Dance! Draw! Paint! Weave! Exercise! Create! There’s still plenty of ways to engage your creativity this summer at Kambri …

Immerse yourself in a variety of inspiring workshops devised for families, students and the general public as part of the HERE I AM: Art by Great Women festival.

Participants will learn hands-on skills directly from professional women specialising in artforms including life drawing, dancing, traditional Indigenous weaving, linocut and painting.

Numbers are limited across all workshops, so book quickly to secure your spot.

EVENTS

Culture on the Move Workshop | Bush Animal Weaving

19, 20 and 21 January 2021
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Drama Theatre, Cultural Centre

Ronnie Jordan is a proud Kalkadoon woman who will share her traditional ecological knowledge with you.

Enjoy a hands-on workshop where you and your child each create a woven bush animal. The workshop inspires a connection to Aboriginal culture, and both children and adults will learn techniques of the age-old art of traditional weaving.

Dance Workshop | Kulture Break

20 and 21 January 2021
9:00 am – 11:30 am
Kambri Lawns
Free 

An introduction to the basic skills and foundations of dance and a sequence dance routine from Kulture Break. These workshops are empowering, entertaining and engaging for all ages and abilities.

Established in 2002, Kulture Break is a not-for-profit social enterprise mental health and well-being community service provider committed to the transformation and empowerment of children and youth.

Culture on the Move Workshop | Fish Trap Weaving

23 January 2021
10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Drama Theatre, Cultural Centre

Come and learn from Ronnie Jordan – a proud Kalkadoon woman – in a traditional fish trap weaving workshop.

Enjoy a hands-on workshop which inspires a connection to Aboriginal culture and learn techniques of the age-old art of traditional weaving.

Paint Pinot Workshops

30 January 2021 (‘Highland Cow’ workshop)
and
31 January 2021 (‘Blue Nude’ workshop)
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Drama Theatre, Cultural Centre

Relax with a fun afternoon of painting and sipping wine. In three hours, participants will be guided in steps to create their own masterpiece. Absolutely no artistic skill is required, and all materials are supplied so you get to take home your ‘Highland Cow’ or ‘Blue Nude’ painting, ready to hang.

Paint Pinot was launched in regional NSW by artist and teacher Tina Hansen-Jones in 2017 and is based on the hugely popular ‘Paintnite’ events run in cities all over North America.

Sweet and Sour zine | Linocut Valentine’s Day Workshop

Friday, 12 February 2021
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
aMBUSH Gallery
Free

Got a sweetheart for Valentine’s Day yet? This workshop will be led by emerging Asian-Australian printmakers and will explore linocut printmaking techniques. It will begin with a speed ‘dating’ round (for singles and those already partnered just looking to meet new friends) where you have the opportunity to talk to everyone and get to know each other. You can then make your own linocut, and choose to gift it to someone you’ve met!

Unwind on the Greens

Weekly on Wednesdays from 20 January to 24 February
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Kambri Lawns
Free

Join the highly skilled ANU Sport group fitness instructors for a variety of free group workouts over the summer season and unwind at the end of a busy day as the sun sets over Black Mountain.

20^th January — Sh’bam with Kara Chalson

27^th January — Pilates with Lynn Materne

3^rd February — HIIT with Emily Ryan

10^th February — Body Attack with Jackie Crombie

17^th February — Sh’bam with Kara Chalson

24^th February — Body Balance with Lynn Materne

For the full events program, visit: kambri.com.au/event/here-i-am-art-by-great-women/

The Kambri Film Fest returns, with films that focus on females as part of the HERE I AM festival …

This January and February there’s a magnificent lineup of free films to ignite the imaginations of the young and the young-at-heart over three weekends at Kambri.

Held in the comfort of the indoor Kambri Cinema (good for any kind of weather!), movies include ‘Moana’, ‘Scoob’, ‘Dora and the Lost City of Gold’, ‘Secret Life of Pets 2’, ‘A Dog’s Journey’, ‘Ride Like A Girl’, ‘Tenet’, ‘Little Women’, and ‘The Farewell’, to name a few.

The family-friendly films begin at 3pm, with most featuring female leads. Evening sessions are geared towards adults and kick off at 7pm.

Thursday nights will highlight Australian women in film, Friday and Sunday nights will offer female-directed films from the last two years, while Saturday nights are reserved for blockbusters you may have missed in 2020.

In addition to free entry, there’s even one complimentary popcorn and beverage (water, juice or Coke product) for every person who attends!

For full program details and to register for your free tickets via Eventbrite, click here

To make an occasion of it, families and friends of all ages can meet up for a pre-movie meal and drinks at one of Kambri’s popular eateries, before heading into the cinema.

Parking is available at the ANU Kambri Union Court car park, with complimentary parking on the weekends for up to three hours.

The Kambri Film Fest 2021 is part of the HERE I AM: Art by Great Women festival and has been curated to celebrate and elevate the contributions of creative women in the film industry.

A nation unites in the name of art and expression at Kambri this summer

Inspired by the Know My Name movement and in a cultural partnership with the National Gallery of Australia (NGA), HERE I AM: Art by Great Women is a showcase of contemporary Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists from multi-disciplinary backgrounds including street art, fine art, photography, illustration, digital, sculpture, film and more.

Presented by Kambri at ANU, curated by aMBUSH Gallery and with over 100 featured artists, the summer-long family-friendly festival aims to re-energise our cultural landscape by showcasing some of Australia’s best female creative talent, in the heart of our nation. Activations will include outdoor public art and gallery exhibitions, live art and music events, craft workshops, film screenings, and more.

Running until 28 February 2021, HERE I AM: Art by Great Women will coincide with Know My Name by the NGA and will proudly feature contemporary female creatives including Gemma O’Brien, Georgia Hill, Aretha Brown, Lucy O’Doherty, Minna Leunig, Faith Kerehona, Bohie Palecek, Helen Proctor, George Rose, Noni Cragg, Kaff-eine, Nanami Cowdroy, Nicole Reed, and Selina Miles, to name but a few.

Comprising free public events across the Kambri precinct – including free parking on weekends – it’s a lively program appealing to audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and will provide an invaluable platform for women artists and creatives to engage with the broader community.

Some of the events on offer are:

– A large-scale display of work from 24 Australian female artists at the new outdoor venue, Exhibition Avenue. This free exhibition will be accessible to the general public 24 hours, 7 days a week.

– A group exhibition at aMBUSH Gallery Kambri headlining female artists working across a range of disciplines, including painters, illustrators, photographers, digital artists, object designers, and sculptors. The exhibition is free and will be open to the public daily from 10am-6pm weekdays and 12pm-5pm on weekends.

– In January, the Kambri Film Fest is back in the Kambri Cinema and will host two screenings per day across three weekends – a family-friendly segment with films starring heroines, and an ‘after hours’ session with films directed and written by women. Admission is free.

– On selected Sundays, the central Kambri Lawn will become a rousing stage for artists to put their painting skills on show. Live Art Sessions is a free public event that will feature an all-female roster of artists creating new work – all to the tune of live music provided by ANU and local Canberra musicians. 

– Kambri’s regular crowd-pleasing Music on the Greens will be a feature of each weekend during the festival. An all-female music talent schedule including Liv Li, Kim Yang, Dana Hassall, and Lucy Sugerman will bring live music to the Kambri Lawns. Free for attendees.

– Lakespeare & Co will conduct their fourth summer season with a free preview performance and interactive rehearsal of Measure for Measure presented exclusively for Kambri at ANU and the HERE I AM festival. Be prepared for the presentation of bold female leaders in this black comedy by the Bard.  

– The summer holidays will bring a range of free family-friendly activities led by female creatives. Kids will have the opportunity to get their hands dirty with art and craft workshops in aMBUSH Gallery, and keep in step with Kulture Break run dance workshops on the Kambri Lawns.

For the full festival schedule, visit https://kambri.com.au/event/here-i-am-art-by-great-women/

Enter the charmed world of Harry Hartog Booksellers at Kambri

In the heart of the Kambri precinct at ANU, situated on the ground floor just below aMBUSH Gallery, there’s a magical space lined with shelves and filled with books. Welcome to Harry Hartog Booksellers – a meeting place between the many worlds that make up university life.

Their shop is self-proclaimed as “for the adventurer, the student of life and the next generation of reader” and they offer old-fashioned quality and creative ideas as the cornerstone of their community.

As one of Kambri’s flagship retailers, Harry Hartog’s Kambri stock includes textbooks, ANU merchandise, imported academic books, and ANU’s local authors and academics’ works, but customers of all ages and interests will discover new and second hand books that surprise and delight with every visit.

Harry Hartog has also become a key partner in one of ANU’s most popular public event series – Meet the Author.

For nearly three decades, the Meet the Author events have enthralled ANU staff and students, as well as the wider Canberra community, with some of the biggest names in literature gracing the stage, and now they’ve come to Kambri with Harry Hartog onboard.

Past talks and book signings have included appearances from the likes of Shaun Micallef, Archie Roach, Natasha Stott Despoja, Tony Jones, Jane Caro, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, AM, Blanche D’Alpuget and Erik Jensen.

In addition to Meet the Author talks, there are also in-store author visits and signings, curated book lists, plus live Story Time and school holiday programs for the little readers in your life.

Their stores don’t just stop at books; they also have an extensive range of cards and amazing gifts you won’t find anywhere else.

For the avid book buyer, Harry Hartog have a fantastic loyalty program – it’s free and easy to join, and as a member you can earn points from your purchases, which can then be redeemed against future purchases. They figured that the best way to reward their community of booklovers is to help them do what they love best… read more books!

As if they weren’t already fabulous enough, Harry Hartog also supplies and promotes products and services that meet ethical, sustainable and environmental trade practices.

So whether you can’t quite figure out the title of that book you’re looking for, need a specific textbook for uni, need to order a special something for a special someone, or are simply looking for advice on what to read next, the friendly, knowledgeable staff from the Kambri store will be there to assist.

There’s plenty to do for people of all ages at Kambri

When Kambri opened to the public in early 2019, it was a once-in-a generation change to the heart of the ANU campus that has made life here more lively, opening up this beautiful campus to staff, students and the entire Canberra community as an events and leisure destination.

For thousands of years, Aboriginal people came together, shared stories and learnt at the places we now call ANU and Sullivan’s Creek, so it’s only fitting that Kambri has transformed into a meeting place like no other.

There’s so much to discover in the vibrant public realm at Kambri …

University Avenue

University Avenue provides a welcoming and attractive and connection between Kambri, The ANU and the Canberra CBD.

It’s a streetscape designed for pedestrians, with picturesque trees, street furniture and smart poles featuring lighting, power, CCTV and Wi-Fi.

Events and activities such as markets and O-Week celebrations utilise its linear form and dedicated infrastructure on a regular basis, with the Avenue also playing a role for vehicle VIP entries into the ANU for special events.

The latest drawcard is ‘Exhibition Avenue’, an innovative initiative of Kambri at ANU, produced and curated by aMBUSH Gallery, which opened in July this year. It will feature a free year-round program of multidisciplinary exhibitions and activations, with an aim to showcase and support our world-class talent – both emerging and established – and provide an ever-changing ‘walk of art’ for staff, students, locals and visitors to Canberra alike.

The Kambri Lawn

The Kambri Lawn with its colourful bean bags has been a fan favourite since day one. As the weather warms up and we head towards summer, it’s the perfect place to relax between lectures while enjoying lunch from one of the many quality retail offerings.

Soak up the sun and the knowledge in the wide-open spaces, where it’s possible to feel like you have people around you, but still maintain COVID-compliant social distancing.

Grab a book from Harry Hartog, and sit in the landscaped gardens under one of the growing trees or at a picnic bench.

For the more active among us, there are regular activations including Fitness on the. Greens, and the popular Music on the Greens, which has been expanded to include Saturday and Sunday sessions.

The Amphitheatre

Overlooking Sullivan’s Creek, the purpose-built Amphitheatre is a spectacular place to eat lunch, watch concerts and soak up the village atmosphere. The stage sits on the reconfigured pond, with dedicated paths allowing access for productions in the space.

The Amphitheatre caters for a wide variety of events including ad-hoc performances and festivals and events, such as the extremely popular ‘Lakespeare’ (Shakespeare by the Lake) and the free nightly Kambri Film Fest held in January.

Weeping willows have been retained on the western side of Sullivan’s Creek to provide shade during summer months, and seating features grass as a cooling element.

The stunning Indigenous garden was planted in consultation with local Indigenous groups and will provide enjoyment for many years to come.

The Retail Offerings

A dynamic mix of over fifty retail outlets contributes to the vibrancy of Kambri. ANU students, staff and visitors can experience a variety of retail offerings on a daily basis, including a casual quick takeaway-style meal, cafes, bars, a grocery shop, bank, pharmacy, optometrist, bookstore, hairdresser, gym and more.

The Kambri precinct embodies the spirit of Canberra – connecting public spaces to culture, entertainment and education year-round, through a dynamic mix of eateries, art, film, music, theatre, sport and thought, all in a contemporary village setting, for all to enjoy.

Enjoy a fascinating journey back in time at aMBUSH Gallery Kambri, discovering the activism and outrage of generations of ANU students.

During the month of October, aMBUSH Gallery Kambri will be filled with sights and sounds that represent student life at ANU over the past seven decades, with the opening of the new exhibition Woroni – 70 Years of Outrage and Activism.

It’s a fascinating collection from the archives of Woroni, the student media organisation, which sprang to life in 1950. What started as a humble student newspaper has since morphed into a print magazine, a website, a radio station and a TV program, providing multiple outlets for ANU students to have their voices heard.

Woroni – 70 Years of Outrage and Activism proudly showcases the diverse work and thoughts of hundreds of ANU students who have contributed to Woroni over the years. Upon its establishment, Woroni quickly forged a reputation for scrutinising and commenting on social justice, political, and environmental themes, to name a few. These topics are reflected in the sizeable collection of material chosen for display, and will evoke feelings of nostalgia, pride, reminiscence, wonder and amusement in viewers of all ages.

Curated by current Woroni staff and presented by aMBUSH Gallery, it’s an entertaining and often humorous retrospective that affectionately highlights the different generations of students who have passed through the university, and their engagement with issues both specific to their era, and those that have remained the same over time.

The exhibition includes a 7-metre-long timeline feature wall, a display of full-colour reprints of dozens of past Woroni covers, an overview of the history of Woroni, plus separate walls devoted to Activism (feminism, Indigenous rights, LGBTIQ+ issues, politics, free speech), Outrage (sex, drugs, nudity, profanity), Woroni Radio and Woroni Television.

Woroni – 70 Years of Outrage and Activism doesn’t shy away from the controversy surrounding the use of the word ‘woroni’. Chosen by the editorial board of 1950, it’s suggested it was taken without permission from the language of the Wadi Wadi nation from northern Victoria, with the translation meaning ‘mouth’ and perhaps extrapolated to ‘mouthpiece’. The modern-day Woroni Board acknowledge the complicated history behind the name and the legacy of stolen Indigenous names it contributes to.

The exhibition will be open to the public daily from 10am-6pm weekdays and 12pm-5pm on weekends until Sunday, 1 November. Admission is free.

For more information visit ambushgallery.com and look for aMBUSH Gallery on Facebook and Instagram for exhibition updates.

Catch your favourite authors in conversation in the ANU Meet the Author series – now from the comfort of your home!

With over two dozen events and counting, the ever-popular Meet The Author series has been drawing some of the biggest names in literature, history, politics, science and current affairs to Kambri since the precinct’s opening 18 months ago.

It’s a highly successful partnership between ANU, the Canberra Times, Kambri, and Harry Hartog Booksellers, and is part of the larger ANU/Canberra Times Meet The Author series that has been captivating the Canberra community for almost three decades.

Prior to the mandatory restrictions on social gatherings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the Meet The Author events were held in T2, the multi-use event space located on the upper level of the Cultural Centre. Events attracting larger crowds of over 500 – such as the ‘In Conversation’ featuring comedian and writer Shaun Micallef discussing his book ‘Mad as Hell and Back’ – were held in the spacious Manning Clark Hall.

Each event also gave members of the general public the opportunity to purchase the guest speaker’s book from Harry Hartog and have it personally signed either before or at the conclusion of the talk.

Stand-out events at Kambri have so far included: Australia’s favourite science guru, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki; award-winning writer and journalist, Jane Caro; Karen Viggars, the Canberra award-winning author of three international bestselling novels; the ABC Q&A host and one of Australia’s most admired journalists, Tony Jones; and Blanche d’Alpuget, whose latest book ‘Bob Hawke: The Complete Biography’ details the life of her late husband.

Although social gathering restrictions caused the cancellation of some Meet the Author events, ANU soon found a way to continue them in the virtual world, giving book lovers and knowledge seekers the chance to gain insights into their favourite authors, year-round. Signed copies of the books are still available to purchase online on the Harry Hartog website.

The first virtual event was held in April and was a conversation between former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who spoke about his recently released memoir, ‘A Bigger Picture’, with Katharine Murphy, the Guardian Australia’s political editor. You can view the conversation here. 

Upcoming virtual live events include appearances from:

• Marian Wilkinson discussing her new book ‘The Carbon Club’, the inside story of how a network of influential climate sceptics, politicians and business leaders fought to control Australia’s climate policy.
• Chris Wallace on her book ‘How To Win An Election’, which spells out the ten things a political leader and their party must excel at to maximise the chance of success, and against which they should be accountable between and during elections.
• Katharine Murphy with a timely exploration of her new Quarterly Essay, ‘The End of Certainty. Scott Morrison and Pandemic Politics’.
• Andrew Leigh and Nick Terrell on their new book ‘Reconnected. A Community Builder’s Handbook’.

Check here for the latest news on the Meet the Author series.

Meet the Author talks are also regularly podcasted and are available through Soundcloud.

As restrictions are eased, we look forward to once again hosting in-person gatherings for Meet the Author events at Kambri.

ARSA Cycles at Kambri is ready to help make your cycling experience better than ever!

After a three-month hiatus, PARSA Cycles is open for business again, assisting the ANU and Canberra community with all their biking needs. After having opened their doors in March – just as the COVID19 pandemic hit – and having to close almost immediately, the team are grateful to have received such a warm welcome for their reopening in June.

PARSA Cycles is a social enterprise that gives pre-loved bikes a second chance, as well as offering a limited number of new cycles for sale, with a focus on maintenance and repair for students, faculty, and Canberrans alike.

With campus reopening, many students and staff are getting their bikes serviced and ready for the coming warmer months, which means the workshop is getting busier too. Stock – including chains, brake pads and cables – is constantly being replenished to keep bikes running safe and smoothly.

Popular accessories, such as locks, lights, racks and helmets, are in constant demand, while other items like grips, pumps, and multi-tools are growing with the cycling boom that has accompanied the pandemic.

If you need anything to get your dream bike build finished or to replace old worn-out items, drop by the store and have a chat with the shop manager Zac or one of the team members. They’re open Monday to Friday from 10am until 3pm.

You’ll find Zac super friendly and easy to talk to – he’s an ANU student himself, finishing off a Bachelor of Design at the School of Art and Design. He might even show you his own bike – a Vivente Swabia frame that he built up with Campagnolo shifters, Salsa Cowchippers, and a Rawland Cycles front rack.

Don’t worry if all of that sounds like a foreign language to you – the PARSA Cycles team is happy to let you know as much or as little as you like about bike repairs and maintenance. In fact, when social gathering restrictions allow, they plan to host free workshops to educate students on the basics of bike maintenance and repair – they see it as an investment in students and the future by empowering them to be self-reliant and getting the most out of their bike.

There are several standard services on offer, including:

• $10 tube change
• $30 brake adjust
• $40 gear adjust
• $60 basic service
• $100 general service (which includes a wheel true, adjusting and lubricating the gears and brakes, and a clean). 

Staff from PARSA Cycles can also recommend some of their favourite areas to ride near Canberra, and in the future will start some casual group rides from the shop so locals can meet other people who love to cycle.

For more information you can visit @PARSACycles on Facebook or @parsa.anu on Instagram, search their website www.parsacycles.com or email them at operations@parsacycles.com

What are you waiting for? On your bike!

In the depths of winter 2020, the golden child of the week – Friday night – got even better thanks to Kambri at ANU!

Streaming free via Facebook from the incredible Manning Clark Hall came the innovative program ‘Music on the Screens’ – a series of dance party sets featuring ANU student DJs, singer/songwriters and bands filmed on stage with decks, lighting and an audio-visual show that made viewers feel like they were right there in the venue.

For two Fridays during July, viewers were invited to leave the week that was behind with a two-hour set from Vessel Collective, breezing through an eclectic array of genres.

Performers included Shad (afrobeats, house, funk), Destiny (city pop, house, Japanese funk), Mim (funky house), Pranav (YNG Daku) (techno, hiphop), Mami (techno, rave) and Jasmine (techno, tech house, house).

For the third and final week, in partnership with ANUSA, it was time for a virtual party, with Bush Week 2020 ending with a lineup of all-star ANU singer/songwriter talents performing 30-minute sets.

Recording the musical acts in Manning Clark Hall – Kambri’s world-class live music venue that normally plays host to bands such Hermitude and The Chats – gave students the rare chance to perform in a space they would not normally have access to.

Along with giving students a foot in the door to the music scene, Music on the Screens was also a way to put familiar faces from around the university in front of new audiences – the equivalent of taking an intimate bar scene and translating it to a large, professional venue.

The partnership with Vessel Collective and the ANU students who performed during Music on the Screens has been one of the most positive aspects to come from a difficult year. Vessel Collective’s aim is to give anyone with an interest the opportunity to get behind decks and build their confidence, no matter who they are or what they’re into, and in the process create an inclusive dance floor.

For more information on how you can get involved in Vessel Collective, find them on Facebook and Instagram @vessel_djcollective

As we seek new ways to connect and entertain online – in lieu of events and gatherings – Music On the Screens was a brilliant opportunity for ANU students to get their music out there in front of the hundreds of people who tuned in.

If you have a burning idea for any future online student-based content, please reach out and contact concierge.kambri@wdmanagement.com.au

Look around and uncover the award-winning design and architectural features of the Kambri precinct – they’re right before your eyes!

Long before the precinct burst to life in February 2019 with the daily bustle of university staff and students, the appointed architects for Kambri – BVN – were busy creating a united ensemble of six buildings around new public spaces, each with their own distinctive character and purpose. 

Kambri was envisioned as an inclusive space for students, staff and visitors, merging contemporary learning with an enriched cultural life to bring a diverse array of great thinkers, artists and creators together.

Surrounded by nature, Kambri has fast become Canberra’s social and cultural focus. It boasts plenty of green spaces, plus architecturally designed buildings offering the latest state-of-the-art technology and facilities, and an eclectic retail mix of restaurants, cafes and shops.

Reflecting on the design of Kambri precinct, ANU Vice-President for Engagement and Global Relations, Jane O’Dwyer, says, “It incorporates a number of elements that offer a new educational, physical, creative and social experience in a village setting, while also reflecting the Indigenous connection in its landscaping and native bush garden.”

The collaborators on the Kambri precinct included ANU (as the client), BVN (architect), ColonySix (development manager), Lendlease (builder), Civitas (urban designer), Aspect Studios and lahznimmo architects (landscape architect) who worked together on innovative approaches to create a modern university hub.

In June this year, Kambri at ANU was proud to win 2020 ACT Architecture Awards across multiple categories, including Public Architecture, Urban Design, Commercial Architecture, Educational Architecture and Sustainable Architecture.

The coveted Australian Institute of Architects Awards offer an opportunity for public and peer recognition of the innovative work of architects, with entries progressing to the National Architecture Awards (to be announced in early November).

One of Kambri’s most striking buildings, the Marie Reay Teaching Centre took away The Derek Wrigley Award for Sustainable Architecture, with the building expected to achieve the world’s best practice rating for ecological footprint across its lifecycle – the highest level of achievement for an educational building.

Sam Jordan, Director of ColonySix, said, “ColonySix is incredibly proud to be a part of the Kambri project, from helping ANU create concepts of cutting-edge quality, reinventing an ‘urban village’ in the centre of the Acton campus, delivering powerful and lasting experiences through built form and active public realm, as well as delivering leading sustainability outcomes for the precinct.”

The Kambri precinct embodies the spirit of Canberra, connecting public spaces to culture, entertainment and education through a vibrant mix of eateries, art, film, music, theatre and thought, all set amongst cutting-edge award-winning design and architecture.

Looking for a change of scenery while you hit the books? aMBUSH Gallery Kambri has opened its doors as a study space.

We all know the saying ‘A change is as good as a holiday’, and with holidays as we know them currently off the cards, aMBUSH Gallery Kambri are adding an element of fun into daily life by inviting students into their gallery to study.

aMBUSH is much more than a physical exhibition space – it’s a hub where you can crack into your uni work in the company of art, music and big ideas. Located on the second floor of the Cultural Centre (above Harry Hartog Booksellers), there are floor to ceiling windows that flood the space in natural light, plus neighbouring retailers to keep you fed and caffeinated, and furniture with charging stations to settle into comfortably as you listen to your lectures.

It’s also a great way to take some time out to view the current exhibition – a retrospective of Australian street art that is part of the aMBUSH Collection, showcased in the groundbreaking Outpost Project – the biggest street art festival in the world – on Cockatoo Island in 2011.

If the idea of a change of environment appeals, simply turn up to aMBUSH Gallery during their normal hours of 10 to 6pm weekdays and 12 to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. There’s no need to book – simply sign in and choose your spot.

You can enjoy the serene atmosphere with low level, laid-back music providing the perfect backdrop, and if you BYO cup there’s even free tea and coffee. (Food can be brought in but must be consumed on the undercover balcony area).

As an added bonus, Vessel Collective will be conducting free one-on-one DJ tutorial sessions on equipment use on Fridays and Saturdays (contact them direct via their Facebook page or email for more information).

Normal social distancing rules apply, as do all the standard hygiene measures. The space is cleaned regularly and thoroughly, and hand sanitiser is available. For those looking for a quieter study space, some tables and chairs will also be set up in the hallway next to the gallery.

Whether it’s a quick meeting, hanging with your friends or a whole day of study on the cards, come and pull up a seat amongst the art and like-minded people – the friendly crew from aMBUSH Gallery look forward to seeing you there!

Contact the Kambri concierge at concierge.kambri@wdmanagement.com.au for more information, and look for aMBUSH Gallery on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

aMBUSH Gallery in partnership with Kambri at ANU are launching The Hero’s Journey Art Prize 2020 – a time capsule exhibition and social experiment in one.

The Hero’s Journey is a classic narrative arc shared by almost every story ever told: a character ventures out to get what they need, faces conflict, and ultimately triumphs over adversity. The year 2020 is our hero’s journey, and aMBUSH Gallery want to know how artists have responded.

Life in countries all around the world has been thrown into uncertainty: the Australian bushfires, COVID-19, self-isolation, social distancing, Black Lives Matter protests, political acts of ignorance and infamy, swarms of locusts and killer bees, and the widespread global economic impacts from the pandemic, are just a few of the trials we’ve faced.

To document this important time in world history and understand how the call of 2020 has been heeded, aMBUSH Gallery are inviting visual artists, graphic designers, and digital agencies from around Australia to capture the essence of this year in the form of a poster. How does it feel? What does it look like? Is there treasure to be salvaged and lessons to be learnt? And what will life look like when we emerge from this tumultuous year?

Curated and presented by aMBUSH Gallery in partnership with Kambri at ANU, finalists will be chosen by aMBUSH to be featured in an online exhibition at Kambri. One winner will be selected by an independent panel to receive an AU$3,000 cash prize.

Dependant upon on social gathering restrictions for the remainder of the year, there may also be an exhibition at aMBUSH Gallery (Kambri at ANU) where finalists’ artwork will be printed, exhibited and sold on their behalf, with no commission taken on sales.

The Hero’s Journey Art Prize 2020 promises to be a compelling artistic examination of how the world has responded when unprecedented historical events forced us all to be heroes.

Visit www.ambushgallery.com for more information, and look for aMBUSH Gallery on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

View the artist callout doc here for more info on how to enter.