Ballarat’s arts and entertainment scene is thriving despite gallery closure

Ballarat’s arts and entertainment calendar is packed over the coming months, with more than 56 events scheduled across the city’s major venues, even as the Art Gallery of Ballarat remains closed for extensive building upgrades until early 2026. [3][1]

The historic gallery, the oldest and largest regional gallery in Australia, established in 1884, shut its doors in March 2025 for renovations. [1][3] But programming has continued at the new Backspace Gallery at 43 Mair St, where exhibitions are being staged during the closure. The gallery houses one of the nation's most extensive collections of early Australian art, and the temporary space is keeping that tradition alive. [1][3]

Music and festivals fill the calendar

Her Majesty’s Theatre, which opened in 1875 and seats about 800 patrons, and the Wendouree Centre for the Performing Arts, an 857-seat venue with an 'open round' design, are hosting touring artists including NORTHLANE, Pete Murray, and Diesel. [3][4] Her Majesty’s welcomes around 75,000 patrons and 15,000 performers annually, making it a key hub for the city's lively theatrical and live music scene. [3]

Festival season kicks off with the Ballarat Blues Festival on August 24, followed later in the year by Spilt Milk Festival 2025 and Beyond The Valley 2025. [2] The city also hosts Australia's oldest and largest annual performing arts eisteddfod, the Royal South Street Eisteddfod, which runs for twelve weeks each year in Ballarat Central. [3]

Visual arts and residencies

At The Art Hub Ballarat, the Artist-in-Residence program currently features Ana Smith, who is creating 'Off Your Jewellery', a project inspired by Brutalist architecture. [4] Recent exhibitions across town include 'Merchants and Musicians' by Casey McIntosh at The Old Butchers Shop Gallery, and 'Big City Lights' by Leah Torly at Art Space Ballarat. [5]

Ballarat was named a UNESCO City of Crafts and Folk Art in 2019, and the city’s creative community continues to expand despite the main gallery’s temporary closure. The Ballarat Heritage Festival in May remains the largest event showcasing local cultural and social life, while the Ballarat International Foto Biennale draws visitors from across the country. [3]

A new cybersecurity awareness ecosystem has also emerged, with an annual survey collaboration between Federation University and Aiculus. The 2025 report, released in October, highlighted local business cyber preparedness and the impact of the Cyber Security Act 2024. Seven beginner-level cyber security courses are available locally for those with no prior experience. [4]

For those looking for a night out, the Ballarat Nightlife Market runs on Friday nights at the City Oval, offering street food, live music, and artisan stalls. Armstrong Street North is a concentrated entertainment hub featuring Roy Hammond (gin/whisky bar), Hop Temple, Grainery Lane distillery, The Forge Pizzeria, and multiple cocktail bars. Volta on the corner of Field and Camp Streets hosts touring Melbourne bands and local talent from Thursday to Sunday. [2]