Join best-selling children's author Andy Griffiths for a seriously silly day celebrating the launch of his new portrait by artist Ronnie van Hout.
Be prepared to laugh your head off with Andy in his interactive session and learn more about his portrait with playful talks and family tours. Let your imagination run wild in our Holiday Space or practice your skills with Andy’s book illustrator Bill Hope in his drawing workshops. Roll up your sleeves for Andy-inspired temporary tattoos, rock out to live music or find your next read at our community book swap.
With so much to keep the whole family entertained, relish in some downtime with food and drinks from the Portrait Cafe and pop-up food trucks. Or bring your own snacks and enjoy a picnic on the Gallery lawns.
Program
Welcome to Country
10:00am
The day will begin with a Welcome to Country at the entrance to the Gallery.
Holiday Space
10:00am – 4:00pm
Explore endless possibilities with hands-on making experiences in our Holiday Space.
Scribbletorium
10:00am – 4:00pm
Inspired by Andy’s Treehouse series, drop into the Scribbletorium, a dedicated space for scribbling (almost) everywhere.
Book swap
10:30am – 3:30pm
Bring along a pre-loved book, find your next great read and swap recommendations with fellow bookworms at this community exchange.
Adventures with Andy
10:30 – 11:15am
Join Andy for a fun-filled session packed with stories, laughter and lively conversation. Be sure to bring your favourite Andy book along and stick around for a book signing until 12.30pm.
Workshops with Bill Hope
11:30am – 12:15pm X-ray portraits: what’s inside your brain?
1:30pm – 2:15pm Future self portraits: what do you look like in years to come?
Explore imaginative portraiture with Andy’s book illustrator Bill Hope. Drop into one of his workshops where he will demonstrate how to draw creative portraits and guide you to create your own. These workshops with Bill are drop-in and have limited capacity. If a session is full, you’re welcome to stay and enjoy Bill’s live demonstration and return later to complete the activities as a self-directed experience.
Portrait Play
11:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm and 3:00pm
Step inside the mind of Andy Griffiths and discover Ronnie van Hout’s portrait of Andy up close. Join Gallery staff on a 30-minute interactive tour to learn more about the portrait through close looking and hands-on making. Tours are for children aged 4–10 years to enjoy with their grown-up. Limited spots – make your free booking here.
Ronnie and Andy in conversation
1:30 – 1:50pm
Join artist Ronnie van Hout and Andy Griffiths for a lively conversation in front of the newly unveiled portrait. Hear the stories behind this unique commission, from their creative collaboration to a mutual appreciation of music and all things strange.
Live music by Bunny Racket
1:00 – 2:30pm
Dance and sing along with King Bunny and his gang of fluffy punk rock friends as they serve up real rock ‘n’ roll for all ages.
Quiet hour
3:00 – 4:00pm
The day will end with a quiet hour for visitors who would benefit from a quieter, more relaxed experience. Music will be turned down from 3:00pm with plenty of creative activities available for families to enjoy together.
