Listen and learn as Twilight Talks return

KICKING off 15 April, the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute’s Twilight Talks program is back for the twentieth year.

Following a similar format to previous occasions, Twilight Talks coordinator and a BMI board member Phil Roberts said this time around they decided to do four talks over four weeks under the same theme.

“The theme is Ballarat Unmasked; How Can Ballarat Recover, Renew and Revitalise in the wake of the pandemic,” he said.

“The topic for the first one is The Growing City; Preparing and Planning for our Bigger Population with speakers including; City of Ballarat mayor Cr Daniel Moloney and RMIT Professor of environment, global and social studies Michael Buxton.

“We are encouraging people to come out of interest and find out what they can about future plans and we’ve also invited all of the Ballarat city councilors because we think it’s important for the future planning of Ballarat that all of the councilors are involved in this conversation.”

Running weekly on Thursdays until 6 May, each session will include two speakers who’ll discuss their respective experience and point of view on the topic, along with time for public questions at the end.

“For the second session, the topic is Why Heritage Matters in Ballarat; Now and Into the Future and the speakers are heritage architect Wendy Jacobs and Dr Mike Whitehead who is the owner of the 1867 Baptist Church in Dawson Street and involved in its restoration,” Mr Roberts said.

“The third topic, on Thursday 29 April, is A Creative City; Can Ballarat Be That Again? and the two speakers in the creative area include the City’s coordinator of creative cities Tara Poole and local jazz vocalist Paige Duggan.

“For the last one, the topic is Ballarat Business; Not Just Surviving but Thriving, with CEO of Sovereign Hill Sarah Quon who will discuss re-thinking business models alongside Alicia Linley the co-owner of Mitchell Harris as a representative of the small business community.”

Tickets for any of the four sessions are available for $10, which will include a free drink for BMI members, or $8 for groups of 10 or more.

Find out more about the Twilight Talks or secure a ticket at ballaratmi.org.au.