Upcoming events.
Upcoming puppetry events 2026
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Arts Up Front Conference
Gungahlin College
28 Feb 8:30AM-4:00PMMarianne will be one of the presenters at the annual conference, where she will be leading a puppetry workshop for educators. The full-day program includes multiple workshops for primary and secondary teachers.
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ACT UP! Conference
Canberra Theatre Centre
Term 1 & 2 2026
Marianne will be presenting puppetry workshops to both secondary teachers and students during the ACT UP! annual performing arts showcase for Years 7–12 students across the ACT and regional NSW.
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INFUSE workshops
7 March - Belco Arts
14 March - Gungahlin (Gungaderra Homestead)
21 March - Whitlam (Mingle Community Space)
Marianne will be presenting puppetry workshops to the community through the INFUSE art program by Belconnen Arts Centre.
Upcoming Language Courses 2026
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Dutch 1 online language course (Beginners)
Thu, 12 Feb - Thu, 2 Apr 6-8 pm
ONLINE
If you’ve been wanting to learn Dutch from scratch, this is your moment. Taught by the wonderfully warm and experienced Marion Verbruggen, a native Dutch speaker with over 30 years of teaching experience.
🗓️ Thursdays 6–8pm, starting 12 Feb
💻 Online via Google Meet | 8 weeks
🌱 Beginners welcome! -
Dutch 3 online language course (Intermediate)
Tue, 10 Feb - Tue, 31 Mar 6-8 pm
ONLINE
If you’ve been wanting to learn Dutch from scratch, this is your moment. Taught by the wonderfully warm and experienced Marion Verbruggen, a native Dutch speaker with over 30 years of teaching experience.
🗓️ Tuesdays 6–8pm, starting 10 Feb
💻 Online via Google Meet | 8 weeks
🌱 Intermediate level -
German Community Group
Weekday mornings, Gungahlin Library
IN PERSON
Participants should know basic-intermediate German grammar and vocabulary. This group focuses on practicing German fluency and is not suitable for native or near-native speakers. To check if you might be the right fit for the group, or for you, and ask for availability, fill in the form when you click on the ‘learn more’ button below.
🌱 Intermediate level
Past events 2025
Paint and Chat: Painting Landscapes
Learn how to paint a dynamic landscape using stencils you create yourself. You’ll be supported and guided every step of the way.
🗓️ Wednesday 6–8pm, 17 December
📍 Gungahlin Community Centre
🌱 Beginners welcome
Make art - Eat cake: Painting landscapes
Paint landscapes in this feature of Make Art - Eat Cake and enjoy a piece of cake and coffee while you make art!
🗓️ Sunday 7 December 2:30–4:30pm
📍 The Front Cafe, Lyneham
🌱 Beginners welcome
Make art - Eat cake: Sculpt your pet
Sculpt your pet with air-dry clay in the ‘sculpture' edition of Make Art - Eat Cake!
🗓️ Sunday 23 November 2:30–4:30pm
📍 The Front Cafe, Lyneham
🌱 Beginners welcome
Paint and Chat 6-week course
A creative series focused on wellbeing, social connection and art-making. Learn to enjoy the process, not just the result – with regular cuppa breaks and no pressure to be “perfect.”
🗓️ Wednesdays 6–8pm, starting 5 November
📍 Gungahlin Community Centre | 6 weeks
🌱 Beginners welcome
Sock Puppetry(ages 5-12) @ NMA
Get creative these school holidays making wacky sock puppets!
Craft your own colourful puppet friends using a variety of fun, textured materials. Discover the world of hand and glove puppets while decorating your sock, and experience the magic of puppetry with beloved puppeteer Marianne Mettes.
Suitable for children aged 5–12 years. Drop-in activity, bookings encouraged.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sock Puppetry(ages 5-12) @ NMA
Get creative these school holidays making wacky sock puppets!
Craft your own colourful puppet friends using a variety of fun, textured materials. Discover the world of hand and glove puppets while decorating your sock, and experience the magic of puppetry with beloved puppeteer Marianne Mettes.
Suitable for children aged 5–12 years. Drop-in activity, bookings encouraged.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sock Puppetry(ages 5-12) @ NMA
Get creative these school holidays making wacky sock puppets!
Craft your own colourful puppet friends using a variety of fun, textured materials. Discover the world of hand and glove puppets while decorating your sock, and experience the magic of puppetry with beloved puppeteer Marianne Mettes.
Suitable for children aged 5–12 years. Drop-in activity, bookings encouraged.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sock Puppetry(ages 5-12) @ NMA
Get creative these school holidays making wacky sock puppets!
Craft your own colourful puppet friends using a variety of fun, textured materials. Discover the world of hand and glove puppets while decorating your sock, and experience the magic of puppetry with beloved puppeteer Marianne Mettes.
Suitable for children aged 5–12 years. Drop-in activity, bookings encouraged.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sock Puppetry(ages 5-12) @ NMA
Get creative these school holidays making wacky sock puppets!
Craft your own colourful puppet friends using a variety of fun, textured materials. Discover the world of hand and glove puppets while decorating your sock, and experience the magic of puppetry with beloved puppeteer Marianne Mettes.
Suitable for children aged 5–12 years. Drop-in activity, bookings encouraged.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Paint and Chat: Floriade Flowers (morning session) SOLD OUT
Proudly part of Floriade About the Town, this workshop will be themed painting Floriade’s flowers.
Paint and Chat: Floriade Flowers SOLD OUT
Proudly part of Floriade About the Town, this workshop will be themed painting Floriade’s flowers.
Make art - Eat cake: Floriade Flowers SOLD OUT
Proudly part of Floriade About the Town, this workshop will be themed painting Floriade’s flowers.
Make art - Eat cake: Floriade Flowers
Proudly part of Floriade About the Town, this workshop will be themed painting Floriade’s flowers.
Paint and Chat: Floriade Flowers (morning session) SOLD OUT
Proudly part of Floriade About the Town, this workshop will be themed painting Floriade’s flowers.
Paint and Chat: Floriade Flowers SOLD OUT
Proudly part of Floriade About the Town, this workshop will be themed painting Floriade’s flowers.
Make art - Eat cake: Floriade Flowers SOLD OUT
Proudly part of Floriade About the Town, this workshop will be themed painting Floriade’s flowers.
Make art - Eat cake: Floriade Flowers SOLD OUT
Proudly part of Floriade About the Town, this workshop will be themed painting Floriade’s flowers.
Make art - Eat cake: sculpture edition 29 August
Sculpt your pet with air-dry clay in the ‘sculpture' edition of Make Art - Eat Cake!
Paint and Chat 27 August
This fun, feel-good evening is the perfect taster. We’ll explore composition, colour and creativity in a relaxed and social setting. Works great as a bite-sized teaser for our full 4-week course ‘Paint and Chat’!
Dutch 2 online language course
If you’ve completed a beginner Dutch course or already have a basic foundation in the language, this follow-up course is designed for adult learners to help you build your fluency and confidence in speaking Dutch. Over 8 weeks, you’ll continue developing your speaking, listening, and comprehension abilities through dynamic and interactive activities tailored to real-life situations.
Make art - Eat cake: sculpture edition 10 August
Sculpt your pet with air-dry clay in the ‘sculpture' edition of Make Art - Eat Cake!
Paint and Chat 4-week course
A creative series focused on wellbeing, social connection and art-making. Learn to enjoy the process, not just the result – with regular cuppa breaks and no pressure to be “perfect.”
Paint and Chat 23 July
This fun, feel-good evening is the perfect taster. We’ll explore composition, colour and creativity in a relaxed and social setting. Works great as a bite-sized teaser for our full 4-week course ‘Paint and Chat’!
Marionette Makers (ages 10–15) @ NMA
Design, build and perform with your own string puppet in this 2-hour hands-on experience for ages 10-15 years at the National Museum of Australia
Make, Move, Perform (ages 5–9) @ NMA
Puppetry workshops at the National Museum of Australia for ages 5-9 years
Puppetry @ BACA - July 10-11
Build, play and perform in a hands-on puppetry program using recycled materials!