Lantern Vaults: Preview with Artist Talk and Q & A
Schedule
Tue May 19 2026 at 09:30 am to 10:30 am
UTC+10:00Location
117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat, VIC, Australia, Victoria 3350 | Ballarat, VI
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Lantern Vaults is an installation by Amanda Western - This event is a special preview. Champagne on arrival with artist talk and Q & A.The Experience
A new immersive installation in the basement of the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute as part of the Ballarat Heritage Festival.
The work is shaped by historical research and guided by the voice of Florence Batten, the twelve- year-old daughter of William Henry Batten, Secretary of the Institute, and based in the early 1870s.
As visitors move through the vaults, her story unfolds through image, light and sound, offering a glimpse into early Ballarat and the Batten family’s story.
The installation is built from original artworks created by local artist Amanda Western for this project, drawing on historical photographs and records of the family, the Institute and the cultural life of the period.
At its centre is a family closely connected to the Institute, at a time when access to learning was beginning to open out. The Mechanics’ Institute was founded to bring knowledge within reach of ordinary people, and this work reflects that shift, how learning moved beyond a small few and into the wider community.
Cost: Installation preview (Tue 19 May at 7.30pm): $55 (incl gst) plus card and booking fees, includes Champagne on arrival, artist talk and Q&A
Accessiblity note: Most of this experience occurs in the Basement which is only accessbile via a staircase with railings.
Tickets also available from the Library Box Office. BMI event listing - https://ballaratmi.org.au/art/
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Where is it happening?
117-119 Sturt Street, Ballarat, VIC, Australia, Victoria 3350Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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