06.03 — Landmarks 75/25 Exhibition

Landmarks 75/25: 50 Years of the Women’s Art Register
Thursday 6 March to Friday 28 March
Opening 6 March, 5–7pm

George Paton Gallery
1/159 Monash Rd, Parkville

We’re excited to share our exhibition Landmarks 75/25: 50 years of the Women’s Art Register, alongside Meredith Roger’s An Embroidered Memoir, kicking off a year-long celebration of five decades of documenting and advocating for Australian women’s art practice.

Landmarks 75/25: 50 Years of the Women’s Art Register

Showcasing artists from across the Register’s history—including founding members, past and present committee members, and volunteers—alongside ephemera from the archive. This exhibition reflects on the impact and evolution of the Women’s Art Register, celebrating its role as a vital resource for Australian women’s art.

Featured:
Leia Alex, Sandra Bridie, Louisa Bufardeci, Janine Burke, Sophie Calalesina, Virginia Coventry, Anna Daly, Isabel Davies, Lesley Dumbrell, Bonita Ely, Kirsty Gorter, Elizabeth Gower, Danni Hamilton, Gail Harradine, Annabell Lee, Christina Turner, Sahra Martin, Emma McAnelly, Erica McGilchrist, Claudia Phares, Caroline Phillips, Robyn Pridham, Susie Raz, Merren Ricketson, Anna Sande, Katie Sfetkidis, Brianna Simonsen, Kate Smith, Azza Zein.

Meredith Rogers – An Embroidered Memoir

A deeply personal work consisting of 74 small panels, each stitched with words and images—one for every year since Meredith Rogers was born. This textile-based reflection explores memory, time, and storytelling through embroidery.

20.03 — Talking Back Roundtable

Talking Back panel-led roundtable
Thursday 20 March
6–7pm

Arts Lab, George Paton Gallery
1/159 Monash Rd, Parkville

Lucy Lippards’ 1975 talk at the George Paton Gallery is the stuff of legend, helping galvanise the forces that led to W.A.R’s formation. Fifty years on, that spirit of defiance persists even if, unsurprisingly, the times are very different. Come share your insights on art, the archive and feminism in this panel-led open forum featuring Meredith Rogers, Nur Shkembi, Kate Just and Azza Zein.

Please note: The Landmarks 75/25 exhibition will be open until 6pm Thursday 20 March. The Talking Back panel-led roundtable will follow on immediately.

No bookings required

28.03 — Common Threads Redux

Common Threads Redux workshop
Friday 28 March
1–3pm

Arts Lab, George Paton Gallery
1/159 Monash Rd, Parkville

Common Threads is a board game designed for exploring the creative potential of the archive. The emphasis is firmly on play, with participants being guided through a series of questions and activities that invite hands-on engagement with key Women’s Art Register holdings, including slides.

03.04 — Member Check In #1

Member Check In #1
Thursday 3 April

Online event

Join our Member Check-Ins in April, June and August for information and reminders about upcoming events. This is a great opportunity to ask any burning questions and share the suggestions and feedback that will help ensure W.A.R.’s 50th has something for everyone.

More details soon

22.04 — Kampala/Melbourne Artists’ Dialogue

Kampala/Melbourne artists’ dialogue
Tuesday 22 April
8–9.30pm

Online event

Growing out of the NEST (Network for Empowerment, Solidarity and Transregionality) project initiated by AWARE (Archives of Women Artists, Research and Exhibitions) in Paris last year, W.A.R. is collaborating with the Njabala Foundation in Kampala, Uganda, to develop an artist exchange program.

Join us for an initial online meeting with Founding Director Martha Kazungu and artists who exhibited in the Obulu Bwaffe exhibition, part of the Obulu Bwaffe Festival, in March this year.

At this first online exchange, Martha will present an introduction to the Obulo Bwaffe multi-disciplinary arts festival, which includes the 2025 Annual Njabala Exhibition (ANE). The festival as a whole is a declaration of ownership and re-examination of the Obulo Bwaffe folklore story through a contemporary feminist lens, celebrating the power, knowledge and unwavering agency of women.

Join us at the first meeting of this project, through which we plan to share discussions, virtual studio visits in both countries, and an exchange of ideas, cultures, and experiences throughout the year. The online meeting will be scheduled for 8pm to accommodate the time difference.

Bookings open soon

31.05 — outwards: Ballarat

outwards: Ballarat
Saturday 31 May
11am–2.30pm

Eureka Centre
102 Stawell Street South
Ballarat

Join us as we launch our National Roadshow outwards in Ballarat!

Hear from committee members about W.A.R's dynamic history and how this unique Australian feminist living archive (one of only two in the world surviving from the 70s) was established. W.A.R. now represents over 5000 Australian-based women artists and you can be involved!

This program will include tips on conserving your art and how to leave your legacy.

14.06 — Unfolding: A Queer & Feminist Zine-Making Workshop

Unfolding: A Queer & Feminist Zine-Making Workshop
Saturday 14 June
1–4pm

Victorian Pride Centre
79-81 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

Join us for a collaboration between the Women's Art Register and the Australian Queer Archives featuring copied material from each archive to explore, cut and paste!

More details soon

05.07 — UNSEEN Exhibition

UNSEEN
Saturday 5 July to Sunday 27 July
Opening 5 July

ACU Melbourne Gallery
Australian Catholic University
26 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

UNSEEN will showcase a collection of artworks by W.A.R members that have never before been exhibited or sold. Each artist has personally selected a piece, offering a rare glimpse into hidden creative narratives. This show feature works created across different time periods and in diverse range of mediums, spanning painting, sculpture, photography, textile art and more.

By bringing these unseen works into public view, the exhibition challenges the historical underrepresentation of women in the visual arts and highlights the importance of visibility, recognition and artistic agency.

More details soon