Host Jamila Rizvi, a woman wearing a tweed jacket standing in front of a desk in the State Library Victoria domed reading room.

Salon After D’Arc: The Gift of Heartbreak

Is it truly better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?

A person with long brown hair and a tweed check jacket, standing with crossed arms in front of a bookshelf.

Salon After D’Arc: Fever Dreams

Salon After D’Arc returns to State Library Victoria with four thought-provoking evenings.

A group of smiling participants in a studio workshop setting, holding glass-domed terrariums.
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Serene Terrarium: Workshop for Beginners

Create your mini plant world while enjoying a soothing cuppa and a calming environment.

A green linocut of a flower and foliage printed on paper and a fabric tote bag.
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Tote Bag Block Printing Workshop

Style your bag just the way you like it with block printing in this beginner's workshop.

A teacher bobs down next to a seated students writing at a table in a studio workshop and listens intently.

Stardom: Holiday Program

A full-day creative writing workshop devoted to big dreams and limelights, for ages 10-14 years.

An abstract oil painting in shades of bright blue, white and pinkish hues.

BirdSong Soiree: Closing Night

An intimate evening of talks and music to close out the BirdSong exhibition.

A person spooning food from a large salad bowl onto a plate they hold in their hands.
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Local Lunch Club

Live well, eat well, together at Kathleen Syme Library.

Three illuminated lamps with cylindrical parchment or fabric shades, decorated with various pressed flowers and small human figures.
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Pressed Flower Lamp Making Workshop

Make your room colourful and vibrant with your own pressed flower lamp.

Bowls and sauce-making tools on a bench in a restaurant setting.
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Learn to Cook Thai: Pad Thai and Papaya Salad

Join a hands-on cooking class, featuring two of Thailand’s favourite dishes.

Two teen students writing on notebooks or into laptops and interacting at a table, as part of a creative writing workshop in a studio setting.

Treasure Hunters: Holiday Program

A creative writing workshop devoted to ancient relics and adventure, for ages 7-10 years.

A woman in Regency-period costume including a white bonnet, white neck ruff and a red checked dress with puffed sleeves; holding a tea cup and saucer.

Dining with Jane Austen with Lise Rodgers

Join Lise Rodgers for a presentation delivered in costume on dining in the time of Jane Austen.

A hand-drawn comic or storyboard sketch in black pen depicting a narrative scene.
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Comic Book Wonder Daze Holiday Program

Join the fun of creating a floor length comic in fun one-hour workshops these school holidays.

A black cat and a white cat, connected to each other by threads.
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Thought Experiment

Dive into meaningful 'what ifs' with curious, creative minds at this social meet-up.

Floral accessorie made from silk and beads.
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French Embroidery Workshop

Learn to craft an anemone brooch, from hand-dyeing silk to beadwork.

A teacher sits next to a seated student at a table and points at a notepad, during a creative writing workshop in a studio setting.

Movie Magic: Holiday Program

A creative story writing workshop for ages 8-12 years, devoted to stories of the silver screen.

The back of a woman arching her back with her hands on her head looking at the sky with a sunny glow all around her.
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Winter Special Meditation Class

Weekly meditation class with complementary snacks this winter.

A woman holding a teddy about toe read a picture book in a library story area.
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Songbirds

Visit Southbank Library on Mondays for Songbirds, with songs, rhymes and stories for littlies.

A standing toddler banging on an African drum while an adult woman looks on encouragingly.
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Groovy Tunes

Groove with your little one to Ghanaian tunes and rhythms.

Workshop class participants smiling in a studio setting, holding up mosaic pots and coasters they have made.
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Mosaic Making Workshop for Beginners

Learn the art of creating beautiful mosaics from start to finish.

View of Melbourne from across the Yarra River

Shut Up and Write

Writing is often treated as something you do alone. An alternative: write alongside others.

A long cheese board with a variety of cheeses on offer.

Whey, Wine and Wagyu – Part 4

A five-course, fun and flavour-packed experience built for sharing, sipping and enjoying.

Renaissance-style painting of a woman screened onto a window frame.
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Fuga: Art Soirée by Drasko Boljevic

View the windows in the laneway of Melbourne Place and meet the artist.

A still-life painting of a steak and kidney pie, grapes, slices of bread and lemons.

Food and Ceramics: Alchemy of Fire

Join Distinguished Professor Peter McNeil for a lecture and afternoon tea about food and ceramics.

Head shot of Freya List, an Australian choreographer, with blond wavy hair framing her face.

School Holiday Workshop: Musical Theatre Dance

Freya List hosts a one-day masterclass in musical theatre dance for secondary school students.

A girl reading in a study nook next to a bookcase in a studio space, taking part in a creative writing workshop.

The Lost Level: Holiday Program

A full-day creative story writing workshop for ages 7-10 years.

Sommelier Antony Anderson standing in front of a table of diners, smiling and holding a glass of shiraz wine in his hand.

Secret Cellar Lunch: Old & Rare Grenache with Antony

An epic sommelier-led long lunch of old and rare grenache wines matched to four bespoke courses.

The shopfront of a Japanese-style craft workshop with brightly coloured craft materials on shelves and a neon sign.
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DIY Craft Workshops

Unleash your creativity at these workshops where everyone is a designer.

Black and white photograph of the founder of the Tough Guy Bookish Club, Shay Leighton, drinking a beer and smiling slightly.

Tough Guy Bookish Club

Come together for an afternoon of rowdy, bookish conversation.

Portrait of trade unionist and writer, Oscar Kaspi-Crutchett.

Understanding the Rise of the Far-Right in Australia

Join a panel of experts exploring the drivers behind the rise of far-right movements in Australia.

A black and white wedding photo with many family members crowded around the bride and groom outside a church.
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Italian Family History Group La Mia Famiglia

Learn how to trace your Italian family heritage in this free workshop.

A line drawing of a laptop computer against a blue, white and yellow background.

Debate: AI at Work

Hear a debate about whether AI at work is driving productivity or diluting critical thinking.

Goorie and Koori poet, Dr Evelyn Araluen, smiling for a portrait as she looks off camera, green bushes behind her.

Nurturing Forever Stories with Evelyn Araluen

Join Dr Evelyn Araluen and a panel of creatives as they discuss nurturing forever stories.

Discover more

A hand-drawn sketch of a teapot with a blue and white design and gold touches, with a handwritten note alongside it.

Winter Sketching with Alissa Duke

Learn to sketch on location in the historic exhibition house of Fairhall.

Looking over the shoulders of two people doing a craft activity on a blue tablecloth.
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Roman Marble Mosaic Masterclass

An immersive artist-led mosaic workshop using traditional hand tools and methods.

View of Melbourne from across the Yarra River

Build & Sip: Vibe Coding and Wine

Bring an idea, build with AI for three hours, and stay for the wine.

Portrait of Sir Salman Rushdie with his hand to his chin, wearing glasses, an aubergine vest and grey shirt.

An Evening with Sir Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie returns to Melbourne to discuss the transformative power of literature.