Ballarat’s winter arts scene heats up with new gallery shows, live theatre and film events

Ballarat’s arts and entertainment scene is surging through the winter chill, with venues across the city rolling out new exhibitions, live performances and film events over the next fortnight. The Art Gallery of Ballarat opens a major survey of contemporary Australian photography on July 18, featuring more than 80 works by 30 artists, including several with regional Victoria connections. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 concession, and the show runs until October 4.

The timing matters. After a quiet June, when several smaller venues scaled back programs due to rising insurance costs and a tight labour market, the current burst of activity signals renewed confidence among local producers. The Ballarat Civic Hall, which reopened in March after a $4.2 million refurbishment, has already booked three new touring acts for August, including Melbourne folk band The Maes on August 14.

Stage and screen come alive

Her Majesty’s Theatre will stage a revival of David Williamson’s The Club from July 23 to July 26, produced by Ballarat-based company Red Phoenix Theatre. The production features a cast of seven local actors and has sold more than 400 presale tickets, according to the theatre’s box office. Evening performances begin at 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2pm. Tickets range from $35 to $55.

On the film front, the Regent Cinemas on Lydiard Street is screening a special tribute series for Sam Neill, the beloved New Zealand actor who died on July 12 aged 78. The series includes The Piano (July 18), Jurassic Park (July 19) and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (July 20). Each screening is $15, and a portion of proceeds will go to the Ballarat Regional Cancer Centre, a cause Neill supported after his own treatment for blood cancer.

Art, music and more on the calendar

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale, though not running its full program until October, has activated a pop-up space at 36 Sturt Street. The pop-up features a free exhibition of works by regional photographers, open Wednesdays to Sundays from 10am to 4pm. A small gallery shop sells prints starting at $60.

Live music returns to the Mining Exchange on July 25 with a double bill: Melbourne jazz quartet Mister Ott and Ballarat singer-songwriter Ella Fence. Doors open at 7pm, and tickets are $30 online or $35 at the door. The venue’s kitchen will serve a set dinner menu for $28 per person.

For families, the Ballarat Library on Doveton Street is running a free children’s puppet-making workshop on July 22, from 10am to noon. Bookings are essential; the library reported more than 50 registrations within the first day of announcing the event.

What happens next largely depends on ticket sales and community response. Several venues, including the Civic Hall and Her Majesty’s Theatre, have indicated they will announce additional programming for late August and September if current shows sell well. The Art Gallery of Ballarat is already planning a September opening of a dedicated Indigenous art space, though details remain under wraps. For now, the message from local operators is clear: get in early, because winter in Ballarat is no longer a quiet season.