Here’s HELEN MUSA’s latest Artsweek column, roll call of a what’s what, where and when around the local arts scene.

A Canberra hero hailed by Jimmy Carter as “the man who saved the world”, because he proved the fallacy of the doctrine of limited nuclear war, is the subject of a movie, Twilight Time, nominated for a 2025 AWGIE Award and released at Melbourne International Film Festival last year.

The late Desmond Ball led ANU’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre throughout his career. Director John Hughes will be in Q&A with Emma Shortis from the Australia Institute at the Canberra premiere, Dendy Cinema, March 16.

To mark St Patrick’s Day there’ll be Irish fun through to late evening with live Irish music and traditional dancing. Canberra Irish Club, Parkinson Street Weston, March 17.

The Hive – The Yellow House – welcomes Queanbeyan boy Omar Musa back from Malaysia for a homecoming performance of music and poetry from his latest album The Fullness, as part of its Friday Vibe @ The Hive Sessions, which runs with bar open every Friday from 5pm-9pm. Crawford Street, Queanbeyan, March 14.

The ACT government is developing an ACT Artist Database to help connect anyone looking to engage local artists for paid opportunities. Canberra artists are being invited to self-nominate at artsact.smartygrants.com.au

Concerts

• The Australian Haydn Ensemble will perform Haydn’s Sunrise, string quartets by Haydn, Beethoven and Fanny Mendelssohn. Wesley Uniting Church, March 13.
• Avant-garde folk heroes The Waifs, will be The B, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, March 14.
• An evening of Hindustani classical music features violinist Ragini Shankar and tabla player Ramdas Palsule. Wesley Music Centre, March 15.
• Penta Harp Ensemble is a new Australian harp quintet playing as part of the Harmonic Curves series, Wesley Music Centre, March 16.
• Greenaway Studio hosts The Marais Project, featuring Jennifer Eriksson (viola da gamba) and Anthony Abouhamad (harpsichord), 164 Namatjira Drive, Chapman, March 16.
• Canberra Mandolin Orchestra is joining with Historic Dance Delights and the Monaro Folk Society to host an afternoon of social dancing, foot tapping music, and dancing demonstrations. Folk Dance Hall, 114 Maitland Street, Hackett, March 16.
• American singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster, whose latest album, Mileage won her a first Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album, will be at the Street Theatre, March 18.
• Wesley Lunchtime concert series has pianist Robert Schmidli performing all-Schumann program. Wesley Music Centre, March 19.

Stage

• As part of the Canberra Comedy Festival, Trish Hurley, Tanya Losanno and Jacqui Richards will perform their new show, Underestimated, at the Courtyard Studio, March 13 and 16.
• Canberra comedy star, Chris Ryan, will present her solo show, Extreme Tenant, at The Street Theatre, March 14.
• Shirley Valentine is Willy Russell’s play in which the character finds her younger self. Natalie Bassingthwaighte stars in the production at Canberra Theatre, March 19-23.

Talk

• In a webinar, A crime against society: the contested birth of the National Film and Sound Archive, Ray Edmondson will reprise his presentation at the conference of the Australian Historical Association, March 16.
• Portrait artist Vincent Fantauzzo will be in conversation about his memoir Unveiled, for Meet The Author. It tells the true story of how a street-fighting, dyslexic petty criminal became one of Australia’s most successful portrait artists. Kambri Cinema ANU, March 17.
• Penny Lockwood speaks about growing up under the shadow of ASIO surveillance, the stigma associated with her father’s political activism, and the personal challenges she encountered as a result. Manning Clark House,  Tasmania Circle, Forrest, March 19.
• Dianna Nixon of  Music Theatre Projects talks about her nine-year journey uncovering the life and work of the Gunning playwright, Millicent Armstrong. National Library, March 19.

Galleries

• Allan Baptist’s exhibition Sunlight & Summer is made up of recent paintings and drawings explore the Australian light and the transition from the traditional to the calling of abstraction. Bungendore Wood Works Gallery, opening March 15.
• Inhabited is an exhibition presented by Gungahlin Arts featuring works by eight artists who live or work in the Gungahlin region featuring textiles, painting, woodwork, mixed media, ceramics and more. At Studio Studio, Dacre Street, Mitchell, March 14-23.