Members pre-sale from Monday 2 June. General tickets on sale 10am Tuesday 3 June.
Our animal companions take centre stage in this big-hearted storytelling event from the brilliant minds of Marieke Hardy and Emilie Zoey Baker, presented in partnership with The Wheeler Centre to mark the closing weekend of the Cats & Dogs exhibition.
In this special edition of the 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.
Following these responses, 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.
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.
Cats & Dogs is on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square until 20 July. Exhibition tickets sold separately.
PROGRAM PARTNER
