Beaker Street, where science and art meet in Hobart
Published on 03 August 2023
Science and art will meet again at the annual Beaker Street Festival, a celebration, understanding and appreciation of both facets.
Promoting curiosity, recognition and making science accessible to all while exploring the intersection between science and art is the basis of the Beaker Street Festival.
This year’s festival will include 60-plus free and ticketed events with a jam-packed program of mind bending, awe inspiring and scientifically proven entertainment.
Some of this year’s highlights includes guest speakers Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Tim Flannery, Robyn Williams, Wendy Zukerman, Heather Rose and Jane Longhurst on such diverse topics such as psychedelics, menopause, artificial intelligence, blindness, and disinformation.
The City of Hobart supports the Beaker Street Festival through a $65,700 Event Partnership Grant.
Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said this year’s Festival centres on the theme "Reveal The Unseen."
“What's typically out of sight will be prominently on display in the festival’s innovative and thought-provoking program,” Cr Reynolds said.
“If it's usually unnoticed, ignored or actively avoided, you'll probably find it proudly centre stage at Beaker Street.
“The knowledge economy is such an important part of the City of Hobart and this is a celebration of that section of the community.”
Beaker Street Festival founder and executive director Dr Margo Adler said it had been a mutually beneficial partnership between the City and the event.
“Beaker Street Festival is incredibly grateful to have received event funding from the City of Hobart for the past seven years,” Dr Adler said.
“The support City of Hobart gives to events like ours - both financially and in-kind - is immeasurably valuable.
“It allows us to not only put on a great show, but to bring science to our broader community in a really enjoyable way.
“With so much great science happening in nipaluna/Hobart, it makes sense that the City is the heart of our Festival, bringing people from all walks of life together with a renewed sense of curiosity and creativity.
“This year, we’re especially proud of the expanded Festival Hub at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, after-dark on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th, and the Beaker Street Crawl, during the day on Saturday 5th.
“Both these events are free to attend, and they don’t need to be pre-booked. They feature programming that will appeal to everyone - from microscopy lessons to croissant tastings!”
Hobart Creative City Portfolio Chair John Kelly said the festival showed the diversity on offer.
“Beaker Street is different to many other events held in Hobart with its mix of science and art and shows there is something in the City for all tastes and interests,” Cr Kelly said.
“There'll be conversations and presentations by world-leading scientists, live music and performances, scientist-led tours and intimate dinners, and, of course, plenty of fabulous Tasmanian food and beverages.”
The festival runs from August 4 to 13.
For more information and a full program visit beakerstreet.com.au.