The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre

The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre hosts a year-long free and diverse programme of events including exhibitions, lectures, art installations and forums to engage with the community on topics ranging from human rights, science, arts, environment and more.

The 2018 programme will be no exception, with the Centre’s Executive Director, Jacinta Thompson stating that: “We anticipate 2018 will give our audiences the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the world’s most exciting and contemporary thinkers, writers, scientists, film makers, artists – the list goes on. Our audiences are set to be inspired.” Jacinta previews an exciting programme of events planned for this year.

“Registrations are open for a number of events, including our ever-popular Art Talks series, co-presented with the Adelaide Symphony (ASO) Orchestra. This series gifts our audience with an ‘insider’s view’ of the incredibly creative people who make such inspirational music. It also enables our audience to reflect on how musicians generate ideas and solutions to achieve cohesive and sustainable societies.”

This year’s Art Talks programme features an ‘in-conversation’ between Australian Composer Brett Dean and ASO Principal Conductor Nicholas Carter discussing the Australian Premiere of Dean’s Hamlet. The Telegraph’s opera critic, Rupert Christiansen, described Hamlet as “having brilliant music, rapturously received”. The Hawke Centre’s audience can look forward to hearing about the artistic pathway Dean took to compose the production of this timeless tale.

Other featured sessions include: ASO Composer-in-Association, Catherine Milliken in conversation with ASO Concertmaster Natsuko Yoshimoto, and Soprano Jessica Aszodi, discussing the place of the composer and new work in the orchestral space in the 21st century. Making Music Today will feature Adam Page, Julian Ferraretto and Mark Ferguson, who will discuss what it means to create new work for different contexts. The audience will be treated to a live performance component.

Sanaa: A Better World Through Creativity

The Hawke Centre is thrilled to be associated with the Adelaide Fringe Festival, one of Australia’s largest open-access arts festivals, and internationally renowned as one of the best. In 2018, the Kerry Packer Civic Gallery will host: Sanaa: A Better World Through Creativity. Last year’s exhibition and associated African Street Festival was awarded BankSA’s Fringe Award for ‘Best Event’. Jacinta speaks highly of the exhibition and artists, explaining: “Each artist has a unique style and story – but common to all is the fact that their art portrays a vibrant, positive and energetic view of Africa – different to the one so often portrayed by Western media”. In association with Sanaa, the Hawke Centre will also present writer and storyteller Sisonke Msimang.

Also as part of the Adelaide Fringe, Founder and Creative Director of Happy City Lab, Dan Acher, will create an installation and deliver a public lecture for the Hawke Centre. Jacinta describes Acher and his work: “Dan is an ‘artivist’ and social entrepreneur – central to his work is the use of art to create change; his installations challenge mind-sets and transform the way we live together”.

In early February, the Australian Citizen Science Association will host a conference bringing together citizen science practitioners, participants, thought leaders and decision makers. The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre is proud to be a part of what will be an innovative and energetic event – showing how ‘ordinary people’ can make fascinating discoveries and add value to scientific discourse.

East West Street: A Song of Good and Evil

In late February, co-presented with Arts Projects Australia, the Hawke Centre will present East West Street: A Song of Good and Evil. This acclaimed piece is inspired by human rights lawyer Philippe Sands‘ prize-winning book East West Street, which explores the origins of genocide and crimes against humanity.

Presented by the Hawke Centre, in arrangement with WOMADelaide Festival’s Planet Talks Programme, will be a public lecture delivered by Tim Flannery (Australia) and Ursula Rakova (PNG). They will discuss the beauty and environmental challenges facing Papua New Guinea.

Jacinta says that there are many more events to be added to the 2018 Hawke Centre calendar, including topics and speakers that captured her interest at the 2017 Ubud Writers & Readers Festival.

The Hawke Centre aims to – Strengthen our Democracy; Value our Diversity and Build our Future – with these in mind Jacinta anticipates the 2018 programme will provide the audience with the knowledge and means to navigate some of the world’s more complicated issues.

There is also the opportunity to catch up on recent events, by accessing podcasts or videos from the ‘Relive our Events’ section on the Hawke Centre website – including the 20^th Annual Hawke Lecture, delivered by The Hon Julia Gillard AC, 2017 UniSA Nelson Mandela Lecture and The First Casualty with Peter Greste.

The Hon Julia Gillard AC

Click here to find out more about the Hawke Centre and keep up-to-date with its latest programme.