Upcoming Events & Experiences
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
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.
Public Programs and Workshops
Cyanotype Workshop facilitated by Rebecca Murray | Sat 7 Jun 11am - 12.30pm | $10 per person (sold out)
Local artist, Rebecca Murray, is renowned for her beautiful cyanotype photography. She will lead a workshop for young people (aged 8+) to create a sun-printed image from found natural materials. Participants can then take their unique artworks home.
'Biik Ngarrga' - Wurundjeri Dance Workshop led by Djirri Djirri | Wed 9 Jul 11am - 11.45am | $10 per person
Learn about the layers of Country through dance.
Djirri Djirri are the only Wurundjeri female dance group and are Traditional Custodians of Narrm (Melbourne) and surrounds. Djirri Djirri means Willy Wagtail in Woiwurrung, our Mother Tongue. The Willy Wagtail is the Spirit’s Messenger and gave us dance! Our dances honour our Liwik (Ancestors), Kerr-up-non (Family), Biik (Country) and animals.
Place-responsive Art and Performance Now: a panel discussion | Thu 12 Jun 5.30-7pm| Free
Hosted by Centre for Art and Social Transformation (CAST), RMIT.
Panellists: Professor Vicky Hunter (UK), Arahmaiani (Indonesia), Dr Jill Orr, Dr Mandy Nicholson.
Chaired by Dr Gretel Taylor and introduced by Dr Tammy Wong Hulbert
Online and in-person: RMIT Interactive Theatre, Building 80, 435-457 Swanston Street, Melbourne/Naarm and online.
Luna Live Presents
Clare Bowditch - In Concert
Support Act - Tiaryn
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.
Tiaryn is a genre-blending performer and composer known for her rich, jazz-infused sound and magnetic stage presence. A multi-instrumentalist, she has toured nationally and internationally, performing with artists like Killing Heidi and Sampa The Great. Her latest work channels raw emotion, resilience, and imaginative musical storytelling.
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
Burrinja Presents
Timeless Frames: a study of place, structure and form | Ted Hughes
Sat 5 Jul - Sun 17 Aug | Lyre Gallery | Burrinja
Shot entirely on a medium format film camera, this quietly powerful series explores the relationship between people and the spaces they inhabit—urban and natural, constructed and organic. Each image invites viewers to pause and reflect, revealing subtle textures, shapes, and tones that often go unnoticed in our fast-moving world.
Ted’s work doesn’t shout—it listens. His portraits of place offer a contemplative moment in time, asking us to consider how we shape our environments, and how they shape us in return.
Though this is Ted’s first solo show, he’s no stranger to the lens. His work has been shown numerous times in group exhibitions including Burrinja’s Creative Showcase exhibition earlier this year.
As the son of respected local photographer James Hughes, creativity runs deep in his roots. But Ted is forging his own path, with a slow and introspective gaze that’s entirely his own.
Exhibition Opening | Sat 5 July 2pm
Join Ted for drinks and nibbles as we celebrate a fresh new voice in photography.
All are welcome—don’t miss this inspiring afternoon!
Burrinja presentsLife Drawing in the Lyre | Julia BroadSat 12 Jul 10.30am - 12.30pm | BurrinjaLife Drawing ClassesAfter a short break and the success of our March Sunset Sessions, Burrinja is thrilled to announce the return of life drawing in 2025 with Life Drawing in the Lyre (LDL). Starting Sunday, July 13, these fortnightly workshops are open to artists of all levels and across all mediums. Whether you're a seasoned illustrator or just beginning your creative journey, LDL offers a welcoming space to explore the human form through expressive and imaginative sessions. Conceived by Julia Broad of LIGHTBRINGER, LDL reimagines traditional life drawing by fusing it with fashion, performance, and set design. Each session features curated themes that blur the lines between visual art, theatre, and style—inviting participants to draw inspiration from a dynamic and evolving visual landscape. Cost | $50 Concession | $60 Full Workshop one is on sale now.
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Burrinja Presents
Bushwalk | Rain White
Sat 19 Jul - Sun 31 Aug | Burrinja Gallery
Rain White’s Bushwalk is a reflective body of work inspired by the therapeutic act of walking through the landscape and the healing power of artmaking.
Through layers of paint, symbols, patterns, and repetition, Rain explores the emotional and physical experience of place. The rhythmic flow of footsteps is echoed in the intuitive compositions, capturing moments of movement, memory, and emotion. This process-based approach embraces spontaneity and risk, allowing the work to evolve naturally.
A lifetime spent in the hills informs her deep connection to the forest—a place of growth, renewal, and belonging—where the landscape itself becomes a guide.
Exhibition Opening | Sun 20 July 2pm
Join Rain for drinks and nibbles as she launches this new exhibition.
All are welcome—don’t miss this inspiring afternoon!
Burrinja Presents
Without Bounds | Emily Lowe
Sat 19 Jul - Sun 31 Aug | Burrinja Gallery
Without Bounds is a striking body of work that explores the profound significance of nature through a process-driven, organic creative practice—free from limitations or the pressure of outcomes.
Inspired by the beauty and complexity of the natural world, Emily challenges the notion of 'creative consumption' by repurposing discarded materials within the traditional medium of acrylic on canvas. Her work transforms waste into vivid depictions of natural phenomena, creating harmony between nature and human impact.
A resident of the Dandenong Ranges and Burrinja Studio artist, Emily is a regular participant in the Dandenong Ranges Open Studios program.
Exhibition Opening | Sun 20 July 2pm
Join Emily for drinks and nibbles as she launches this new exhibition.
All are welcome—don’t miss this inspiring afternoon!
Burrinja Presents
Ganga Giri & Charlie Needs Braces - Live in the Lyre
Dance Party
Sat 26 Jul 7.00pm | Lyre Room
For one night only, Burrinja’s Lyre Room transforms into a full-blown dance party, with two powerhouse First Nations acts taking the stage: Charlie Needs Braces and Ganga Giri.
This isn’t a sit-down gig — it’s a celebration of rhythm, culture and movement. From Charlie’s upbeat looped vocals and storytelling grooves to Ganga’s pulsing didgeridoo-driven soundscapes, expect a night of deep beats, electric energy and powerful connection to Country.
Whether you're a seasoned dancer or just ready to feel the music in your bones — come join us for a night that moves body and spirit alike.
Check out Ganga Giri and Charlie Needs Braces on YouTube.
Duration: approx. 2 hours
General Admission (standing)
Age suitability: at parental discretion. This event may not be suitable for babies and younger children due to content and/or noise levels.
Tickets $30 - $35
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.
Tickets $49.90 - $54.90
A-List Entertainment Presents
Ross Noble - Cranium of Curiosities
Fri 29 Aug 8.00pm | Burrinja Theatre
Roll up, roll up! Or use a more conventional form of transport to get to the show. It’s entirely your choice. Unless you accidentally become trapped in a barrel*.
Should that happen, then just find an incline and start rolling to see the one and only Ross Noble.
He is the Wizard of Waffle, The Rambler Royale, The Noodlers’ Noodler, and he’s back live on stage to tour a tornado of tangents.
What the show will be about is anybody’s guess, but that’s all part of the fun when you look inside his Cranium of Curiosities.
*We strongly advise trying not to get trapped in a barrel before or during the performance. Despite the expression “barrel of laughs,” it may impede your enjoyment of the show and potentially anger a cooper**.
**barrel maker. We are fairly certain the mascara mishap music maker Alice Cooper would be fine with it.
“Thrilling to watch… weepingly funny” Daily Mail
"No one does off-the-wall noodling better" - Evening Standard (4 Stars)
Doors: 7:30pm
Age suitability: Restricted 15+. Occasional coarse language. This event is not suitable for babies due to content and/or noise levels.
