In association with the exhibition Masterpieces from Paris, on the first two weekends in March the National Gallery of Australia will come alive with Starry Nights. Immerse yourself in an art-full experience with some of Australia’s best musicians playing live in the Sculpture Garden, late-night viewings of the Masterpieces from Paris exhibition, free exhibition audio tours, shopping, live music in the Gallery and a DJ following the main act. Enjoy gourmet food and wine at the new Champagne Pol Roger Sculpture Bar and kick on into the night to DJ beats. Today’s headline act Clare Bowditch Trio commences at 9.00 pm. Tickets

• Venue: Sculpture Garden

An ANU School of Music performance of Claude Debussy’s ‘Impressionist’ and ‘Post-Impressionist’ compositions with Haley Bullock and Elyane DeFontenay (violin), Xina Hawkins (viola), James Larson (cello) and Joshua McHugh (piano).

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

In association with the exhibition Masterpieces from Paris, on the first two weekends in March the National Gallery of Australia will come alive with Starry Nights. Immerse yourself in an art-full experience with some of Australia’s best musicians playing live in the Sculpture Garden, late-night viewings of the Masterpieces from Paris exhibition, free exhibition audio tours, shopping, live music in the Gallery and a DJ following the main act. Enjoy gourmet food and wine at the new Champagne Pol Roger Sculpture Bar and kick on into the night to DJ beats. Today’s headline act Tim Rogers Band commences at 9.00 pm. Tickets

• Venue: Sculpture Garden

Explore the Sculpture Garden with art workshops, art installations, childrens trails, music and drama. Sausage sizzle, coffee cart or bring a picnic to have under the trees. This event is subject to weather conditions. For more information, visit nga.gov.au/sculpturegardensunday.

• Venue: Sculpture Garden
• FREE

Directed by Anne Fontaine and starring Audrey Tatou, this film explores the early life of the unconventional fashion queen Coco Chanel.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

Relive the magic of the French teahouse La Coupole. Join us for a tour of the exhibition followed by a relaxed French-style afternoon tea in the Sculpture Garden Restaurant.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries and Sculpture Garden Restaurant
• Bookings essential
• $60 members, $70 guests
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Held over four weeks, this series is for those who would like an in-depth look into Masterpieces from Paris. Price includes lecture and exhibition entry. This week’s lecture is by Dr Virginia Spate, Professor of Fine Arts, University of Sydney.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $100 series, $80 members/concession (includes four
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

A tour of the national collection for parents, babies and toddlers, followed by morning tea. BOOKED OUT

• Venue: meet in Gallery foyer
• Bookings essential
• $12, $10 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Simon Elliott, Assistant Director, Curatorial and Educational Services, discusses the artists in the exhibition whose search for new methods of expression was met with rejection and criticism. Today their works are some of the most popular and sought after.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

Masterpieces from Paris will open after hours exclusively for members and their guests. Enjoy your moment with the masters and relax with a glass of sparkling wine. BOOKED OUT

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries
• Bookings essential
• $30 members, $40 guests
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528, places limited

Special-access viewing of Masterpieces from Paris led by voluntary guides for people with disabilities and their carers.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries
• Bookings essential
• Free
• Email enquiry or Phone bookings recommended (02) 6240 6519

Avoid the crowds. Enjoy an informative introduction to the exhibition prior to an exclusive after-hours exhibition viewing. BOOKED OUT

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries
• Bookings essential
• $35, $25 members/concession (includes exhibition e
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Held over four weeks, this series is for those who would like an in-depth look into Masterpieces from Paris. Price includes lecture and exhibition entry. This week’s lecture is by Dr Fae Brauer, Research Professor for Visual Art Theory, School of Architecture and Visual Arts, University of East London, UK.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $100 series, $80 members/concession (includes four
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Christine Dixon, Senior Curator, International Painting and Sculpture, farewells the great masters with a talk on Cézanne and van Gogh, followed by an intimate reception in the Sculpture Garden Restaurant.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries and Sculpture Garden Restaurant
• Bookings essential
• $90 members, $110 guests
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

The remarkable true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, editor-in-chief of the French magazine Elle, who suffered a massive stroke. Directed by Julian Schnabel.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

Learn about works of art on display. Enjoy refreshments in the Members Lounge before joining voluntary guides to discuss selected works of art in the Gallery’s collection displays.

• Venue: meet in Gallery foyer
• Bookings essential
• $12, $10 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Avoid the crowds. Enjoy an informative introduction to the exhibition prior to an exclusive after-hours exhibition viewing. Bookings close 4:00 pm preceding Friday, last chance tickets available at the door from 5:15 pm on the day

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries
• Bookings essential
• $35, $25 members/concession (includes exhibition e
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

In collaboration with the Embassy of France, the Gallery presents a concert of French Impressionist music, featuring Samuel Berthod (clarinet) and Ambre Hammond (piano).

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $20, $10 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Peter Naumann, Head of Education and Public Programs and curator of the exhibition, talks about optical illusions in art.

• Venue: Childrens Gallery
• FREE

Cath Bowdler, Director, Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, and curator of Colour country: art from Roper River, presents an illustrated lecture on the works of Ngukurr artists Willie Gudabi, Ginger Riley, Djambu Barra Barra and others.

• Venue: Entrance level galleries
• FREE

Discover Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings with Gallery educator Jo Krabman. Wear a Kelly helmet to explore the Sculpture Garden and draw fellow bushrangers.

• Venue: Sidney Nolan – Ned Kelly series gallery and Sculpture Garden
• Bookings essential
• $15, $12 members/concession (includes materials)
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Discover Sidney Nolan’s Ned Kelly paintings with Gallery educator Jo Krabman. Wear a Kelly helmet to explore the Sculpture Garden and draw fellow bushrangers.

• Venue: Sidney Nolan – Ned Kelly series gallery and Sculpture Garden
• Bookings essential
• $15, $12 members/concession (includes materials)
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Enjoy a walking tour of the historic gardens of Government House, led by specialist guides from the Australiana Fund. Travel to the gardens via ferry and enjoy morning tea aboard on the return trip.

• Venue: depart from the Southern Cross Yacht Club, Yarralumla
• Bookings essential
• $35 members, $40 guests
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Margie Kevin, Gallery educator, leads an activity-based tour with stories about the land and its people.

• Venue: meet in Gallery foyer
• Bookings essential
• $7, $5 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Eric Kjellgren, Associate Curator for Oceanic Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, speaks about redesigning the Met’s Oceanic Galleries and about the masterworks in their Oceanic collection.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• FREE

Auslan sign-interpreted tour of the new Decorative arts and Photography displays.

• Venue: Entrance level galleries
• Bookings essential
• Free
• Email enquiry or Phone bookings recommended (02) 6240 6519

Join Dr Robert Bell, Senior Curator, Decorative Arts and Design, for a talk on the new Jewellery and Fashion galleries, followed by a glass of sparkling wine.

• Venue: Jewellery gallery and Members Lounge
• Bookings essential
• Free for members, $10 non-members
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Be inspired to create amazing optical illusions and entrancing patterns with artist Teffany Thiedeman, using drawing and coloured paper cut-outs.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $25, $20 members/ concession (includes materials)
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Lucie Folan, Curator, Asian Art, introduces the Gallery’s recently acquired early 18th-century Indian painting, which maps pilgrim journeys to some of the most sacred sites of the Jain religion.

• Venue: Indian gallery
• FREE

Be inspired to create amazing optical illusions and entrancing patterns with artist Teffany Thiedeman, using drawing and coloured paper cut-outs.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $25, $20 members/ concession (includes materials)
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

National Gallery of Australia (NGA) members are invited to join National Portrait Gallery (NPG) members for a luxury coach trip to the Art Gallery of New South Wales to view the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes.

• Venue: meet at the front of the National Portrait Gallery (further information on booking)
• Bookings essential
• $65 NGA & NPG members, $75 non-members (includes e
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Join Nasser Palangi, Canberra-based Persian–Australian artist, to learn several practical collage techniques and create your own two- or three-dimensional work of art.

• Venue: Small Theatre

On average, a visitor spends only 8 seconds looking at an individual work of art. Following on from the Slow Food movement, Slow Art Day 2010 encourages a contemplative approach to art and is celebrated in galleries throughout the world. Spend time looking at a work of art, then join the group for a lively discussion over lunch. Participants are to purchase their own lunch.

• Venue: throughout the Gallery
• Bookings essential
• Free
• Email enquiry or Phone registration required (02) 6240 6524

Meet at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) for an intimate look at a selection of portraits before heading over to the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) for more contemporary portraits and discussion over champagne.

• Venue: NGA and NPG

Join Holly Edworthy, Gallery educator and art therapist, to look for patterns in the exhibition and participate in a drawing workshop exploring patterns in fabric and objects.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $25, $20 members/concession (includes materials)
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Franchesca Cubillo, Senior Curator, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, discusses the works from the Kimberley in Emerging Elders.

• Venue: Project Gallery
• FREE

Join Holly Edworthy, Gallery educator and art therapist, to look for patterns in the exhibition and participate in a drawing workshop exploring patterns in fabric and objects.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $25, $20 members/concession (includes materials)
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

A tour of the national collection for parents, babies and toddlers, followed by morning tea.

• Venue: meet in Gallery foyer
• Bookings essential
• $12, $10 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Combine a variety of reflective materials with your imagination to make your own super shiny sculptures with arts educator Lucy Quinn.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $25, $20 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Fergus Clunie, Fijian historian and cultural specialist, speaks about the newly acquired Fijian priest’s fork and the gods, priests and ritual cannibalism of pre-Christian Fiji.

• Venue: Polynesian gallery
• FREE

Combine a variety of reflective materials with your imagination to make your own super shiny sculptures with arts educator Lucy Quinn.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• Bookings essential
• $25, $20 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Dr Robert Bell, Senior Curator, Decorative Arts and Design, discusses innovations in jewellery design from 1860 to now by some of the world’s leading designers and makers.

• Venue: Jewellery gallery
• FREE

Performance artist Barbara Campbell provides a unique interpretation of the Gallery’s Australian art displays to the accompaniment of the midday movie.

• Venue: Australian galleries
• FREE

Ron Radford AM, Director, introduces the Sidney Nolan – Ned Kelly series gallery, and discusses the Ned Kelly paintings with Deborah Hart, Senior Curator, Australian Painting and Sculpture post-1920.

• Venue: Sidney Nolan – Ned Kelly series gallery
• FREE

Michael Gunn, Senior Curator, Pacific Art, discusses the Polynesian works on display and the upcoming Polynesian exhibition, followed by a glass of sparkling wine.

• Venue: Polynesian gallery and Members Lounge
• Bookings essential
• Free for members, $10 non-members
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Enjoy a tour by Tina Baum, curator of the exhibition, followed by coffee and cake in the Members Lounge.

• Venue: Project Gallery and Members Lounge
• Bookings essential
• $10 members, $15 guests
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Clare Williamson, Exhibition Curator, State Library of Victoria, and co-curator of Kelly culture: reconstructing Ned Kelly, discusses the legendary outlaw and the influence of his story on visual arts, music, cinema and literature.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• FREE

Rebecca Andrews, Associate Curator of Australian Paintings and Sculpture, Art Gallery of South Australia, and curator of the exhibition, presents an illustrated lecture on the works of Hans Heysen.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

Enjoy a selection of short documentaries exploring the life and work of this important 20th-century landscape painter: Heysen on Heysen (16 mm, 1977, G, 15 mins), Great Australian artists: Hans Heysen—recollections (VHS, 1991, G, 28 mins) and Landscape with figures: the mateship commune (16 mm, 1975, G, 30 mins).

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

Evening commences with an introduction by exhibition curator Rebecca Andrews, Associate Curator of Australian Paintings and Sculpture, Art Gallery of South Australia. Followed by reception and viewing. Dress code: cocktail attire.

• Venue: meet in Gallery foyer
• Bookings essential
• $50 members and their guests
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

A film about the legendary outlaw whose story outgrew his life. Directed by Gregor Jordan, starring Heath Ledger.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

To celebrate International Museum's Day, Gulumbu Yunupingu, artist and Gumatj woman from Yirrkala, and Will Stubbs, Coordinator of Buku Larrnggay Mulka Arts Centre, discuss Yunupingu’s art.

• Venue: Project Gallery
• FREE

To celebrate International Museum's Day, Gulumbu Yunupingu, artist and Gumatj woman from Yirrkala, and Will Stubbs, Coordinator of Buku Larrnggay Mulka Arts Centre, discuss Yunupingu's art.

• Venue: Project Gallery
• FREE

A tour of the national collection for parents, babies and toddlers, followed by morning tea.

• Venue: meet in Gallery foyer
• Bookings essential
• $12, $10 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Local storyteller Mary French tells stories about the people and places of the Hans Heysen era. Children will enjoy a variety of stories, songs and rhymes.

• Venue: Gallery Cafe
• Bookings essential
• $8 child member, $12 guest children
• Email enquiry or Phone places limited, (02) 6240 6528

Ron Radford AM gives and overview of the exhibition.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries

Enjoy a selection of short documentaries exploring the life and work of this important 20th-century landscape painter: Heysen on Heysen (16 mm, 1977, G, 15 mins), Great Australian artists: Hans Heysen—recollections (VHS, 1991, G, 28 mins) and Landscape with figures: the mateship commune (16 mm, 1975, G, 30 mins).

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

The story of 19th-century Australian bushranger Ned Kelly. Directed by Tony Richardson, starring Mick Jagger.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

Melanie Eastburn, Curator, Asian Art, discusses the Gallery’s rare Thai temple banner and introduces Maitreya, Buddha of the future, and the many Buddhas of the past.

• Venue: Southeast Asian gallery
• FREE

Draw directly from the Gallery’s collection of sculpture. Join Penny Low, Gallery educator, to learn techniques using line and tone to create shadow and structure.

• Venue: NAB Sculpture Gallery
• Bookings essential
• $30, $25 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Tour and viewing for carers, led by voluntary guides in collaboration with Carers ACT.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries
• Bookings essential
• Free
• Email enquiry or Phone bookings recommended (02) 6296 9900

Anna Gray, Head of Australian art, talks about form and structure in Heysen’s iconic landscapes.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries

Lola Wilkins, curator of the recent exhibition Nolan: the Gallipoli series at the Australian War Memorial, talks about significant works by Sidney Nolan and how they relate to Australia’s wartime history.

• Venue: Small Theatre
• FREE

Alan Campbell, Curator of The Cedars, the old Heysen family home and studio, speaks about Heysen’s works in The Cedars’ collection.

• Venue: James O Fairfax Theatre
• FREE

Learn about works of art on display. Enjoy refreshments in the Members Lounge before joining voluntary guides to discuss selected works of art in the Gallery’s collection displays.

• Venue: meet in Gallery foyer
• Bookings essential
• $12, $10 members/concession
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Ian North, artist and writer, talks about the cultural factors that have altered our view of Heysen’s art since he curated the last major Heysen retrospective in 1977.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries

Join us for an exclusive tour of the exhibition Hans Heysen with voluntary guides, followed by breakfast.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries and Members Lounge
• Bookings essential
• $45 members, $50 guests (includes exhibition entry
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528

Anna Gray, Head of Australian Art, presents a talk and tour of the exhibition Hans Heysen, followed by a three-course dinner.

• Venue: Exhibition Galleries and Members Lounge
• Bookings essential
• $110 members, $130 guests
• Email enquiry or Phone (02) 6240 6528