Exhibition Dates :
Friday 7 – Sunday 16 February 2025
Friday – Sunday 10am – 5pm
Monday – Thursday 10am – 4pm

Opening Event :
5:30pm Thursday 6 February 2025

Photographer, Tom Polacheck’s exhibition highlights Madagascar’s rich maritime heritage, where wooden boats blend influences from Southeast Asian outrigger canoes, Arab dhows, and Western schooners along the island’s 3,000 km coastline.

A photo and video exhibition that celebrates the 1000s of traditional wooden boats that still prevail along Madagascar’s 3000km coast line. Madagascar is the last large coastal region where open-ocean, wooden sailing vessels still predominate. These vessels are critical for sustaining the daily lives of the people living there. They are central for providing food and transport in a region where roads and terrestrial infrastructure hardly exist. While off the coast of Africa, Madagascar retains strong links with the Pacific and SE Asia as its original inhabitants sailed there around 1200 years ago. Since then, it has been at the cross roads of the Atlantic-Indian Ocean trade routes. It has absorbed, combined and maintained the traditions and knowledge from (1) Southeast Asian/Pacific outrigger canoes (2) Arab dhows and (3) the western gaff rigged schooners.In November 2024, five Australian’s undertook a journey of discovery to Madagascar, (including a 2 week cruise in a traditional schooner) to learn about and document its rich maritime history. Presented here is a visual display of some of what they learned and discovered about this diverse range of beautiful vessels and the people that build and sail them.

Presented by Nikki Nouveau

Performance :
Saturday 22 March 2025

Doors Open @ 7:00pm | Performance from 7:30pm – 9:30pm

Duration : 120 minutes (includes interval)

Tickets : $48 (+BF)

Nikki Nouveau performs a stunning repertoire of classic songs and narrates the story of legendary Parisian artist Edith Piaf and Berlin screen legend Marlene Dietrich.

From wildly different backgrounds and experiences, the divas forged a remarkable and compelling lifelong friendship after first meeting in New York. Nikki takes the audience on a musical journey of the 1940s and beyond, playing hits of the Grand Dames, with musical accompaniment by talented pianist, Matthew Boden.

Performed in French, German, and English, this enchanting performance will transport you to a bygone era of unforgettable music and unforgettable women!

“Nouveau in full voice is mesmerising and her phrasing between singing and narrating is flawless.” – Theatre People

“Sexy, fun, a little decadent and nicely polished.” – Arts Hub

Opening Event :
Sunday 9 February 2025, 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Exhibition Dates :
Wednesday 5 – Tuesday 18 February 2025
Sunday – Friday 10:00am – 4:00pm
Saturdays 9:00am – 4:00pm

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Lagarostrobos

Ned Trewartha is known for his beautiful traditional timber dinghies built from Tasmanian timbers.
He is no longer building dinghies but now concentrating on unique furniture and lyrical sculptures. In this exhibition his work is focussed on the beauty of Huon Pine. 

Ned Trewartha has been a traditional wooden boat builder and designer/maker for over thirty years. He is well known for his handcrafted clinker dinghies built from select Tasmanian timbers. He is no longer building boats but now spending his time building furniture, small sculptures, ukuleles and when time allows playing golf.

He has always been passionate about the sustainable use of Tasmanian timbers, believing they are unique and precious and should be treated with great respect. Timber for each project is carefully selected to minimise waste. He does not like waste. Ned uses recycled timber from wherever and whenever he can. He cannot understand how these aged timbers with so much character and history can be discarded as no longer useful.

The hard won patina of age should be celebrated not trashed, and he is not afraid to show off those battle scars and  what some may see as faults, rather adhering to the concept of ‘wabi sabi’. Some of Neds’ furniture has a sculptural element but always maintains form and an honest functionality.

He feels absolutely privileged to be able to work with timbers such as Huon Pine everyday.
He and his wife Kim have created their own workshop/gallery/home at Woodbridge on the beautiful D’Dentrecasteaux Channel.

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Thalassophile

Thalassophile ‘One who loves the sea – a person drawn to the ocean… ‘
New works by award winning maritime artist Jane Flowers explore a love of sailing the ocean blue, being on boats, staring at the horizon and exploring the littoral zone.

Jane has been sailing boats for as long as she has been a professional artist. She has raced to Hobart a few times and done numerous coastal deliveries. Time on the water inspires her often dramatic and sometimes meditative oils on canvas.

Jane’s paintings capture the many moods of our ocean and waterways and express the pleasure of being in, on or around the water  – recurring themes of sea and sky, wind and water, the shape of sail and the treasures of beachcombing.

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Full Program for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2025 online HERE

Exhibition Dates :
Thursday 6 February – Monday 3 March 2025
Monday – Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Weekends CLOSED

A collection of landscape and seascape paintings on paper, by Hannah Blackmore.

Between Land and Sea is a captivating collection of miniature framed paintings on paper inspired by the ever-changing beauty of the Tasmanian coastline. These works explore the land and ocean meeting point, capturing the rhythmic interplay of light and atmosphere unique to this rugged environment. Each painting reflects the raw power of the sea, the subtle hues of coastal terrain, and the quiet moments of transition between tides. Intimate in scale yet expansive in vision, this collection invites viewers to experience the Tasmanian coastline through a lens of delicate detail and poetic abstraction.

Exhibition Dates :
Thursday 6 – Sunday 16 February 2025
Sunday – Friday 10:00am – 5:00pm 
Saturdays 9:00am – 5:00pm
*Early Closure on FINAL DAY : Sunday 16 February 2024 10:00am – 4:00pm

This exhibition across all mediums is inspired by water.

Tasmanian artists present their interpretation of water in all its forms. Living on an island surrounded by water gives ample opportunities to capture its moods and beauty. 

Art is for everyone. Both artists and viewers connect with an artwork in a personal way. Reflecting this bond the major prizes are awarded by People’s Choice vote by visitors.

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Full Program for the Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2025 online HERE

Anne and Jay Sykes

Exhibition Dates :
Thursday 6 February, 2025 – Monday 3 March, 2025
**Installation viewable 24/7

‘A Collaboration’ features works and ideas from Anthony and Bridget Sutton, brought to life in an eccentric mix of media by their child and grandchild, Anne and Jay Sykes.

A doll house and a set of animals for an ark. Two unfinished projects from a man who made so, so many things for his grandchildren, rediscovered after he left us. We intend to honour his memory by finishing and sharing what he started.

A compulsive doodling habit, the same patterns present without ever being taught. A desire to indulge the imagination, forever and a day. A love of board and card games bordering on the obsessive. These were the things she wanted her grandchildren to keep with them. We will weave them around the carpentry of her husband.

We feel their absence deeply every day. Waves of grief hit, break and return to the ocean.

‘A Collaboration’ addresses family, childhood and grief. The wooden pieces at the centre of the installation were started by Anthony Sutton and the influence of Bridget Sutton is also present throughout.

‘The weeks spent staying with my grandparents on their rural property in Maydena were some of the most formative experiences of my childhood. Hiking in Mt Field, barbecues at Lake Peddar and just romping around, I felt the shadows of what I would later find out was mental illness melting away. My troubles socialising, my anxiety and my dark moods all had a much harder time reaching me up there. The space my grandparents’ made was a haven of fun and wonder that I am forever grateful for. I hope, with this piece, to share some semblance of that place.’ – Jay Sykes

‘While clearing my parents house after my dad had passed I found art projects started and carefully stored away in tins and boxes, toys for my kids lovingly crafted by their grandad, and design ideas by their Granny B. My parents started me on my artistic journey very early in life, always encouraging and facilitating. It will be a wonderful way to honour their memory, to work with Jay using their creations as a starting point and incorporating our own ideas to bring it to fruition. They would be so excited and proud.’ – Anne Sykes

Launch Gathering :
Friday 14 March 2025, 5:15pm – 7:15pm

Exhibition Dates :
Thursday 13 – Sunday 16 March 2025
10:00am – 6:00pm daily

A walk through half a century of Hobartian Monte John Latham‘s abstract expressionism and ‘worldscape’ paintings.

Monte John Latham’s Walk in the Worldscape exhibition features a selection of striking and vibrant works of oil and acrylic on canvas that explore the interplays between humanity, nature, the metaphysical, mind, journey, and locale. Dreamlike landscapes flow out of and into intricate abstractions expressing serene harmony, dynamism and love through ethereal and evocative colours. 

Largely unknown, Latham is an elusive local underground artist whose prolific journey spans decades of steady and passionate creation, each piece serving as a testament to his unwavering passion for capturing the essence of life and the world around us. Born in the middle of the twentieth century, Latham began painting as a boy. His work blossomed with surrealism, defiance and inquiry during the counterculture currents of the sixties and seventies. 

This exhibition showcases Latham’s most striking works, thoughtfully selected to illustrate the breadth of his artistic journey. It is a rare opportunity to experience the creative evolution of an artist whose vision remains timeless and deeply resonant.

Originals and numbered replica prints will be available for purchase.

Opening Event :
Friday 21 February 2025, 5:30pm – 7:30pm

Exhibition Dates :
Wednesday 19 February – Sunday 2 March 2025
Monday – Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday & Sunday 8:00am – 5:00pm 

A photographic study of the Tasmanian wilderness, by Tim Faircloth.

Viewers will be taken on a black and white journey celebrating and exploring some of the State’s favourite places. 

Tim Faircloth is a classically trained film photographer using a large format wooden field camera, vintage lenses and black and white film, processed in a home darkroom. 

Driven by a deep passion for photography as an art form, images are presented as a single edition artwork, emphasising the rarity and the significant time and effort invested in capturing it.

Workshops :
Wednesday 22 January 2025, 10:00am – 12:00noon
Thursday 23 January 2025, 10:00am – 12:00noon

Duration : 2 hours (per session)
Doors Open 15 minutes prior 

All Ages / Family -Friendly Workshop

Tickets :
Participant Tickets: $65 per session. Limited to 10 spots per session, participants will work directly with Penny McDonald and Jacob Golding, receiving personalized guidance in applying Alexander Technique principles.
Audit Tickets: $25 per session. Auditors will observe the process, gaining valuable insights into Alexander Technique and its application in performance and well-being.

Experience the transformative power of Alexander Technique in this exciting Masterclass with Penny McDonald and Jacob Golding. Designed for performers and anyone eager to learn, the event offers participation and audit options. With limited spots available, don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore Alexander Technique in Hobart.

Alexander Technique: LIVE! brings the transformative practice of Alexander Technique to the iconic Peacock Theatre in Hobart. Led by Penny McDonald, alongside Jacob Golding, this Masterclass provides an incredible opportunity to experience and witness first-hand how Alexander Technique enhances movement, presence, and well-being, particularly in the performing arts.

This event follows the widely used Participant/Audit format, a structure that offers deep learning opportunities for everyone involved. Participants work directly with Penny and Jacob, receiving personalised guidance as they explore Alexander Technique in action, while auditors observe the process, gaining valuable insights from a broader perspective.

This format has been successfully utilized by leading acting coaches around the world, including Howard Fine, a world-class acting coach renowned for integrating Alexander Technique into his Masterclasses. Howard’s approach demonstrates how Alexander Technique can empower performers to unlock their full creative potential, a philosophy echoed in this Masterclass.

With only 10 participant spots available, this is a unique opportunity to engage directly with the work live on stage or enjoy the equally valuable experience of auditing.

Thursday 23 January 2025
Doors Open 5:30pm | Performance from 6:00pm – 11:00pm

Duration : 5 Hours (15 minute sets for each performer) 

All Ages Event

This is a FREE EVENT, but booking is essential

The SESSIONS Project: LIVE! is the beating heart of the program and the foundation of the 2025 relaunch at the iconic Peacock Theatre. This free core event not only celebrates Tasmanian talent through our signature 15-minute open rotating concept but also plays a central role in supporting the vibrant performances, workshops, and events surrounding it.

Showcasing music, performance, and creativity, this all-ages event embodies the spirit of connection and community that The SESSIONS Project is all about. With a dynamic and inclusive atmosphere, it sets the tone for an unforgettable celebration of local artistry.

Performers will be announced in the lead-up, promising a diverse lineup of musicians, artists, and creatives. Tickets are free but essential and can be booked now through our new website. Don’t miss this celebration of talent, creativity, and the Tasmanian arts community.