Creative City Ballarat

Stella Young Award 2026 now open.
In honour and recognition of Stella Young's impact on society through her early work with Disability Media Australia, Arts Access Victoria has announced the 2026 Stella Young Award is open to applications.

This is a great opportunity for young disabled artists aged between 16 and 30 years old to be recognised for their impact on disability activism and culture through their artistic practice (in comedy, performing arts or screen culture). Find out more via the link below.
https://www.artsaccess.com.au/stella-young-award-2026/
Applications close 14 September 2026.

Stella Young Award 2026 | Arts Access Victoria Applications close Monday 14th September at 5.00 pm. This is a great opportunity for young disabled artists aged between 16 and 30 years old to be recognised for their impact on disability activism and culture through their artistic practice (in comedy, performing arts or screen culture). Applicants...

Exciting news!
Before taking her show 'Dianna Dynamic: Memoirs of a Cyborg' to NYC, Bernadette is performing one show only at the Ballarat Performing Arts Centre. Written & performed by Ballarat's very own Bernadette Cranage and Directed by Lisa McCune. Get your tickets now and lets send Berndatte and Dianna off to NYC on a high!
https://www.trybooking.com/au/event/1632325

Dianna Dynamic - Memoirs of a Cyborg | Sat Sep 26 | BPAC
One night only before it heads to NYC!

We're excited to share that Dianna Dynamic - Memoirs of a Cyborg, written and performed by Ballarat's very own Bernadette Cranage, and directed by Lisa McCune, will be performed at Ballarat Performing Arts Centre this September before it heads to New York to be shown as part of the United Solo Festival.

About the show....
What happens when Dianna Dynamic, latest model cyborg - out of date by
minutes, is dumped at the scrapheap, waiting to be recycled into solar panels?
It’s Dianna Deflated, that’s what. There’s no choice, Dianna Dynamic has to
give humanity another go.

Grab your friends and enjoy a night out with Dianna.
Tickets at https://www.trybooking.com/au/event/1632325

Proudly supported by the City of Ballarat Creative Inspiration Grant.

Here are just a few events to lock into your diary for this weekend.
If you're up for gripping theatre, The Bard in Buninyong has you covered with Clytemnestra, enjoy live music with Velora while checking out Kank Wolverang Records. Fans of pottery, there is a new exhibition opening this week at Ross Creek Gallery and for readers, Ballarat Libraries has The Memory Tense talk part of the Blak & Bright Festival this Friday. 📆

Congratulations to the Ballarat International Foto Biennale who were recently awarded the City of Ballarat Creative Industries Business Award winner at the Commerce Ballarat Business Awards. 👏👏👏

🏆 Congratulations to all Business Excellence Award finalists and winners!

The aim of the 2026 Federation University Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards is to showcase, celebrate and support our local businesses in all that they have achieved, and contribute to our city.

We congratulates all finalists and winners in the 2026 Federation University Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards.

In particular, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Ballarat International Foto Biennale, who the Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves presented with the City of Ballarat Creative Industries Business Award at last night's gala presentation dinner.

Congratulations to Commerce Ballarat for your long-standing work with the awards.

Want to share your experience about getting into the creative and cultural sector? The federal government is measuring creative pathways and wants to hear from you!

Career Journey Mapping: Expressions of Interest - Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA) As part of our Scoping Creative Futures: Career Journey Mapping project, Service and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA) is addressing ongoing workforce shortages by uncovering the gaps, challenges and opportunities within career pathways across the Arts. The project aims to capture real-world career...

Ballarat’s Wild Otter Club and the Castlemaine Fringe have teamed up to deliver a Dance Party a Fringe Fundraiser | 7pm, Sat 5 Sept at Boomtown Winery & Bistro.

This event is an exciting cross-cultural collaboration between Castlemaine and Ballarat, providing opportunities for artists and artworkers from each town to work and play together.

As well as DJ's from both towns, Kat Pengelly (Wild Otter Club founder) will be launching her latest fashion range of Wacky Trackys by Koshka Kat Pengelly

🎟️Get your tickets now at https://events.humanitix.com/wild-otter-club

Dianna Dynamic - Memoirs of a Cyborg | Sat Sep 26 | BPAC
One night only before it heads to NYC!

We're excited to share that Dianna Dynamic - Memoirs of a Cyborg, written and performed by Ballarat's very own Bernadette Cranage, and directed by Lisa McCune, will be performed at Ballarat Performing Arts Centre this September before it heads to New York to be shown as part of the United Solo Festival.

About the show....
What happens when Dianna Dynamic, latest model cyborg - out of date by
minutes, is dumped at the scrapheap, waiting to be recycled into solar panels?
It’s Dianna Deflated, that’s what. There’s no choice, Dianna Dynamic has to
give humanity another go.

Grab your friends and enjoy a night out with Dianna.
Tickets at https://www.trybooking.com/au/event/1632325

Proudly supported by the City of Ballarat Creative Inspiration Grant.

Blak and Bright Writers Festival 2026 | Every: When
Fri 4 Sept, 6.30-7.30pm at Ballarat Central Library.

Ballarat Libraries has been selected as a host venue for Blak and Bright Writers Festival 2026. This is the first time a session has been held outside metropolitan Melbourne.

Blak and Bright Writers Festival centre's First Nations understandings of time as continuous and relational.

Brooke Blurton (author, podcast host and youth worker), Zac James (playwright, screen and stage actor, filmmaker) and Julie Janson (novelist, playwright, poet) examine the ways memory shapes identity, relationships and belonging, considering what we inherit from previous generations and what we choose to pass on.

Reserve your free ticket at

The Memory Tense Brooke Blurton, Zac James and Julie Janson examine how memory shapes identity, considering what we inherit and what we pass on. With Claire G. Coleman.

Pieces of Me, Pieces of You by Yianni Giovanoglou (Cosmic Tapestry)
Now on show at Unicorn Lane.

Ballarat based artist Yianni Giovanoglou honed his collage skills through a long love affair with cutting, collecting, classifying and preserving vintage books, images and ephemera. Yianni's work is often inspired by nostalgia for times gone by. It is a collision of worlds, eras and ideas that are fused with pop culture, history, nature and
spirituality.

About Pieces of Me, Pieces of You , Yianni writes:

"While borders, cultures, and languages may divide us, humanity is bound by a deeply shared emotional landscape.
Pieces of Me, Pieces of You explores this human universality. Through intricate and sometimes simple mixed-media paper collages, the exhibition highlights the invisible threads that connect us all. The artwork pieces together fragments of paper and memory to mirror the ways we build community, share stories, and seek meaning.

The collection journeys through the essential milestones of life: Beginnings: Birth and growth; Connections: Love and community; Transitions: Loss, grief, and quiet reflection; Endings: Death and spiritual evolution.

Ultimately, every piece in this show acts as a mirror. Viewers are invited to see pieces of their own history in the stories of others."

Unicorn Lane is located near the corner of Lydiard St and Sturt St, behind the old CBA building. The exhibition can be viewed day and night.
Follow Yianni on Instagram at
📷provided by artist.

📢CITY OF BALLARAT CREATIVE INSPIRTION GRANT -
CLOSING SUN 30 AUG, 11:59PM!
Less than one week to begin or complete your Creative Inspiration Grant application. 9 grants of $5,000 are available to creatives that live, work or study in the City of Ballarat. Funds can support a new project or events, professional development or support your creative practice.
Visit https://www.creativeballarat.com.au/creative-inspiration-grant for more details.

📸Amanda Western installation 'Lantern Vaults' supported by previous Creative Inspiration Grant round.
Photographer Meda Design Au.