Here’s HELEN MUSA’s latest Arts in the City column.

This year is the 20th anniversary of Canberra’s Stellar Company.

Formed in 2006 by Jolanta Gallagher, under the name of the Australian Talented Youth Project, it was re-formed during the pandemic and now works across 16 suburbs in Canberra with communities of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Now Sing Australia has invited the Stellars to present a series of dance performances as part of its National Gathering in October, alongside 800 choir members at Sydney Opera House. What a way to celebrate, they’re saying. Donations would be welcome at donorbox.org/support-stellar

Canberra writers and literary figures have featured in the shortlist for the 2026 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. Journalist and author Tom McIlroy is shortlisted in non-fiction for Blue Poles: Jackson Pollock, Gough Whitlam and the Painting that Changed a Nation, along with novelist Merlinda Bobis, historian Emily Gallagher and children’s author Sandy Bigna are among ACT writers recognised.

Well-known Queanbeyan portrait artist Julie Ballis, a long serving member of Portrait Artists Australia, is on the cover of the most recent issue of the Portrait Society of America’s Down Under Newsletter, compiled and written by Janelle Hatherly. Ballis was awarded a NSW Monaro Service Award medal in 2018 for her services to the art community.

To celebrate 100 years of the Australasian Performing Right Association and 90 years of the National Film and Sound Archive, the two organisations have launched The National Songbook, recognising the songs that have helped shape Australia’s cultural identity. Each year, culturally significant songs will be selected for induction and preservation by a panel of industry experts spanning songwriters, composers, media and academia.

The National Library of Australia’s major exhibition Wangka Wakanutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre is now available online at library.gov.au. The self-directed exhibition features illustrated books created as literacy tools for Papunya schoolchildren, alongside stories, drawings, photographs, manuscripts, ephemera and oral histories exploring first contact, Dreamings, community life, plants and animals.

Opera Australia has unveiled its 2027 program. Constantine Costi’s new production of Puccini’s La Bohème and Sir Jonathan Mills’ Eucalyptus, both make their Sydney Opera House debuts, while Scottish Opera brings its steampunk production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Sir David McVicar presents a world premiere staging of Tannhäuser, and Simon Phillips’ Aussie take on Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love returns. 

News all day, every day at CityNewsQBN.com.au.