Partner
Our animal companions take centre stage in this big-hearted storytelling event from the brilliant minds of Marieke Hardy and Emilie Zoey Baker, inspired by the National Gallery Victoria’s Cats & Dogs exhibition.
In this special edition of much-loved spoken word series Better Off Said, a menagerie of writers come together to pay tribute to two of the world’s most popular domesticated animals: cats and dogs.
From Edgar Allen Poe’s sinister black cat to Homer’s faithful dog Argos, felines and canines have long wandered the realms of storytelling. In this session, beloved Melbourne writer Tony Birch, author and broadcaster Mimi Kwa, award-winning novelist Laura Jean McKay and proud Yankunytjatjara and Wirangu woman and sports journalist Shelley Ware will reflect on the cats and dogs that have left an impression on their lives, while Robert Skinner, winner of the 2025 John Clarke Prize for Humour Writing, will deliver a Living Eulogy to a beloved creature, celebrating life while we’re still here to appreciate it.
Witty, reflective, joyful or irreverent, these tributes to our non-human companions promise to delight cat people and dog people alike. Hosted by Emilie Zoey Baker and curated by Marieke Hardy.
Presented in partnership with the National Gallery Victoria
When booking, pre-purchase a copy of Cats and Dogs in Art & Design to collect on the night. Published alongside the Cats & Dogs exhibition, this richly illustrated book showcases more than 100 works of art and design depicting loyal dogs and spirited cats selected from the NGV Collection.
Please note this event will take place at NGV International and does not include entry to the Cats & Dogs exhibition. The exhibition is on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square until Sunday 20 July, and tickets to the exhibition can be purchased separately through the National Gallery Victoria's website.
Event and Ticketing Details
Dates & Times
Saturday 19 July
7.00 - 8.30pm
Tickets
$42.50
Full
$41.50
Concession
$40.50
NGV & TWC Members
$92.50
Full Ticket + Book
$91.50
Concession Ticket + Book
$90.50
Members Ticket + Book
TWC and NGV Members can access discounted tickets to this event. Find out more here.
Location
Accessibility
Accessible toilets available
Assistive Listening
Auslan interpreting available by-request
Companion tickets available
Registered Assistance Animals welcome
Wheelchair accessible
For information regarding accessibility at the National Gallery of Victoria, click here.
Please notify us of all access requirements when booking online so we can assist you with your visit. If you require further information, please contact ticketing@wheelercentre.com.
Additional Notes
Featuring
Tony Birch
Tony Birch is the author of four novels, five short fiction collections, and two poetry books. His most recent book is the novel, Women and Children (UQP).
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Mimi Kwa
Mimi Kwa has been a TV journalist and media personality for 25 years. She is an author, and her memoir House of Kwa is being developed for screen. As the first person of Asian descent on channel 9 Mimi also ...
Laura Jean McKay
Laura Jean McKay is the author of The Animals in That Country (Scribe 2020) - winner of the prestigious Arthur C Clarke Award, The Victorian Prize for Literature, the ABIA Small Publishers Adult Book of the Year and ...
Robert Skinner
Robert Skinner was born and raised in South Australia. His first book, "I'd Rather Not", won the inaugural John Clarke Prize for Humour Writing after the judges profoundly misunderstood his finely wrought work of tragedy. He ...
Shelley Ware
Shelley Ware is a proud Yankunytjatjara and Wirangu woman from Tarntanya/Adelaide, South Australia, who currently lives in Naarm/ Melbourne. For the past two decades, Shelley has worked in the media as a radio and ...
Emilie Zoey Baker
Emilie Zoey Baker is an award-winning Australian poet and performer who has toured nationally and internationally performing, writing and producing. She was a Fellow at the State Library of Victoria, and has previously ...
Marieke Hardy
Marieke Hardy is a curator, screenwriter, artist, and producer. She has penned columns for The Age, The Drum, and Frankie magazine, and written for many television shows, including Laid, Barons, The Family Law, Heartbreak ...