BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute - ECPv6.16.4.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Melbourne BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20250405T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20251004T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20260404T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20261003T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20270403T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20271002T160000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260624T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260624T200000 DTSTAMP:20260605T012745Z CREATED:20260509T053656Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260605T012745Z UID:72875-1782327600-1782331200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Transformative Power of Concentration DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-from-aniety-to-action-tools-to-reclaim-your-life-24-june/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/6-Focus_Concentration_BMI-Square.png ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260627T183000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260627T193000 DTSTAMP:20260514T034853Z CREATED:20260514T032920Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T034853Z UID:72959-1782585000-1782588600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Royal South Street Society | Vocal Championship Challenge DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/royal-south-street-society-vocal-championship-challenge/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Live Music,Royal South Street Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sq-promos3.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260629T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260629T210000 DTSTAMP:20260514T040925Z CREATED:20260514T033415Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T040925Z UID:72963-1782761400-1782766800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Royal South Street Society | The Herald Sun Aria Semi-Final DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/royal-south-street-society-the-herald-sun-aria-semi-final/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Live Music,Royal South Street Society,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-promo-events-arias.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260701T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260701T193000 DTSTAMP:20260508T010257Z CREATED:20260506T041811Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260508T010257Z UID:72778-1782928800-1782934200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Sherryl Clark DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/in-conversation-with-sherryl-clark/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sp-promo-talks-sherryl-clark.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260701T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260701T200000 DTSTAMP:20260509T054226Z CREATED:20260509T054129Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T054226Z UID:72881-1782932400-1782936000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | A Full Heart: Gratitude and Contentment in Daily Life DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-a-full-heart-gratitude-and-contentment-in-daily-life/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5-Gratitude_GP_Class_BMI-Square.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260703T200000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260703T211500 DTSTAMP:20260514T042336Z CREATED:20260505T235334Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T042336Z UID:72745-1783108800-1783113300@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Joscho Stephan Trio: Gypsy Jazz Virtuosos DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/joscho-stephan-trio-gypsy-jazz-virtuosos/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-promo-events-joscho-final.png ORGANIZER;CN="Concerts Australia":MAILTO:michael@concertsaustralia.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260704T100000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260704T110000 DTSTAMP:20260514T042623Z CREATED:20260413T230016Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260514T042623Z UID:72002-1783159200-1783162800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Whistle and Trick DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/whistle-and-trick/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Comedy,Live Music,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sq-promo-events-whistle-and-trick.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260705T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260705T210000 DTSTAMP:20260521T040050Z CREATED:20260521T034118Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260521T040050Z UID:73067-1783279800-1783285200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Alexandr Misko: International Guitar Sensation Live at BMI DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/alexandr-misko-international-guitar-sensation-live-at-bmi/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-promo-events-alexandr-misko.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260708T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260708T200000 DTSTAMP:20260509T054612Z CREATED:20260509T054308Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T054612Z UID:72884-1783537200-1783540800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | A Full Heart: Gratitude and Contentment in Daily Life DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-a-full-heart-gratitude-and-contentment-in-daily-life-8-july/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5-Gratitude_GP_Class_BMI-Square.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T110000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T125000 DTSTAMP:20260430T050116Z CREATED:20250930T001641Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T050116Z UID:67766-1783681200-1783687800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production | SOLD OUT DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/21-hearts/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T205000 DTSTAMP:20260430T051020Z CREATED:20251001T031523Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T051020Z UID:67817-1783710000-1783716600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production | SOLD OUT DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/21-hearts-2/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260711T110000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260711T125000 DTSTAMP:20260605T013835Z CREATED:20260212T045959Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260605T013835Z UID:70689-1783767600-1783774200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/21-hearts-vivian-bulllwinkel-and-the-nurses-of-the-vyner-brooke-a-theatre-180-production-saturday/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260711T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260711T205000 DTSTAMP:20260430T050650Z CREATED:20260430T044744Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260430T050650Z UID:72672-1783796400-1783803000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/21-hearts-vivian-bullwinkel-and-the-nurses-of-the-vyner-brooke-a-theatre-180-production/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260714T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260714T213000 DTSTAMP:20260504T055234Z CREATED:20260427T070837Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260504T055234Z UID:72579-1784057400-1784064600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Grigoryan Brothers - A Boy Called Sailboat DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/grigoryan-brothers-a-boy-called-sailboat/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Film,Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sq-promo-a-boy-called-steamboat-v4.png.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260715T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260715T193000 DTSTAMP:20260511T072228Z CREATED:20260313T024204Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260511T072228Z UID:71265-1784138400-1784143800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Benita Bensch DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/benita-bensch/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-benita-bensch-FINAL.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260715T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260715T200000 DTSTAMP:20260509T055023Z CREATED:20260509T054421Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T055023Z UID:72886-1784142000-1784145600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | A Full Heart: Gratitude and Contentment in Daily Life DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-a-full-heart-gratitude-and-contentment-in-daily-life-15-july/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5-Gratitude_GP_Class_BMI-Square.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260716T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260716T210000 DTSTAMP:20260331T034341Z CREATED:20260129T044738Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034341Z UID:70423-1784230200-1784235600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Journey Home DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/ballarat-film-society-journey-home/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/journey-home-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260720T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260720T193000 DTSTAMP:20260507T043115Z CREATED:20260420T042351Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T043115Z UID:72345-1784570400-1784575800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Petronella McGovern DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/petronella-mcgovern/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sp-promo-talks-petronella-mcgovern-v3.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260722T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260722T200000 DTSTAMP:20260509T054800Z CREATED:20260509T054745Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260509T054800Z UID:72889-1784746800-1784750400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | A Full Heart: Gratitude and Contentment in Daily Life DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-a-full-heart-gratitude-and-contentment-in-daily-life-22-july/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5-Gratitude_GP_Class_BMI-Square.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260723T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260723T210000 DTSTAMP:20260331T034312Z CREATED:20260223T045111Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034312Z UID:70806-1784833200-1784840400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-23-july/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260724T110000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260724T123000 DTSTAMP:20260617T043709Z CREATED:20260520T015158Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260617T043709Z UID:73020-1784890800-1784896200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Arresting the Ephemeral: The Beautiful Usefulness of a Victorian Herbarium DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/arresting-the-ephemeral-the-beautiful-usefulness-of-a-victorian-herbarium/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Rare Book Week,Talk,The Collection ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-promo-events-arresting.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260724T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260724T210000 DTSTAMP:20260331T034253Z CREATED:20260223T053244Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034253Z UID:70815-1784919600-1784926800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-24-july/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260725T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260725T160000 DTSTAMP:20260331T034233Z CREATED:20260223T053557Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034233Z UID:70819-1784988000-1784995200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-25-july/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260725T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260725T210000 DTSTAMP:20260331T034212Z CREATED:20260223T053430Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034212Z UID:70817-1785006000-1785013200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-25-july-2/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260729T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260729T193000 DTSTAMP:20260417T012750Z CREATED:20260416T050939Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260417T012750Z UID:72260-1785348000-1785353400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Phillipa Nefri Clark DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/phillipa-nefri-clark/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sp-promo-talks-v2.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260801T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260801T235000 DTSTAMP:20260613T032955Z CREATED:20260612T030356Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260613T032955Z UID:73553-1785610800-1785628200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Anything for a Mate: Charity Ball DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/anything-for-a-mate-charity-ball/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:external event ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/promo.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260803T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260803T193000 DTSTAMP:20260520T232801Z CREATED:20260520T044923Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260520T232801Z UID:73049-1785780000-1785785400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Margaret Hickety DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/in-conversation-with-margaret-hickety/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sp-promo-talks-margaret-hickey.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260807T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260807T190000 DTSTAMP:20260617T043625Z CREATED:20260615T050825Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260617T043625Z UID:73589-1786125600-1786129200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:150 Years of Botanical Communication DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/150-years-of-botanical-communication/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Talk,The Collection ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sq-promo-events-arresting.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260807T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260807T204000 DTSTAMP:20260331T034032Z CREATED:20251205T035734Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034032Z UID:69366-1786131000-1786135200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Blake Pavey: A Bit Scared DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/blake-pavey-a-bit-scared/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Comedy ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/sq-promo-blake-pavey.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="KEG Touring":MAILTO:Contact@kegtouring.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260812T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260812T193000 DTSTAMP:20260611T041738Z CREATED:20260324T234500Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T041738Z UID:71535-1786557600-1786563000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Sophie Green DESCRIPTION:In Conversation with Irma Gold | This event has now been CANCELLED due to low ticket sales \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 16\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n6:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n7:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Humffray Room \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Shift \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Irma Gold \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n ‘Unforgettable’ – Nigel Featherstone. \n \n ‘Evocative\, propulsive and heartbreaking\, Shift is a novel that can change the way you think.’ – Rochelle Siemienowicz\, Double Happiness \n \n ‘Seductive\, superbly atmospheric and beautifully narrated with a painterly\, cinemascope feel\, Shift will make your heart race.’ – Niq Mhlongo\, The City is Mine \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In the year of the 70th anniversary of the Freedom Charter – which outlined the principles of democracy and freedom in South Africa – comes a novel set in the township where it was signed. Shift asks us to examine both the world around us…and ourselves. Arlie is a moderately successful thirty-something photographer who can’t seem to get his shit together. He can’t hold onto a girlfriend\, or much else\, and his relationship with his parents is complicated. His agoraphobic mother\, Dellie\, has long drawn silence over her South African upbringing. The more she refuses to illuminate\, the more Arlie wants to know. After another break-up\, Arlie needs to get away\, and there’s only one place he’s drawn to. In Kliptown\, he meets choirmaster Rufaro\, singer Glory and her younger brother Samson. Amidst the poverty\, violence and beauty of this neglected South African township\, Arlie begins exploring ideas for an exhibition\, and courting the possibility of happiness. But then his father unexpectedly turns up\, and a catastrophic event changes everything. Gusty and gripping\, tender and deeply compassionate\, Shift is a compulsively readable story about the messy process of art-making\, and the mess of love and family. It is an unflinching\, insightful and immersive novel that takes the reader inside the inner life of one township\, beyond the hyperbole of newspaper headlines\, to offer bold\, big-hearted hope. \n \n \n Shift | Irma Gold\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n Irma Gold is an Australian author\, editor and reader. Her debut novel\, The Breaking\, won the NSW Writers Centre Varuna Fellowship and was awarded development grants by artsACT and CAPO. It won a Canberra Critics Circle Award and was shortlisted (then Highly Commended) in the ACT Notable Awards.Irma’s critically acclaimed debut collection of short fiction\, Two Steps Forward (Affirm Press)\, was shortlisted for or won a number of awards. Irma’s short fiction has been widely published in journals\, including Meanjin\, Westerly\, Island\, Review of Australian Fiction and Going Down Swinging\, and in anthologies like Australian Love Stories edited by Cate Kennedy\, and the tenth anniversary edition of Award Winning Australian Writing 2017.Irma is also the author of five picture books for children\, most recently Where the Heart Is\, featured on Sarah Ferguson’s Storytime channel\, and Seree’s Story.For 24 years Irma has worked as an editor\, and for a decade she was Convener of Editing at the University of Canberra. She is the commissioning editor of a number of anthologies\, including The Sound of Silence\, winner of the ACT Writing and Publishing Awards for Nonfiction\, and The Invisible Thread\, an official publication of the National Year of Reading 2012 and the Centenary of Canberra 2013 which anthologises a century of literature by writers who have called Canberra home\, including Alex Miller\, Marion Halligan\, Roger McDonald\, Kate Grenville\, Omar Musa\, Judith Wright and Les Murray.Irma spent her childhood living in a beautiful old Tudor house in south-east England just down the road from Roald Dahl\, and now lives by the beach in Naarm/Melbourne with two boys and a little black cat.She is just a bit keen on travel\, elephants\, beaches\, good coffee\, jumping castles and sunshiny days. She is not at all keen on extreme heights\, spiders and zoos. She is Co-host with Karen Viggers of the writing podcast\, Secrets from the Green Room. Her name is pronounced Ear-ma. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/sophie-green/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-sophie-green.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR