Included here are notices of exhibits, lectures, conferences and other gatherings or events of Antarctic interest. Current and closest to the present usually listed first. Go to PAST EVENTS for those that have already happened.
The best polar gathering of the year is the Shackleton Autumn School, held each October in Athy, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Have a look at photos and commentary on the past five gatherings excerpted from trip reports on my personal webpage.Last updated: 7 January 2012.
Accessed at leastSCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION - AN EXHIBITIONAustralian National Maritime Museum, Sydney.
"This blockbuster centenary exhibition is the result of a partnership between the Natural History Museum, London; the Antarctic Heritage Trust (New Zealand); and the Canterbury Museum, New Zealand.
June-16 October 2011
Natural History Museum, London.
January-September 2012
Canterbury Museum, Christchurch.
November-June 2012
"Scott's Last Expedition will tell the definitive story of the expedfition and will give visitors a sense of everyday realities for expedition members, their scientific investigations, and the powerful stories of human endeavour and survival through original artefacts from around the world, many on display for the first time." (from Heritage Hearsay, Issue 47, January 2011.)
Scott's Last Expedition brings together for the first time rare scientific specimens collected on the expedition with real artefacts used by Scott and his team. By combining the historical, scientific and polar expertise of the partners, the exhibition will go beyond the familiar tales of the journey to the Pole and the death of the Polar party to explore the Terra Nova expedition from every angle.
At the centre of the exhibition is a stylised representation of Scott's expedition hut. The exhibit will give visitors a sense of everyday realities for expedition members, their scientific investigations and powerful stories of human endeavour and survival through original artefacts, many of which are displayed for the first time." (from the Scott 100 website—www.scott100.org) (12 February 2011)
SHACKLETON'S ANTARCTIC NIGHTMARELawrence Howard, Portland Story Theatre
"Plus we have been extremely fortunate to be able to obtain a few bottles of Shackleton's whiskey for the show. In case you've not been following the story, this is the masterful recreation of McKinlay's Rare Old Highland Malt Whiskey that was recently found under the floorboards of the hut at Cape Royds that Shackleton used as a based on his 1907 Nimrod expedition.
20, 21, 27 and 28 January 2012, Hipbone Studio 1847 E Burnside (at NE 18 Avenue) in Portland, Oregon. Admission: $15 Advance Tickets Only | $20 at the Door. http://www.brownpapertickets.com/e/203533
"Join Lawrence Howard of Portland Story Theater as he tells the true, epic tale of Ernest Shackleton and the British Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914.
Their valiant ship, The Endurance, was trapped in the pack ice and crushed; Shackleton and his 28 men survived on the ice for over a year and endured incredible hardship.
This is a truly gripping story that will move you to the depths of your soul."
This is an extraordinary opportunity to taste a bit of history and sample what was one of the finest whiskeys in the world 100 years ago. We will be selling shots at intermission for $14 each (in honor of the 1914 Endurance expedition). There will only be one bottle—that's 25 one-ounce shots—available at each show, so we have to limit it to one to a customer. But if you want to treat your partner or your best friend to this unique experience, we'll sell you two shots for $25."
—Thanks to Valmar Kurol
(7 January 2012)
THE HEART OF THE GREAT ALONE: SCOTT, SHACKLETON AND ANTARCTIC PHOTOGRAPHY21 October 2011 - 15 April 2012, The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, London.
The same popular exhibition that first was at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, then the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch. There will be some additional material added, including two Wilson watercolours and a copy of Scott's Voyage of the Discovery. "This exhibition of remarkable Antarctic photography by George Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley marks the 100th anniversary of Captain Scott's ill-fated journey to the South Pole.
Ponting's dramatic images record Scott's Terra Nova expedition of 1910-12, which led to the tragic death of five of the team on their return from the South Pole. Hurley's extraordinary icescapes were taken during Ernest Shackleton's Polar expedition on Endurance in 1914-17, which ended with the heroic sea journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia. Both collections of photographs were presented to King George V and are today part of the Royal Photograph Collection."
—from http://www.royalcollection.org.uk
(21 June 2011) UPDATE: I went to the show with Jonathan Shackleton on 4 November. Tightest security of any polar venue I've experienced, but the show is good, particularly the Pontings which are lovely, all uniformly framed. We found some errors in the captions but now can't remember what.
—R. Stephenson
69° S. (THE SHACKLETON PROJECT)7-12 February 2012, Emerson Stage, Boston, USA.
CREATED BY: Phantom Limb.
"Phantom Limbs 69° S. imagines the unimaginable. Sir Ernest Shackletons 1914 trans-Antarctic expeditionthe real life story of a group of gentlemen frozen (literally) in crisisis reignited by a contemporary dilemma: the realities of a changing environment and the planets uncertain future. Theatre, dance, puppetry, photography and film unite in an impressionistic, stunning and evocative series of tableaux vivants, taking us on an artistic and emotional journey that explores the symbiotic relationship between humans and the environment and reinvigorates the spirit of foregoing individual glory for the sake of collective survival."
DIRECTED BY: Sophie Hunter in Association with Tony Taccone.
CHOREOGRAPHED BY: Christopher Williams.
MUSIC BY: The Kronos Quartet.
Developed in Association with Tony Taccone.
Conceived in Collaboration with David Harrington/Kronos Quartet.
An ArKtype Project Produced in Association with Beth Morrison Projects.
AGES: 10+
RUNNING TIME: Approximately 75 minutes with no intermission.
—From https://artsemerson.org/Online/default.asp Note: See http://www.antarctic-circle.org/eventspast5.htm#17 for a preliminary version of this presented in 2010 at Mass MoCA. (18 June 2011) 69° S. will also be at Dartmouth College's Hopkins Center on Friday and Saturday, 30 September and 1 October 2011
and at the Redfern Arts Center at Keene (NH) State College on Wednesday, 15 February 2012, and no doubt elsewhere.
REDEDICATION OF THE SCOTT MEMORIALMount Wise, Devonport, Plymouth
(12 February 2011)
Sunday, 25 March 2012
This major Civic and Royal Navy event will complement the national service of remembrance for Captain Scott in St Paul's Cathedral, London which will take place on 29 March 2012.
THE POLAR REGIONS IN THE 21st CENTURY: GLOBALIZATION, CLIMATE CHANGE & GEOPOLITICSAmerican Polar Society 75th Anniversary Meeting and Symposium
(15 December 2011)
2-4 May 2012, The Explorers Club, New York City
"In collaboration with The Explorers Club and the Antarctican Society, the American Polar Society will commemorate its 75th anniversary by bringing together current leaders in science, government, commerce and diplomacy for a state-of-the-art forecast of the next seventy-five years in a world influenced more than ever before by the destiny of the Arctic and Antarctic."
http://www.americanpolar.org/
JAMES CAIRD SOCIETY MEMBERS' EVENING AND LECTUREFriday, 11 May 2012, 6pm, Great Hall, Dulwich College, London.
The Whyte & MacKay's Master Blender, Richard Peterson.
SOUTHPOLE-SIUMJaffrey, New Hampshire.
(1 March 2011)
15-17 June 2012
Contact: Robert Stephenson
The Antarctic Circle
Tel: 603-532-POLE
E-mail: antarctic-circle@comcast.net
Download a flyer.
More information may be found at http://www.antarctic-circle.org/gathering.htm
JAMES CAIRD SOCIETY AGM, MEMBERS' EVENING AND LECTUREFriday, 9 November 2012, 6pm, Great Hall, Dulwich College, London.
Robert Burton.
FRIENDS OF SPRI AGMSaturday, 10 November 2012
NEW ZEALAND ANTARCTIC FESTIVALChristchurch, New Zealand.
(6 July 2010)
August 2012 and/or August 2014
Contact: Joanna Blair, Events Development Manager
Christchurch City Council
Christchurch, New Zealand
Tel: +64 3 941 6346
E-mail: joanna.blaikr@ccc.govt.nz