Upcoming Events & Experiences
Chrysalis
Dandenong Ranges Open Studios Group Exhibition
Fri 21 Mar to Sun 27 Apr | Burrinja Gallery
The annual Open Studios group exhibition is designed to produce a cohesive and diverse range of artwork to showcase the creative energy and skill of each artist. This year’s theme is Chrysalis.
The Chrysalis exhibition invites artists to explore personal or collective evolution, the shedding of old identities, and the emergence of new perspectives. It encourages reflection on the cycles of change, resilience, and the beauty that often arises from moments of quiet introspection and metamorphosis. Through various mediums and interpretations, the exhibition seeks to highlight the delicate yet powerful process of becoming.
With 42 studios showcasing nearly 60 artists, the Chrysalis exhibition is the perfect place to whet your appetite with this ‘taster’ of the diverse talent the hills has to offer, before embarking on your journey to explore the studios.
Don’t forget to vote for your favourite piece in the People’s Choice Award.
Burrinja Presents
Outside of Me | Leticia Hodson & Wade Keighley
Sat 29 Mar - Sun 11 May | Aerie Gallery
This compelling exhibition by mother and son, Leticia Hodson and Wade Keighley, captures a pivotal moment in their relationship—where a parent steps back, allowing their child’s unique artistic voice to shine.
Wade (13), born with Down syndrome, creates with instinct and expression, contrasting with Leticia’s narrative portraiture, which documents his creative journey.
"Wade has taught me the art of being unapologetically yourself. As a mother and a realist artist, Outside of Me is about letting go—watching him step into a world of his own making, in all its chaos and colour." – Leticia Hodson
Free exhibition - Wed to Sun 10am - 4pm
Exhibition Opening - Sat 5 Apr 2pm (all welcome)
Join Wade and Leticia for drinks and nibbles as they launch their first joint exhibition and discuss the themes and ideas that make up this significant moment in our lives.
Burrinja Presents
Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow 2025
Sat 26 Apr 7.30pm | Burrinja Theatre
Australia’s most iconic comedy tour is hitting the road for a huge 27th year! Bringing together the brightest stars from the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, we’re delivering top-tier humour straight to your town!
Featuring a dynamic line-up of comedy legends and fresh faces includes:
Sam Taunton (MC)
Alex Ward
Con Coutis
Robyn Reynolds
Janty Blair
This year’s Roadshow promises nation-wide happiness. So, grab your friends, lock in your tickets and prepare for a much-needed dose of laughter as the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow rolls into Upwey!
‘A seamless and ultra-hilarious evening!’ Scenestr
‘We were laughing from the moment the lights went down, to well into the drive home.’ Scenestr
Duration: approx 2 hours including interval
Performances often contain coarse language, adult themes, sexual references and material that may offend. The show is recommended for people aged 15 years or older.
Smoke machine/hazer may be used during this performance
Tickets - $19 - $39
Burrinja Presents
Daoirí Farrell (IRE) - Live in the Lyre
Supporting act to be announced
Thu 1 May 8.00pm | Lyre Room
A product of Dublin’s famous club An Góilin Traditional Singers, since launching his solo live career at Celtic Connections in 2016, Daoirí Farrell has gone from strength to strength. He can boast numerous honours from BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and RTÉ Folk Award nominations to ALSR Celtic Music accolades, with his music and live performances earning the acclaim of respected publications including MOJO, The Irish Post, Songlines and more.
Daoirí’s fourth album, ‘The Wedding Above In Glencree’, was released in 2023, made the RTÉ Radio 2 playlist in Ireland and reached number 11 on the Official UK Folk Albums Chart.
He has toured and played major folk festivals across the world, including at the National Folk Festival in Australia, in the USA as a guest singer for Lúnasa, and with Transatlantic Sessions across the UK.
‘He has the best Irish traditional voice currently around; if there’s better, I’ve yet to hear it.’ Folk Radio UK
‘The finest Irish male folk singer-storyteller this side of Christy Moore and Paul Brady.’ The Weekend Australian
Check out Daoirí Farrell on YouTube.
Doors: 7:30pm
Support (TBA) 8pm
Daoirí Farrell 9pm
Duration: approx 3 hours
Age suitability: at parental discretion. This event is not be suitable for babies and younger children due to content and/or noise levels.
Tickets - $35 - $40
Burrinja Presents
Creative Showcase 2025 | Yarra Ranges VCE Students
Sat 3 May – Sun 18 May | Burrinja Gallery
Discover the next generation of artistic talent at the 2025 Creative Showcase, an annual celebration of emerging visual artists from across the Yarra Ranges. This dynamic exhibition brings together a stunning collection of multi-disciplinary works, offering a unique glimpse into the creativity shaping our future.
This professionally curated exhibition will feature diverse and thought-provoking artworks that highlight the talents of emerging artists.
Visitors will have the opportunity to witness the artistic vision of the region’s brightest young creatives.
The showcase will present works by recent graduates from schools throughout region, displayed in a vibrant and engaging public gallery.
Join us for the official launch of the Creative Showcase 2025 on Fri 2 May 6pm RSVP HERE
Luna Live Presents
Ed Kuepper Solo. At Last!
We haven't done this for years
Sat 3 May 2025 8.00pm | Burrinja Theatre
"We haven't done this for years… time flies. Surprisingly it's been some years since I've done any solo shows, so lo and behold... that is what I'm going to do in April/May. I'll be trying out some new songs, and deconstructing some audience faves and some older beloved tunes in a relatively loving and spontaneous way. Do join me, dear friends!” - Ed Kuepper
With his bands The Saints and Asteroid Ekosystem taking precedence in recent times, plus a collaboration with Dirty Three drummer Jim White, it’s no wonder 2019 was the last time legendary Australian singer / songwriter Ed Kuepper toured nationally as a solo artist. But here we are, at last.
The tour comes off the back of a new album After the Flood, recorded with the afore mentioned Jim White in May 2023 and released this March 21 via Remote Control.
After The Flood features eight Kuepper originals digging on the material from his past; The Saints, Laughing Clowns and his own lengthy solo career.
Doors: 7:40pm
Duration: approx 90 mins with no interval
Age suitability: at parental discretion. This event may not be suitable for babies and younger children due to content and/or noise levels.
Tickets - $59.90
DRMC Presents
DRMC Showcase
Celebrating Music in the Hills
Sat 10 May 2025 2.00pm | Burrinja Theatre
The ensembles of the Dandenong Ranges Music Council are performing at Burrinja. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear our local musicians and to consider joining one of the DRMC groups. Covering a diversity of styles from Classical to Jazz, the performance will showcase The Dandenong Ranges Big Band, the Dandenong Ranges Orchestra, the Hot Jazz Orchestra, the Happy Wanderers singers and the Colour Notes Choir.
Doors: 1:40pm
Duration: approx 2 hours including interval
Age suitability: This event may not be suitable for babies and younger children due to noise levels.
Tickets $15 - $30
Burrinja Presents
Garry Starr - Classic Penguins
Wed 14 May 7.30pm | Lyre Room
Warnings: Strictly 18+ years. This performance involves full nudity. There will be some audience participation.
Literature! Literature! Literature! It might not rhyme with anything but it’s still very important. Garry Starr is back and he’s hell-bent on saving books from extinction by performing every Penguin Classic novel ever written. In an hour. Mostly naked (but with flippers).
Comic wunderkind Starr takes us on a literary adventure through the world’s most iconic works of fiction. From The Little Prince to Moby Dick and everything in between, nothing is safe from being lampooned with the utmost nincompoopery.
‘A very funny man who is peculiarly averse to wearing trousers’ ★★★★★ Scotsman (UK)
‘Brilliantly ticklish… joyfully silly’ ★★★★ Guardian (UK)
Doors: 7pm
Duration: approx 60 mins with no interval
Age suitability: strictly 18 years and older.
Tickets $25 - $32
Burrinja Presents
DoomsDay Core | Amanda Page
Thu 15 - Sun 25 May | Burrinja Airlock Gallery
An evocative reflection on climate, preservation, and global food security.
Doomsday Core presents a striking display of agricultural grain seed samples from the 2022 deposit made by the Australian Grains Genebank in Horsham, Victoria, to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway.
Referencing the structure of an ice core sample, this glass-blown artwork encapsulates seeds that burn, blister, and bubble—forming delicate atmospheres of trapped air and abstract, ash-like residue suspended within the glass. Each piece becomes a microcosm, echoing both preservation and fragility.
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault stores frozen seed samples at –18°C, acting as a global food reserve should current food systems collapse due to fire, flood, famine, or war. Located 130 metres deep in the Arctic mountainside, the vault was designed to remain secure in the face of disaster. Yet, as temperatures rise and permafrost melts, even this symbol of security faces the threat of climate change—posing urgent questions about the future of food and survival.
This event is part of Melbourne Design Week 2025, an initiative of the Victorian Government in collaboration with the NGV.
Burrinja Presents
Grigoryan Brothers Present 'Amistad'
Thu 15 May 8pm | Burrinja Theatre
‘Amistad’ is the new album from acclaimed guitar duo, the Grigoryan Brothers.
With a repertoire spanning centuries, continents, and genres, displaying amazing telepathy and the ability to evoke emotion from every note, Slava & Leonard Grigoryan are justifiably regarded as Australia’s finest classical guitarists. Throughout their musical journey spanning over two decades, Slava and Leonard have forged connections with like-minded souls worldwide. Each track on ‘Amistad’, released by Decca, is a gift from composers met during their travels, some tailored specifically for the brothers, while others find new life through their unique interpretations.
Contributions have come from such diverse composers as Cuban guitarist Leo Brouwer, legendary jazz guitarist Ralph Towner, Sting's guitarist Dominic Miller, guitarist Gus Isidore (Seal, Peter Gabriel), Australian neo-classical pianists Luke Howard and Nat Bartsch, and more.
Crafted with love, respect, and a profound understanding, these compositions symbolise the reciprocal appreciation between the composers and the Grigoryan Brothers. Amistad, meaning 'friendship' in Spanish, is a celebration of camaraderie — a project resonating with respect and connection, a heartfelt tribute from the brothers.
This performance will feature music form Amistad and favourites from their past recordings.
Check out their music on YouTube.
Duration: 120 minutes
7:30pm Doors open
8pm-9.30pm Grigoryan Brothers
Age suitability: at parental discretion. This event may not be suitable for babies and younger children due to content and/or noise levels.
Tickets $45 - $65
Burrinja Presents
Artful Alliance | Alison Fabiny & Vicki Singleton
Sat 17 May - Sun 29 Jun | Burrinja Studio Gallery
Photographer Alison Fabiny and mixed media artist Vicki Singleton invite you into a breathtaking visual dialogue between detail and texture, stillness and vibrancy.
Alison’s floral portrait photography, some inspired by the quiet elegance of Japanese wabi-sabi, captures fleeting botanical moments with extraordinary precision and depth. Her masterful use of natural and strobe lighting, combined with thoughtful composition, elevates each flower into something transcendent—inviting viewers to pause, lean in, and truly see. Her work is not just about beauty, but about presence.
In perfect harmony, Vicki’s richly textured mixed media and acrylic artworks burst with life and colour, drawing from the rhythms and patterns of the natural world. Each piece is a layered, tactile experience—alive with intuition, joy, and emotional depth. Her vibrant works have earned local acclaim and can be found in her studio at Burrinja Cultural Centre.
Together, Alison and Vicki create an exhibition that encourages you to slow down, look closer, and rediscover the wonder in the details that often go unnoticed.
Free exhibition - Wed to Sun 10am - 4pm
Exhibition Opening - Sat 17 May 2pm (all welcome)
Join Alison and Vicki for drinks and nibbles as they celebrate the launch of their first joint exhibition and share the inspiration behind their work.
Artwork left - Alison Fabiny - Chrysanthemum Everlasting - image copyright by the artist
Artwork front right - Vicki Singleton - Into the Unknown - image supplied by the artist
Image: 'Listening to the Mountain Body' (2025) by Gülsen Özer and Aarti Jadu. Photo by Fergus Floyd.
Burrinja Presents
ngurrak-al marram-u / body of the mountain
Sat 24 May - Sun 13 Jul | Burrinja Gallery
We started to feel our bodies in a continuum with the body of the mountain.
Walking together across Corhanwarrabul (Dandenong Ranges), a group of artists shared place-responsive practices and considered what it means to 'listen to Country' through their diverse perspectives.
ngurrak-al marram-u / body of the mountain is an exhibition outcome from this mobile residency.
Curated by Gretel Taylor with Gülsen Özer and Mandy Nicholson, the exhibition includes painting, screendance, sound installation, textiles, sculpture, digital and cyanotype photography.
Artists: Aarti Jadu, Rebecca Murray, Mandy Nicholson, Jill Orr, Gülsen Özer, Laki Sideris, Gretel Taylor and Tammy Wong Hulbert.
Free Exhibition Opening - Saturday 24 May 3pm-5pm
Join us to celebrate the opening of ngurrak-al marram-u / body of the mountain at Burrinja Gallery. The event will feature performances by Jill Orr and Djirri Djirri dancers and a Welcome to Country by Wurundjeri artist Mandy Nicholson.
Colourz presents
Colourz of the World
Sat 24 May 3.00pm | Burrinja Theatre
The Colourz of the World show will be a truly spectacular event.
Come and join our Colourz performers as we celebrate different cultures from around the world. This show will include our world-famous orchestra and dance routines that need to be seen to be believed.
Hope to see you all there!
Duration: 120mins
Age suitability: This event is not suitable for babies due to noise levels.
Tickets - $23.50 - $33.50
Burrinja Presents
The Art of Giving - Burrinja Gala Fundraising Evening
Thu 29 May 6.30pm | Burrinja
You are invited to a Gala Fundraising Evening at Burrinja to celebrate our recent achievements, connect with fellow supporters, and look ahead to an exciting future.
The Gala Evening includes:
• Exclusive Tour of our current exhibition ngurrak-al marram-u / body of the mountain, guided by exhibition curator Gretel Taylor, with a glass of wine on arrival
• Silent Art Auction – Your chance to bid on unique artworks by talented local and regional artists
• Dining Experience – A delicious menu crafted to delight the senses
• Network with local community leaders, artists, and Burrinja stakeholders
With your support, Burrinja can continue to:
• Present inspiring, high-quality exhibitions showcasing diverse visual art forms, with a strong focus on Dandenong Ranges and Victorian artists
• Foster creativity in children and young people through engaging workshops, drama classes, and music programs led by professional artists
• Nurture emerging local artists with auspicing programs, mentorship, and professional development
• Offer subsidised venue hire for schools, community groups, and not-for-profits
• Deliver a wide range of inclusive and entertaining performance experiences, including live music, theatre and comedy, in our Theatre and Lyre Room spaces
• Support our vibrant community of resident artists through low-cost studio spaces and professional development opportunities
The experience has limited capacity.
Duration: approximately 3 hours
Tickets: $195 per person
Can’t attend but still want to make a difference?
Here’s how your support can make an impact:
$20 – Provides art supplies for children’s creative workshops
$50 – Helps keep live music tickets affordable for our community
$100 – Supports ambitious and uplifting visual art exhibitions
Every donation helps Burrinja thrive. As a registered charity with Deductible Gift Recipient status, all contributions over $2 are tax-deductible.
Burrinja Presents
Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo - Live in the Lyre
A Tribute to Jackson C. Frank
Sat 7 Jun 8.00pm | Lyre Room
Mick Harvey and Amanda Acevedo’s latest release Golden Mirrors is a hauntingly beautiful tribute to the enigmatic American folk singer Jackson C. Frank — a nearly forgotten voice of the mid-sixties whose influence quietly shaped a generation. Despite releasing only one album, produced by Paul Simon, Frank left a lasting legacy, with artists such as Nick Drake, Laura Marling, Sandy Denny, Mark Lanegan and Fairport Convention among his admirers.
The duo brings new life to Frank’s work with 11 evocative reinterpretations, recorded in Harvey’s North Melbourne music room and mixed by Alain Johannes across Los Angeles, Spain and Chile. The result is a collection that drips with atmosphere — brooding, intimate and deeply textured — combining Harvey’s signature dark stylings with Acevedo’s ethereal, expressive vocals.
Check out the duo's official music video for 'Golden Mirror' here.
Doors: 7:30pm
Duration: approx 2 hours 15 mins including interval
General Admission (seated)
Age suitability: at parental discretion. This event may not be suitable for babies and younger children due to content and/or noise levels.
Tickets $50.90 - $55.90
Luna Live Presents
Clare Bowditch - In Concert
Supporting act to be announced
Sat 21 Jun 8pm | Burrinja Theatre
Clare Bowditch is a musician, broadcaster, sometimes actor, speaker, entrepreneur and author. Somewhat of a slashie you might say.
ARIA Award-winning musician, best-selling author, and all-round creative force Clare Bowditch is coming your way. Known for her powerhouse voice and warm, engaging presence, Clare is one of Australia’s most beloved and versatile artists.
She’s taken home the coveted ARIA Award for Best Female Artist, been named Rolling Stone Woman of the Year for her contribution to Australian culture, and received a Logie nomination for her role as Rosanna on the hit TV series Offspring. Her debut memoir Your Own Kind of Girl (Allen & Unwin, 2019) became an instant best-seller, earning her the ABIA for Best New Writer. In 2020, she extended the conversation with Tame Your Inner Critic, an inspiring audio guide that continues to resonate with audiences across the country.
Clare has graced just about every major stage, festival and venue across Australia, performing alongside icons like Leonard Cohen, Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, Gotye and John Butler. Whether she’s performing, speaking or sharing her story, Clare Bowditch brings authenticity, heart and a spark of magic you won’t want to miss.
Check out Clare's music on YouTube.
Doors: 7:40pm
Duration: approx 2.5 hours including interval
Age suitability: at parental discretion. This event may not be suitable for babies and younger children due to content and/or noise levels.
Tickets $57.90 - $62.90
A-List Entertainment Presents
Akmal
Sat 23 Aug 8.00pm | Burrinja Theatre
Akmal returns with a smash-hit tour after a spiritual journey to India to find himself. Unfortunately, when he got there, he couldn’t find himself anywhere. After all, India is a big place…
On his return to Australia, he was pleased to discover he had been here the entire time. This has absolutely nothing to do with his upcoming show, and he’s sorry he mentioned it.
Stand-up, movies, sketch, TV appearances, radio DJ, talk show host and a published author, Akmal is one of Australia’s most respected, successful and accomplished comics. Lightning quick and a master of unscripted comedy gold, Akmal has an incredible ability to deal with hot topics in an hilarious and slightly offensive way.
As seen on Thank God You’re Here, Have You Been Paying Attention?, Just For Laughs and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala.
'Akmal's strength is his stream-of-consciousness ramblings and his interaction with the audience.' - The Age
'Akmal is an explosion of laughter and entertainment.' - Telegraph Mirror
Doors: 7:40pm
Age suitability: Restricted 15+. Occasional coarse language. This event is not suitable for babies due to content and/or noise levels.
