.

Toora Women Inc has supported women against such issues as domestic and family violence, alcohol and other drug dependencies, and homelessness in the ACT and surrounds. Every $100 raised will support a woman who is breaking free from trauma and rebuilding her life.

This year’s event will be hosted by the fabulous Ginger Gorman, and will feature some amazing speakers who will share their stories on #BreakTheBias.

Get your group together or join in individually and get set for a night full of inspiration, laughs, food, drinks and entertainment and together we can #BreakTheBias.

Tickets $98 per person and include

• 3 Course dinner
• Drinks
• Inspirational Speakers
• Question and panel discussion
• Charity raffle
• Live entertainment throughout the evening

Please arrive at 6 pm for a 6.30 pm start the formalities will conclude around 10 pm however the celebration will keep going.

Dress: smart business/ cocktail

Let’s get together and #BreakTheBias

Happening Thursday 10 March from 6-10 pm at Canberra Labor Club Belconnen, 51 Chandler Street, Belconnen.

See MyGuestList for tickets

Transit Returns

It’s been a rough few years for Transit Bar, but all bad things must come to an end.

Transit Returns marks the comeback of Canberra’s longstanding live music institution. After too long between drinks, Transit is finally back open in a new venue, and its time to christen our laneway in the only way we know how… a punk rock show with special guests Dune Rats.

Brissy Rock legends Dune Rats are no strangers to a good time, but they’ve been unfairly starved of many a gig and are frothing the chance to crank up their amps and play a few riffs, they serve as the perfect headline to Transit’s first outdoor laneway party.

Joining Dune Rats is a stacked bill of Canberra’s finest bands. Sputnik Sweetheart, Parklands, Slow Dial and Slagatha Christie round out a huge lineup of live music to be played on the famous ‘soul defender’ in the heart of Canberra City.

Taking place in the laneway behind Transit Bar, entry opposite King O’Malleys on City Walk. There will be bevs flowing, food slingin’ and guaranteed loud rock shows to be had.

This is an 18+ event supported by the ACT Government’s Amp It Up grant program.

Sunday 13 March from 3 pm | Transit Laneway City | Tickets via Moshtix

The Forage@Enlighten Festival

The Forage. Credit: Tim Bean.

Street food feast-ival The Forage is back!

The Canberra Day long weekend (11-14 March) sees the arrival of an exciting new food precinct The Forage@Enlighten Festival offering an enticing lakeside zone for all things local and regional food and beverage.

This well-loved Canberra food experience returns in a new home for this autumn experience that will quickly become a Festival must-do.

With more than 25 local businesses offering a wide range of food and drink options, you’ll have plenty to choose from to tantalise the taste buds. Grab yourself a smorgasbord of a feast and relax by the lake with family and friends.

No tickets required.

12–14 March | Parkes Place | enlightencanberra.com/program/the-forage

Shakespeare to Winehouse: Icons from the National Portrait Gallery, London

William Shakespeare (detail) c. 1600-1610, associated with John Taylor, oil on canvas, National Portrait Gallery, London. Given by Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere, 1856 © National Portrait Gallery, London.

From Shakespeare to Winehouse, Darwin to Dickens, the Beatles, Brontë sisters and Beckham, the National Portrait Gallery, London holds the world’s most extensive collection of portraits. While they undergo the largest renovation of their building in 125 years, the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra is thrilled to show over 80 London treasures for an exclusive exhibition in 2022.

Start planning now to visit famous faces from the sixteenth century to today. Think Mandela, Malala, Churchill, Diana, Bowie, Sheeran, Westwood and more! And iconic artists like Warhol, Hockney, Emin, van Dyck, Rubens and Freud. There’ll be fame, power, love, loss, innovation and the downright inspirational – it’s going to be incredible.

This really is a rare, once-in-a-generation opportunity – showing exclusively at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra – so keep calm and grab your ticket!

12 March – 17 July | National Portrait Gallery | portrait.gov.au/exhibitions/shakespeare-to-winehouse-2022

Van Gogh Alive

As Van Gogh Alive comes to Canberra make no mistake—this is no ordinary art exhibition. Forget tiptoeing through silent galleries to look at the iconic work of Vincent Van Gogh.

From Saturday 5 March you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the life and works of the Post-Impressionist painter thanks to the spectacular multi-sensory experience. Read more here.

From 5 March onwards | Park Place Lawns | vangoghalive.com.au

Ronni Kahn AO at The National Press Club

Ronni Kahn. Credit: Anthony Geernaert.

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Ronni Kahn AO, founder of OzHarvest, will address The Press Club on Wednesday 9 March.

Ronni Kahn AO is a social entrepreneur and founder of Australia’s leading food rescue charity, OzHarvest. Ronni is a passionate advocate and activist renowned for disrupting the food waste landscape in Australia. She appears regularly in national media, serves in an advisory capacity to the government, and is a sought-after keynote speaker. Her mission to fight food waste and feed hungry people is supported by some of the world’s finest chefs.

Ronni is an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and was named Australian Local Hero of the Year. Her journey is the subject of a feature film, Food Fighter directed by Dan Goldberg. In 2020 she co-authored her biography; A Repurposed Life, which was nominated for an ABIA award for Biography Book of the Year.

Wednesday 9 March from 11.30 am | National Press Club of Australia, Barton | npc.org.au/speaker/2022/973-ronni-kahn

On Stage: Spotlight on Our Performing Arts

Houston Rogers, Portrait of Sir Robert Helpmann as Oberon [detail], 1954, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136330433.

Let the National Library entertain you when On Stage: Spotlight on Our Performing Arts opens in autumn. There’s no business like show business, and this exhibition brings Australia’s performing arts history into the limelight.

The Australian stage has seen it all, from theatre, opera and dance to musicals, magic and hip hop, featuring household names like Sir Robert Helpmann, Dame Nellie Melba, Peter Allen, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Tim Minchin and the Hilltop Hoods.

On Stage also provides a backstage pass to the action behind the scenes, showcasing perspectives on stage direction, costume design, scripts, contracts and musical scores used by performers.

Presented together for the first time and drawing exclusively from the collections of the National Library, the exhibition features items that have never before been on display. Other highlights include the earliest surviving Australian printed document, selections from the JC Williamson theatre archives, and other contemporary live music and theatre posters.

Whether you prefer to take a front row seat, tread the boards, or stagedive into the moshpit, there is something for every fan to see. Join the Library during your visit, and receive a special souvenir Library Card featuring a portrait of Sir Robert Helpmann.

Until 7 August | National Library of Australia | Entry is free, no booking required | nla.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/on-stage

Enlighten Festival 2022

Enlighten Festival, Canberra’s vibrant, jam-packed celebration of light, colour and food is back for 2022. Taking place from Friday 4 to Sunday 20 March, the city will come alive with a massive program of diverse and exciting events—including some new attractions, all under the banner of @Enlighten Festival.

While the classic festivities we know and love will still be going ahead, Canberra After Dark, Van Gogh Alive and Surface Festival are just some of the new attractions that will infuse the city with food, art, and culture.

Kicking off Canberra’s autumn festival of culture and creativity, this year Enlighten’s opening weekend includes a brand-new experience. Running from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 March Canberra’s new urban street art event Surface Festival will see street art, graffiti, portraits, stencils, Indigenous art, geometric and abstract art transform 30 walls and structures.

But wait—there’s more. Some of the capital’s major attractions will also present exclusive ticketed events during the festival, giving access to areas normally closed to the public, all a part of the Canberra After Dark @ Enlighten Festival program.

For film lovers, Friday 11 March will see the weekend kick off with Lights! Canberra! Action! @Enlighten Festival Shining a spotlight on local film-making talent, the short film festival is located in the open-air surrounds of the Senate Rose Garden where you can enjoy the creations of up-and-coming local filmmakers with a craft beer in hand.

On Saturday 12 March turn your gaze skywards as the Canberra Balloon Spectacular @Enlighten Festival lifts off and fills the skies. A spectacle of colour, over 25 balloons from around Australia and overseas will come together to make this a morning to remember. From Saturday 5 March you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the life and works of Van Gogh thanks to a spectacular multi-sensory experience, Van Gogh Alive, which will run for the duration of Enlighten.

Taking place on Sunday 13 March, Symphony in the Park @ Enlighten Festival will see The Canberra Symphony Orchestra take to the stage and perform with special guest, multi-award ARIA winning singer-songwriter Lior. Bring a picnic or enjoy the food and drinks available while enjoying a free autumn evening event featuring modern and classical performers.

As always, entry to Enlighten will remain free but COVID restrictions may apply.

Until 20 March | Various locations across The Parliamentary Triangle and Canberra City | enlightencanberra.com/program/illuminations

The Alliance Française French Film Festival 2022

Imagine this: soon you’ll be in France enjoying canapes and champagne.

Yes—really. And the best part is, you won’t even need your passport. Kicking off on Wednesday 2 March, the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival is back to bring Canberra French escapism in the form of fantastique films.

With a variety of 42 carefully selected films showing at the Palace Electric, until Wednesday 6 April film fans can treat themselves to award-winning cinema that thrills, chills, and inspires.

On Thursday 10 March, the Australian premiere of Lost Illusions will open this year’s festival, transporting audiences to an extravagant foray into the gilded yet treacherous lives of France’s 19th-century aristocracy.

Full of scandal, love, and revenge, it’s the perfect film to escape Canberra…and with the addition of French canapés and wine before the film you’ll soon be saying ‘je veux plus!’

Until 6 April | Palace Electric Cinema | affrenchfilmfestival.org

Ruthless! The Musical

A hysterical comedy that puts the show in showbiz, much-loved musical Ruthless! will come to The Q for a three-week run—plenty of time to squeeze in a show around your other March commitments.

Expect song, dance, tantrums (just on stage, hopefully) and laughs.

Until 12 March | The Q, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre | 6285 6290 | theq.net.au/whats-on/subscriptions/ruthless

Australian Dance Party’s LESS

Australian Dance Party is celebrating Dairy Road’s LESS Pavilion with a new performance. Taking place across various dates from 4–12 March, LESS will be “a performance that has been created from the place, it is an incredible and sort of odd sculpture that reminds us of the power of our imagination and our connection with the built and natural environment.”

We can’t wait to see what the creative minds behind Canberra’s own dance company Australian Dance Party have come up with this time.

Until 12 March | LESS Pavilion, Dairy Road, Fyshwick | events.humanitix.com/less

Panel discussion: Challenging Resilience – How Bouncing Back Becomes Burning Out!

Hosted by MIEACT, panel discussion Challenging Resilience: How Bouncing Back Becomes Burning Out will take place online on Thursday 10 March.

As restrictions gradually ease and we slowly make our way back into the workplace, many of us are being confronted with a new normal.

Hosted by diverse leaders from across the Canberra workforce, and facilitated by esteemed journalist Ginger Gorman, this panel discussion will tackle the notion of ‘donning armour’, ‘bouncing back’ and ‘silver bullets’ when it comes to ‘finding’ resilience and consider what this means for ourselves both inside and outside the workplace. Is ‘bouncing back’ leading us to burnout?

The panel will discuss:

• How organisations can effectively address mental wellbeing, including real-life examples and on-the-job lessons.
• What do ‘resilient leaders’ and ‘resilient staff’ really look like?
• The regulatory authorities are focusing on psychological safety, but what does this actually mean within a business?
• Whether the concept of resilience should be challenged – what are the risks of valuing resilience too highly?

Thursday 10 March from 12–1.30 pm | Online | Tickets via Eventbrite