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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260819T100000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260819T123000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251122T080429Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251122T080429Z
UID:10000335-1787133600-1787142600@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:London’s Lost Department Stores - Special Interest Morning
DESCRIPTION:Social historian Tessa Boase explores the fabulous world of London’s lost department stores. \nTwo one-hour talks around a delicious morning tea. \nLondon’s department stores were far more than shops. By the late 19th century\, they were destinations. Where else would you find a ‘reading room for husbands’ (Selfridges)? A crèche with giant toadstools (D.H Evans)? A service to clean and repair your entire winter wardrobe (Bradleys)? This wonderfully nostalgic and captivating day will take you on a sensory\, highly immersive journey backwards in time. We’ll be making stops at:\ni. The West End\, guided by Edwardian shopping lady Olivia (author of ‘A Prejudiced Guide to the Shops’)\, seeking out the latest ‘temples of desire’.\nii. The flirty Thirties and its fabulous Deco department stores\, from roof gardens to curved glass walls\, Coronation fever to marketing stunts. \nDates and Locations \nWednesday 19 August 2026 Molonglo Plains (ACT / NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/londons-lost-department-stores-special-interest-morning/
CATEGORIES:ACT,NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Boase-Londons-Lost-Department-Stores-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260819T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260819T190000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251020T003651Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251120T012913Z
UID:10000293-1787162400-1787166000@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The World of Homer
DESCRIPTION:This talk examines the history and cultural legacy of the two earliest works in the western literary canon: the Iliad and the Odyssey. After an outline of each plotline\,\nthe talk will focus on how and why these poems have cast such a spell on artists and writers ever since\, from ancient Greek tragedy and vase painting\, through\nrenaissance artists such as Botticelli and Bernini\, and up to modern authors such as  James Joyce and Madeleine Miller. Understanding the world of Homer is an essential element for understanding the history of western art. \nDates and Locations \nMonday 3 August 2026 Hobart (TAS) \nSaturday 8 August 2026 Gold Coast (QLD) \nWednesday 12 August 2026 Brisbane (QLD) \nWednesday 19 August 2026 Toowoomba (QLD) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-world-of-homer/2026-08-19/
CATEGORIES:QLD,TAS
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Renshaw-Homer-Akhilleus_Berlin-R2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260819T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260819T190000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251211T044131Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T044131Z
UID:10000634-1787162400-1787166000@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:A Photographic Odyssey: Shackleton's 'Endurance' Expedition Captured On Camera
DESCRIPTION:On Ernest Shackleton’s third Antarctic expedition in 1914\, his ship\, the Endurance\, was trapped\, eventually crushed in pack ice. After five months on the ice\, the ship’s company rowed to remote Elephant Island. Shackleton then sailed with five companions over 800 miles to South Georgia\, returning over three months later to rescue his stranded crew. Australian Frank Hurley was the expedition’s official photographer. His images capture with great artistry the amazing landscapes within which this remarkable human drama unfolded. This lecture illustrates Hurley’s great talent behind the lens\, in the first flush of human contact when the Antarctic remained essentially ‘terra incognita’. \nDates and Locations \nThursday 13 August 2026 Shoalhaven (NSW) \nMonday 17 August 2026 Narrabri (NSW) \nTuesday 18 August 2026 Scone (NSW) \nWednesday​ 19 August 2026 Tamworth (NSW) \nMonday 31 August 2026 Coffs Coast (NSW) \nClick on the location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/a-photographic-odyssey-shackletons-endurance-expedition-captured-on-camera/2026-08-19/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Cottle-Endurance-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260820T140000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260820T150000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251122T080921Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251122T080921Z
UID:10000336-1787234400-1787238000@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Showmen and Shopgirls: Behind Those Famous London Department Stores
DESCRIPTION:Mr Gamage\, Mr Selfridge & co created palaces for the coming generation. We look at the colourful human stories behind those famous facades\, from the powerful men at the top to the humble shop assistants sleeping like sardines in the attics. Behind the facades of some of London’s best-known ‘houses’\, life’s dramas are playing out. There are arson attacks\, sackings\, strikes\, marriage proposals – even murders. From Harrods’ amateur dramatics society to the Channel Islands department store that served the Nazis\, this is social history at its most colourful and engaging. We’ll end with the modern heroes bringing these archaic buildings back to life\, including Afghani immigrant Mr Khan of Peckham. \nDates and Locations \nThursday 20 August 2026 Molonglo Plains (ACT / NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/showmen-and-shopgirls-behind-those-famous-london-department-stores/
CATEGORIES:ACT,NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Boase-Shopping-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260820T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260820T190000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251030T073234Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T074525Z
UID:10000663-1787248800-1787252400@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Masonry\, Manuscripts and Music: An Inspirational Journey Through Medieval England
DESCRIPTION:The architecture\, manuscript illumination and music of medieval England are among the greatest achievements of any period of English cultural history. The aim of this lecture is to open a window onto this remarkable world to capture something of the essence of its Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals\, its equally rich span of manuscript illumination\, both sacred and profane\, and its religious and secular music. Essentially inspirational and aspirational\, these are forms of artistic endeavour which can touch the sublime. \nDates and Locations \nFriday 7 August 2026 Blue Mountains (NSW) \nThursday 20 August 2026 Armidale (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/masonry-manuscripts-and-music-an-inspirational-journey-through-medieval-england/2026-08-20/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Cottle-Masonry-Manuscripts-and-Music-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260822T100000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260822T110000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251205T081433Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T001440Z
UID:10000506-1787392800-1787396400@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Sport Of The Gods: Olympia and the Ancient Olympics
DESCRIPTION:Every four years\, the advent of the newest iteration of the Olympic games brings scrutiny and reflection on their ancient forebears. The ancient Olympics lasted for over 1000 years and were both very similar and very different to the modern games. They were held as religious games in honour of the great god Zeus at his sanctuary at Olympia in the Greek Peloponnese. The art and architecture of this sanctuary was emblematic of the ancient Olympic spirit – and represents some of the finest sculpted art to survive from ancient Greece. In this talk\, we look at the artistic and literary evidence for the ancient games\, learning about triumphs and heartaches\, and stories of athletes\, both weird and wonderful! \nDates and Locations \nTuesday 4 August 2026 Launceston (TAS) \nSaturday 22 August 2026 Rockhampton (QLD) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/sport-of-the-gods-olympia-and-the-ancient-olympics/2026-08-22/
CATEGORIES:QLD,TAS
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Renshaw-The-stadium-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260824T100000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260824T123000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251029T032043Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251029T032043Z
UID:10000205-1787565600-1787574600@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Tragedy and Triumph: The Story of Polar Exploration
DESCRIPTION:PART 1: Robert Scott\, Roald Amundsen and the Race to the South Pole.\nWith the help of the evocative photographs of Scott’s photographer\, Herbert Ponting\, and some of Edward Wilson’s watercolours\, this session focuses on the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration\, in particular\, the journeys by Scott and his rival\, Amundsen to be first at the South Pole. \nPART 2: Shackleton and the Endurance Expedition.\nWe focus on one of the most dramatic escapes from disaster in polar history. Shackleton’s ship\, the Endurance\, got trapped and eventually crushed in the pack ice. With the help of the expedition’s photographs by Frank Hurley\, we follow a saga of survival against the odds. \nDates and Locations \nMonday 24 August 2026 Newcastle (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/tragedy-and-triumph-the-story-of-polar-exploration/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Cottle-Tragedy-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260824T103000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260824T113000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251120T072132Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251124T022656Z
UID:10000355-1787567400-1787571000@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:London's Lost Department Stores
DESCRIPTION:London’s sumptuous Victorian and Edwardian department stores changed the capital – and changed its women. Shoppers of every rank were lavishly wooed\, seduced and often undone by the temptations laid out before them in these new ‘cathedrals of desire’. Starting on Oxford Street’s ‘golden mile’\, we’ll set off on a cultural tour of the capital’s big stores – from snooty Marshall & Snelgrove\, to Pontings\, ‘House of Value’; from Kennards’ wart-removal service\, to the live flamingos atop Derry & Toms; from Bodgers of Ilford\, to Bon Marché of Brixton. How did it feel to enter a great store in 1850 – and in 1950? What was it like to serve? From shoppers to shop girls\, publicity stunts to wow factor window dressing\, a fascinating slice of social history\, with wonderful period images. \nDates and Locations \nWednesday 12 August Geelong (VIC) \nMonday 24 August 2026 Fleurieu (SA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/londons-lost-department-stores/2026-08-24/
CATEGORIES:SA,VIC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Boase-Londons-Lost-Dep-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260824T183000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260824T193000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251029T032644Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T082832Z
UID:10000206-1787596200-1787599800@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Churchill: An Inspirational Life in Photographs\, Words and Paintings
DESCRIPTION:From the 1890s to the 1960s\, Winston Churchill’s life was captured in countless photographs. A prolific writer and speechmaker\, the definitive edition of his speeches alone runs to four volumes. A successful and enthusiastic artist\, he produced some 500 paintings in over five decades. Churchill was a complex and sensitive man of many parts and interests – a discriminating contemporary\, Kenneth Clark\, wrote of him\, “I have never been frightened by anyone except Churchill he was a man of a wonderful and very powerful mind”. This lecture portrays the richness\, diversity and achievements of Churchill’s life and character. \nDates and Locations \nMonday 24 August 2026 Newcastle (NSW) \nTuesday 1 September 2026 Bowral (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/churchill-an-inspirational-life-in-photographs-words-and-paintings/2026-08-24/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Cottle-Churchill-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260825T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260825T190000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251211T081621Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T081621Z
UID:10000665-1787680800-1787684400@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Tudor Court And Its World: The Paintings\, Drawings and Miniatures of Holbein and Hiliard
DESCRIPTION:The Tudor court comes vividly to life through the works of Hans Holbein\, under Henry VIII\, and Nicholas Hilliard\, under Elizabeth I. Together\, they transformed the English art scene. Holbein set new standards in portraiture with his powerful drawings and delicate miniatures. Hilliard established the miniature as “England’s greatest contribution to the art of the Renaissance” (Sir Roy Strong)\, a form that dominated until the advent of photography in the 1840s. Without them\, English art would be far poorer. \nDates and Locations \nTuesday 25 August 2026 Hunter (NSW) \nClick on the location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/tudor-court-and-its-world-the-paintings-drawings-and-miniatures-of-holbein-and-hiliard/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Cottle-Tudor-Court-Raleigh-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260826T100000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260826T110000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251129T054150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T054150Z
UID:10000394-1787738400-1787742000@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Secrets of an Edwardian Shopaholic
DESCRIPTION:An extraordinary personal collection of Edwardian couture clothing lies in the vaults of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London\, once worn by a debutante named Heather Firbank. When Heather’s maid persuaded the museum to accept her former mistress’s entire wardrobe\, the V&A’s Fashion and Textile department was born. So\, who was Heather – and what secrets do her clothes yield up? An intimate portrait of shopping\, high society\, seduction\, and ruin in the years leading up to the Great War. Social history at its most intimate and revealing. \nDates and Locations \nWednesday 26 August 2026 Adelaide (SA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/secrets-of-an-edwardian-shopaholic/2026-08-26/1/
CATEGORIES:SA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Boase-Edwardian-Shopaholic-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260826T193000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260826T203000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251129T054150Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T054150Z
UID:10000395-1787772600-1787776200@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Secrets of an Edwardian Shopaholic
DESCRIPTION:An extraordinary personal collection of Edwardian couture clothing lies in the vaults of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London\, once worn by a debutante named Heather Firbank. When Heather’s maid persuaded the museum to accept her former mistress’s entire wardrobe\, the V&A’s Fashion and Textile department was born. So\, who was Heather – and what secrets do her clothes yield up? An intimate portrait of shopping\, high society\, seduction\, and ruin in the years leading up to the Great War. Social history at its most intimate and revealing. \nDates and Locations \nWednesday 26 August 2026 Adelaide (SA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/secrets-of-an-edwardian-shopaholic/2026-08-26/2/
CATEGORIES:SA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Boase-Edwardian-Shopaholic-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T123000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260827T133000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251210T042744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251210T084609Z
UID:10000605-1787833800-1787837400@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Cult of Gloriana: Art\, Music And Politics at the Court of the Virgin Queen
DESCRIPTION:Elizabeth I was the most remarkable woman of a remarkable age. Her reign was one of the great creative periods of English history – literature\, music\, art\, architecture and overseas exploration all reached unprecedented heights. With reference to architecture and gardens\, this lecture will focus chiefly on the portraits\, miniatures and music of Elizabeth’s court. The aim is to demonstrate great levels of artistic achievement and to interpret ideas and assumptions to recreate something of the energy\, spirit\, and confidence of this Golden Age. \nDates and Locations \nMonday 10 August 2026 Mudgee (NSW) \nThursday 27 August 2026 Paddington (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-cult-of-gloriana-art-music-and-politics-at-the-court-of-the-virgin-queen/2026-08-27/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Cottle-Gloriana-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260829T130000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260829T143000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251119T055953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T042836Z
UID:10000381-1788008400-1788013800@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Fashion\, Feathers and Feminism: Women’s Fight for Change
DESCRIPTION:When social historian Tessa Boase told the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds she wanted to write their early story\, they refused to let her visit their archives. To a former investigative journalist\, this was a challenge she could not resist. This lecture shines a light on the intriguing story of women’s love affair with plumage – and of the brave eco feminists who fought back on behalf of the birds. Moving from a polite Victorian tea party to an egret hunt in a Florida swamp; from a suffragette ‘monster rally’ to a milliner’s dusty workshop\, you will be taken back in time to a world where every woman\, of every class wore a hat. Shocking and surprising\, entertaining and moving\, this pacy lecture remains Tessa’s most popular. \nDates and Locations \nSunday 9 August 2026 Cairns (QLD) \nThursday 13 August 2026 Melbourne (VIC) \nMonday 17 August 2026 Murray River (NSW /VIC) \nTuesday 18 August 2026 Canberra (ACT) \nSaturday 29 August 2026 Perth (WA) \nMonday 31 August 2026 Margaret River (WA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/fashion-feathers-and-feminism-womens-fight-for-change/2026-08-29/
CATEGORIES:ACT,NSW,QLD,VIC,WA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Boase-Fashion-Feathers-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260829
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260830
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251119T061323Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251124T022001Z
UID:10000252-1788015600-1788021000@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Housekeeper's Tale: The Women Who Really Ran the English Country House
DESCRIPTION:Working as a housekeeper was one of the most prestigious jobs a 19th and early 20th century woman could want\, and also one of the toughest. A far cry from the Downton Abbey fiction\, the real-life housekeeper was up against capricious mistresses\, low pay\, no job security and gruelling physical labour. Until now\, her story has never been told. Delving into secret diaries\, unpublished letters and the neglected service archives of our stately homes\, Tessa Boase tells a series of poignant and dramatic stories about some of Britain’s most prominent households which are all\, today\, open to the public. \nDates and Locations \nWednesday 5 August 2026 Chatswood (NSW) \nWednesday 12 August 2026 Geelong (VIC) \nSaturday 29 August 2026 Perth (WA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-housekeepers-tale/2026-08-29/
CATEGORIES:NSW,VIC,WA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Boase-Housekeepers-tale-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260831T140000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260831T150000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251119T055953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T042836Z
UID:10000382-1788184800-1788188400@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Fashion\, Feathers and Feminism: Women’s Fight for Change
DESCRIPTION:When social historian Tessa Boase told the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds she wanted to write their early story\, they refused to let her visit their archives. To a former investigative journalist\, this was a challenge she could not resist. This lecture shines a light on the intriguing story of women’s love affair with plumage – and of the brave eco feminists who fought back on behalf of the birds. Moving from a polite Victorian tea party to an egret hunt in a Florida swamp; from a suffragette ‘monster rally’ to a milliner’s dusty workshop\, you will be taken back in time to a world where every woman\, of every class wore a hat. Shocking and surprising\, entertaining and moving\, this pacy lecture remains Tessa’s most popular. \nDates and Locations \nSunday 9 August 2026 Cairns (QLD) \nThursday 13 August 2026 Melbourne (VIC) \nMonday 17 August 2026 Murray River (NSW /VIC) \nTuesday 18 August 2026 Canberra (ACT) \nSaturday 29 August 2026 Perth (WA) \nMonday 31 August 2026 Margaret River (WA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/fashion-feathers-and-feminism-womens-fight-for-change/2026-08-31/
CATEGORIES:ACT,NSW,QLD,VIC,WA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Boase-Fashion-Feathers-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260831T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260831T190000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251211T044131Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T044131Z
UID:10000635-1788199200-1788202800@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:A Photographic Odyssey: Shackleton's 'Endurance' Expedition Captured On Camera
DESCRIPTION:On Ernest Shackleton’s third Antarctic expedition in 1914\, his ship\, the Endurance\, was trapped\, eventually crushed in pack ice. After five months on the ice\, the ship’s company rowed to remote Elephant Island. Shackleton then sailed with five companions over 800 miles to South Georgia\, returning over three months later to rescue his stranded crew. Australian Frank Hurley was the expedition’s official photographer. His images capture with great artistry the amazing landscapes within which this remarkable human drama unfolded. This lecture illustrates Hurley’s great talent behind the lens\, in the first flush of human contact when the Antarctic remained essentially ‘terra incognita’. \nDates and Locations \nThursday 13 August 2026 Shoalhaven (NSW) \nMonday 17 August 2026 Narrabri (NSW) \nTuesday 18 August 2026 Scone (NSW) \nWednesday​ 19 August 2026 Tamworth (NSW) \nMonday 31 August 2026 Coffs Coast (NSW) \nClick on the location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/a-photographic-odyssey-shackletons-endurance-expedition-captured-on-camera/2026-08-31/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Cottle-Endurance-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260901T170000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260901T180000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251029T032644Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T082832Z
UID:10000672-1788282000-1788285600@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Churchill: An Inspirational Life in Photographs\, Words and Paintings
DESCRIPTION:From the 1890s to the 1960s\, Winston Churchill’s life was captured in countless photographs. A prolific writer and speechmaker\, the definitive edition of his speeches alone runs to four volumes. A successful and enthusiastic artist\, he produced some 500 paintings in over five decades. Churchill was a complex and sensitive man of many parts and interests – a discriminating contemporary\, Kenneth Clark\, wrote of him\, “I have never been frightened by anyone except Churchill he was a man of a wonderful and very powerful mind”. This lecture portrays the richness\, diversity and achievements of Churchill’s life and character. \nDates and Locations \nMonday 24 August 2026 Newcastle (NSW) \nTuesday 1 September 2026 Bowral (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/churchill-an-inspirational-life-in-photographs-words-and-paintings/2026-09-01/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Cottle-Churchill-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260902
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260903
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251124T045048Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T054813Z
UID:10000363-1788307200-1788393599@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Art of Laughter
DESCRIPTION:Comical paintings were abundant in the Dutch Golden Age genre paintings depicting people and animals misbehaving\, being silly\, naughty and laughing out loud. Some of these paintings represented common sayings\, while others were created as moral lessons. However\, they also coincided with a belief by contemporary doctors of the 17th century that laughing was good for your health. \nDates and Locations \nWednesday 2 September 2026 Chatswood (NSW) \nWednesday 9 September 2026 Geelong (VIC) \nMonday 14 September 2026 Murray River (NSW / VIC) \nWednesday 23 September 2026 Adelaide (SA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-art-of-laughter/2026-09-02/
CATEGORIES:NSW,SA,VIC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Beekenkamp-Laughter-R-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260903T100000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260903T110000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251201T083134Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251205T074248Z
UID:10000501-1788429600-1788433200@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Use of Naturalism in the Work of Fabergé
DESCRIPTION:“Fabergé” conjures up images of pre-revolutionary Russia\, opulent Easter eggs and exquisite pieces found in the most important world collections. This presentation analyses the use of naturalism by Fabergé\, focusing on lesser-known experiments in Art Nouveau\, as well as animal representations in hardstone carvings and flower studies. It also highlights the naturalistic imagery incorporated into objects d’art such as desk seals and caviar dishes. \nDates and Locations \nThursday 3 September 2026 Yarra (VIC) \nMonday 14 September 2026 Northern Rivers (NSW) \nSaturday 19 September 2026 Noosa (QLD) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-user-of-naturalism-in-the-work-of-faberge/2026-09-03/
CATEGORIES:NSW,QLD,VIC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Blatherwick-Faberge-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260903T100000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260903T150000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251124T045822Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251124T050015Z
UID:10000366-1788429600-1788447600@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Symbolism In Art: Discover the Hidden Meaning - Special Interest Day
DESCRIPTION:A language of symbols developed so that artists could tell stories which would be instantly understandable for an audience who was often illiterate. Even though still used today\, modern audiences have lost the ability to recognise and decode. \nDates and Locations \nThursday 3 September 2026 Chatswood (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/symbolism-in-art-discover-the-hidden-meaning-special-interest-day/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Beekenkamp-Symbolism-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260904T140000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260904T150000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251030T073717Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260216T024224Z
UID:10000244-1788530400-1788534000@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Around The World With Isabella Bird: Victorian Lady Traveller
DESCRIPTION:This lecture traces the story of the intrepid Victorian lady traveller\, Isabella Bird\, who set out to see the world and brought glimpses of it back to her readership at home. Isabella Bird’s fascinating written accounts of her globetrotting adventures from the 1850s offer insights into some of the challenges faced by women travellers in the mid-Victorian period as well as the growth of travel and tourism opportunities that helped to make the world a smaller place. Her photographic work and illustrations contributed to the emerging picture of everyday life in the East. \nDates and Locations \nFriday 4 September 2026 Blue Mountains (NSW) \nMonday 14 September 2026 Narrabri (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/around-the-world-with-isabella-bird-victorian-lady-traveller/2026-09-04/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Conte-Helm-Isabella-Bird-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260904T173000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260904T183000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251020T005246Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T065117Z
UID:10000218-1788543000-1788546600@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Fascination of Jewellery: Important Women Collectors
DESCRIPTION:Looking at the collections of four very different women and their approaches to jewellery\, how their backgrounds influenced their choices\, and the messages jewellery can send in respect of status\, wealth and politics. Marjorie Merriweather Post\, Evalyn Walsh McLean\, Madeleine Albright and Elizabeth Taylor are the subject of this richly illustrated talk. \nDates and Locations \nFriday 4 September 2026 Mornington Peninsula (VIC) \nFriday 11 September​ 2026 Brisbane River (QLD) \nSaturday 12 September 2026 Gold Coast (QLD) \nWednesday 16 September 2026 Brisbane (QLD) \nThursday 17 September 2026 Brisbane (QLD) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-fascination-of-jewellery-important-women-collectors/2026-09-04/
CATEGORIES:QLD,VIC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Blatherwick-Elizabeth_Taylor_Wet_Hair-R2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260906T140000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260906T150000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251119T073321Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251122T071130Z
UID:10000277-1788703200-1788706800@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Dutch Golden Age in Six Paintings
DESCRIPTION:The 17th century in the Netherlands\, referred to as the Dutch Golden Age\, was the time of Rembrandt and Vermeer\, of extraordinary riches and incredible progress. There may be no other country in which in the brief span of a hundred years so many paintings were executed. It would be hard to find a museum in the world not housing at least one painting from the Dutch Golden Age. This talk will use six paintings to introduce how the arts flourished in the tiny republic during this period\, and to introduce the Dutch\, their cities\, landscapes\, society\, beliefs and artistic genres. \nDates and Locations \nSunday 6 September 2026 Cairns (QLD) \nThursday 10 September 2026 Melbourne (VIC) \nTuesday 15 September 2026 Canberra (ACT) \nTuesday 29 September 2026 Margaret River (WA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-dutch-golden-age-in-six-paintings/2026-09-06/
CATEGORIES:ACT,QLD,VIC,WA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Beekenkamp-Dutch-Art-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260907T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260907T190000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251030T031430Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T065234Z
UID:10000234-1788804000-1788807600@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Story of the Cullinan Diamond Mine
DESCRIPTION:This talk deals with the fascinating story of a diamond mine in South Africa which remains the source of the largest piece of diamond rough in history. From the creation of diamonds deep within the earth’s crust to images taken by the speaker as she travelled 750m underground to examine the workings of the mine and of course a look at some of the famous diamonds it has produced\, this talk gives a behind the scenes look at something most of us only ever see in shops. \nDates and Locations \nMonday 7 September 2026 Hobart (TAS) \nSaturday 12 September 2026 Gold Coast (QLD) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-story-of-the-cullinan-diamond-mine/2026-09-07/
CATEGORIES:QLD,TAS
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Blatherwick-Diamond-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260907T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260907T190000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251210T080856Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251210T080856Z
UID:10000606-1788804000-1788807600@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Art of the Japanese Garden
DESCRIPTION:This lecture introduces some of Japan’s most famous gardens and provides a context for understanding the principles of Japanese garden design as it has evolved through the ages. The Japanese love of nature and the changing seasons has manifested itself in paintings and in the intimate and grand-scale gardens surrounding aristocratic palaces and Buddhist temples\, as well as Zen-inspired dry landscape gardens with strikingly symbolic content. The lecture also draws upon wider examples to illustrate the distinctive qualities that the Japanese have brought to garden design\, an approach successfully adapted to modern domestic settings and to Japanese gardens abroad. \nDates and Locations \nMonday 7 September 2026 Mudgee (NSW) \nWednesday 9 September 2026 Orange (NSW) \nTuesday 15 September 2026 Scone (NSW) \nThursday 17 September 2026 Armidale (NSW) \nMonday 28 September 2026 Coffs Coast (NSW) \nTuesday 29 September 2026 Bowral (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-art-of-the-japanese-garden/2026-09-07/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Women-Praying-at-Kitano-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260908T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260908T190000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251020T005643Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T001639Z
UID:10000700-1788890400-1788894000@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The World of Pearls
DESCRIPTION:The allure of pearls has been documented from ancient times and there is evidence of the use of pearls in the Arabian Gulf region dating back to 4000BC. In ancient Rome\, according to legend\, Venus herself was born of the sea like a pearl. The Romans thought pearls were formed from the teardrops of the gods\, or perhaps as a result of clams capturing dewdrops in the moonlight. This talk looks at the amazing variety of types of pearls\, from those produced by oysters to marine snails\, how they are found and some of the most famous pearls in the world\, including those that belonged to Mary Queen of Scots. \nDates and Locations \nTuesday 8 September 2026 Launceston (TAS) \nFriday 11 September​ 2026 Brisbane River (QLD) \nThursday 17 September 2026 Brisbane (QLD) \n​Sunday 20 September 2026 Sunshine Coast (QLD) \nWednesday 23 September 2026 Toowoomba (QLD) \nSaturday 26 September 2026 Rockhampton (QLD) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-world-of-pearls/2026-09-08/
CATEGORIES:QLD,TAS
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Blatherwick-Pearls-R2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260909T103000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260909T113000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251119T061840Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251124T023007Z
UID:10000253-1788949800-1788953400@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:Mondrian's Evolution Into Abstraction
DESCRIPTION:Mondrian is forever known in history for the artist who created the extremely recognisable elementary colour field paintings. He started creating these kinds of paintings around 1920. What many do not realise is that by then he had already 30 years of being a figurative artist under his belt. This lecture follows this evolution\, his self-discovery\, and his belief in a new world order. \nDates and Locations \nWednesday 9 September 2026 Geelong (VIC) \nMonday 21 September 2026 Fleurieu (SA) \nSaturday 26 September 2026 Perth (WA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/mondrians-evolution-into-abstraction/2026-09-09/
CATEGORIES:SA,VIC,WA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Beekamp-Abstract-Piet-Mondri-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260909
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260910
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251124T045048Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T054813Z
UID:10000396-1788976800-1788980400@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Art of Laughter
DESCRIPTION:Comical paintings were abundant in the Dutch Golden Age genre paintings depicting people and animals misbehaving\, being silly\, naughty and laughing out loud. Some of these paintings represented common sayings\, while others were created as moral lessons. However\, they also coincided with a belief by contemporary doctors of the 17th century that laughing was good for your health. \nDates and Locations \nWednesday 2 September 2026 Chatswood (NSW) \nWednesday 9 September 2026 Geelong (VIC) \nMonday 14 September 2026 Murray River (NSW / VIC) \nWednesday 23 September 2026 Adelaide (SA) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-art-of-laughter/2026-09-09/
CATEGORIES:NSW,SA,VIC
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Beekenkamp-Laughter-R-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260909T180000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Sydney:20260909T193000
DTSTAMP:20260502T033903
CREATED:20251210T080856Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251210T080856Z
UID:10000607-1788976800-1788982200@www.artsnational.au
SUMMARY:The Art of the Japanese Garden
DESCRIPTION:This lecture introduces some of Japan’s most famous gardens and provides a context for understanding the principles of Japanese garden design as it has evolved through the ages. The Japanese love of nature and the changing seasons has manifested itself in paintings and in the intimate and grand-scale gardens surrounding aristocratic palaces and Buddhist temples\, as well as Zen-inspired dry landscape gardens with strikingly symbolic content. The lecture also draws upon wider examples to illustrate the distinctive qualities that the Japanese have brought to garden design\, an approach successfully adapted to modern domestic settings and to Japanese gardens abroad. \nDates and Locations \nMonday 7 September 2026 Mudgee (NSW) \nWednesday 9 September 2026 Orange (NSW) \nTuesday 15 September 2026 Scone (NSW) \nThursday 17 September 2026 Armidale (NSW) \nMonday 28 September 2026 Coffs Coast (NSW) \nTuesday 29 September 2026 Bowral (NSW) \nClick on your preferred location above for more details and to book tickets.
URL:https://www.artsnational.au/event/the-art-of-the-japanese-garden/2026-09-09/
CATEGORIES:NSW
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.artsnational.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Women-Praying-at-Kitano-W.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR