A musical, written from scratch and inspired by child-led ideas, awaits participants in a week of sessions Mr Tim and Ms Nat, reports HELEN MUSA in her latest Arts in the City column.

Kids aged 8-13 will have the chance to build an original musical from scratch, writing lyrics, shaping the story, composing music and creating props during a week of sessions with theatre veterans Mr Tim and Ms Nat. The program champions child-led ideas, teamwork and confidence, with the show presented to the public later in the year. Tuggeranong Arts Centre, January 19-23

Canberra author Aiden Novinc celebrates the Amazon release of his debut children’s book, Something Strange. The story follows a child learning to confront the strange and scary monsters he believes are lurking around his home, offering a nostalgic reminder of what it was like to be a kid.

The 31st CAT Awards Presentation Gala will be held at the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre on January 31. In a departure from convention, the school and youth awards will be presented after lunchtime, with the open categories presentation beginning in the late afternoon.

Opera Australia presents Hansel and Gretel, the 19th century opera by Engelbert Humperdinck, featuring Margaret Plummer and Stacey Alleaume as the bold siblings and Jane Ede as the wicked witch. Sydney Opera House, January 27-February 28.

It was good to see Canberra playwright Dylan Van Den Berg’s play The Chosen Vessel, based on the story by Barbara Bayton, up the top of Currency Press’s list of New Plays to Inspire You. Next on the list is the anthology Long Way Home, featuring former Canberran Tasnim Hossain’s play The Village, which explores connections found in unexpected places.

Luminescence Chamber Singers, in collaboration with Roland Peelman, has released its debut album, Of the Body, on the ABC Classics label. Made up of 17 songs, the collection offers new perspectives on parts of the human body that we often take for granted.

Harpist Alice Giles and pianist Arnan Wiesel will once again present the Harmonic Curves Series in 2026, featuring four concerts: harp and piano with cellist David Pereira; harp with guitarist Timothy Kain; a poetry-and-music collaboration with performance poet Moran Wiesel, and a recital by Arnan Wiesel performing works by Martin Wesley-Smith, Carl Vine, and others.