Past events | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Past events

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Two men engaged in conversation at a wooden table near a window. The man on the left, wearing glasses and a dark sweater, is gesturing as he speaks. The man on the right, with gray hair and a dark shirt, listens attentively. Both have mugs in front of them, and a vase with branches sits on the table. Natural light streams in from the window behind them.
Drawing the Line: Geoff Pryor and David Pope in conversation
29 Oct 2026 | 6:00pm - 7:00pm

The Canberra Times presented Geoff Pryor and David Pope, with Sally Pryor, as they compared experiences, debated the impact of changing tools, and explored what remains at the heart of political cartooning.

Online
Theatre
Past event
Talks and ideas
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Assistance animals welcome
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Hearing induction loop
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Wheelchair accessible
A woman with dark hair pulled back smiles at the camera while leaning on a wooden table. She wears a grey blazer over a patterned blouse. Several books and open notebooks are spread across the table in front of her.

Catherine Dwyer

Suzanne Bellamy and the Australian women’s liberation movement
29 Oct 2026 | 12:30pm - 1:30pm

Catherine Dwyer presented her recent Fellowship into the life of women’s liberationist, artist and scholar Suzanne Bellamy.

Academics
Online
Theatre
Past event
Fellowship talk
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Assistance animals welcome
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Hearing induction loop
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Wheelchair accessible
A split image: left side shows a vintage black-and-white photo of people in period attire relaxing in a park with a horse-drawn cart and city buildings in the hazy background; right side shows a modern portrait of photographer Mike Bowers holding a camera against a dark backdrop. Text at the bottom reads 'FIT TO PRINT: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive Curated by Mike Bowers'.
Book launch: Fit to Print with Mike Bowers
27 Oct 2026 | 6:00pm - 7:00pm

Photographer and media commentator Mike Bowers has dived back into the Fairfax Photo Archive to produce this deluxe second edition of Fit to Print. Join him in conversation to discover new images, new ideas and why these images continue to strike a chord.

Online
Theatre
Book launch
Past event
Talks and ideas
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Assistance animals welcome
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Hearing induction loop
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Wheelchair accessible
A woman with long dark hair stands leaning against a wall, smiling gently at the camera. She wears a brown V-neck sweater over a black shirt and dark pants, with her hands in her pockets.

Dr Shine Choi

North Korea’s third world diplomacy through culture and art
26 Oct 2026 | 12:30pm - 1:30pm

Dr Shine Choi presented her recent Fellowship research, focusing on North Korea’s connections with the visions of the global world.

Academics
Online
Theatre
Past event
Fellowship talk
Assistance animals icon Assistance animals icon
Assistance animals welcome
Assistive learning icon Assistive learning icon
Hearing induction loop
Wheelchair icon Wheelchair icon
Wheelchair accessible
A marching military band and parade with many instruments and United Kingdom flags

Trooping the Colour, The Mall, London. Image from the lecturer.

The art of state ceremonial music
20 Oct 2026 | 6:00pm - 7:45pm

ArtsNational Canberra and Graham Jones presented a lecture exploring how the military plans and delivers the United Kingdom’s greatest ceremonial events, from state visits to national commemorations.

Foyer
Theatre
Past event
Talks and ideas
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Assistance animals welcome
Assistive learning icon Assistive learning icon
Hearing induction loop
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Wheelchair accessible
The black text of the Canberra Writers Festival logo is pictured beside an illustration of people reading at a Canberra concrete bus shelter with pink blossom tree in the background
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: ABC Radio National's Top 100 Books
18 Oct 2026 | 4:30pm - 6:00pm

We joined the free listening party for the ABC Radio National Top 100 Australian Books countdown.

Foyer
Books and authors
Past event
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Assistance animals welcome
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Wheelchair accessible
The black text of the Canberra Writers Festival logo is pictured beside an illustration of people reading at a Canberra concrete bus shelter with pink blossom tree in the background
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: Sunday Program
18 Oct 2026 | 9:30am - 5:30pm

At this year's Canberra Writers Festival, there was a range of author talks, panel discussions, workshop and kids and family events.

Conference Room
Ferguson Room
Theatre
Books and authors
Past event
Workshop
Assistance animals icon Assistance animals icon
Assistance animals welcome
Assistive learning icon Assistive learning icon
Hearing induction loop
Wheelchair icon Wheelchair icon
Wheelchair accessible
The black text of the Canberra Writers Festival logo is pictured beside an illustration of people reading at a Canberra concrete bus shelter with pink blossom tree in the background
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: Saturday Program
17 Oct 2026 | 9:30am - 7:30pm

At this year's Canberra Writers Festival, there was a range of author talks, panel discussions, workshop and kids and family events.

Conference Room
Ferguson Room
Theatre
Books and authors
Past event
Workshop
Assistance animals icon Assistance animals icon
Assistance animals welcome
Assistive learning icon Assistive learning icon
Hearing induction loop
Wheelchair icon Wheelchair icon
Wheelchair accessible
The black text of the Canberra Writers Festival logo is pictured beside an illustration of people reading at a Canberra concrete bus shelter with pink blossom tree in the background
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: Friday Program
16 Oct 2026 | 4:00pm - 7:30pm

At this year's Canberra Writers Festival, there was a range of author talks, panel discussions, workshop and kids and family events.

Conference Room
Theatre
Books and authors
Past event
Workshop
Assistance animals icon Assistance animals icon
Assistance animals welcome
Assistive learning icon Assistive learning icon
Hearing induction loop
Wheelchair icon Wheelchair icon
Wheelchair accessible
The black text of the Canberra Writers Festival logo is pictured beside an illustration of people reading at a Canberra concrete bus shelter with pink blossom tree in the background
Canberra Writers Festival 2026: Opening Night
15 Oct 2026 | 6:30pm - 7:30pm

This special 10th anniversary opening event, For the Love of Books, featured a stellar panel of national and international writers.

Theatre
Books and authors
Past event
Panel discussion
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Assistance animals welcome
Assistive learning icon Assistive learning icon
Hearing induction loop
Wheelchair icon Wheelchair icon
Wheelchair accessible
A film poster featuring a woman standing in ankle-deep water at the beach, looking towards a sky featuring a stylised rainbow
Special event: Pasifika Film Fest 2026
10 Oct 2026 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm

We enjoyed an afternoon of culture, history and connection at the Library as we hosted Pasifika Film Fest 2026 with a screening of Remathau: People of the Ocean, and the short documentary Tales of the Diaspora.

Theatre
Past event
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Assistance animals welcome
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Hearing induction loop
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Wheelchair accessible
A group of people in colorful winter gear stand on a vast expanse of snow and ice, looking towards a large orange icebreaker ship in the distance

Felicity Jenkins, Expeditioners form a line on the sea ice off Davis Station to farewell the Aurora Australis and wintering expeditioners returning home, Antarctica, 1998, nla.obj-144071241

Antarctica: Journeys on the ice
10 Oct 2026 | 10:00am - 11:00am

National Library curators, joined Antarctic station leader Rebecca Jeffcoat and expeditioner Stephanie Pfennigwerth on a journey through our extensive Antarctic collection. 

Online
Theatre
Past event
Panel discussion
Assistance animals icon Assistance animals icon
Assistance animals welcome
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Hearing induction loop
Wheelchair icon Wheelchair icon
Wheelchair accessible

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