Last year’s Enlighten festival was actually tremendously good.
So it’s sad to see Andrew Barr trying to rev up the 2013 version with, yes you saw it in the headline, “Live jazz in a high-security basement”.
Live jazz in a high-security basement, indigenous dance, inspirational talks, shadow puppet comedy and evening nature tours are just a sneak peak of what’s in store in Canberra during Enlighten this autumn.
The ACT Government will partner with 15 iconic Canberra attractionsand partners who will open their doors after-hours during Enlighten 2013 to host exclusive events and surprising experiences, set against stunning architectural projections throughout the Parliamentary Triangle.
Today at the Royal Australian Mint I launched a preview program of Enlighten 2013. The preview includes late-night openings at some attractions and a selection of ticketed events such as Jazz in the Basement at the Royal Australian Mint’s high-security basement, and a moving indigenous performance by desert dancers from Central Australia, Kungkarangkalpa: the Seven Sisters Songline at theNational Museum of Australia.
The preview program also includes free late-night access to the National Library of Australia, theNational Archives of Australia, the National Gallery of Australia, Parliament House, the National Portrait Gallery, Gallery of Australian Design, Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, and Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre.
For my money the best parts of Enlighten last year were the festival atmosphere around the buildings, the projections, the music, and the food and booze all brought together for an autumn’s evening down by the lake.
Late night entrance to something I can go look at any other time isn’t really in the same league.
More details on the Enlighten website.