Illuminating Parliament House

Culture Arts and Recreation Parliament Government and Politics
Claire Fox

Australia’s Parliament House exists not just as the national legislature, but also as a significant tourist destination and cultural institution. As part of this expansive role, light illuminations projected onto the Parliament House façade have highlighted many cultural commemorations and celebrations. This Flagpost identifies the varied history of these illuminations, especially within the context of the annual ACT Government festival, Enlighten.

Parliament House and Enlighten

Alongside Parliament House’s permanent cultural fixtures (including the Forecourt Mosaic, Great Verandah Coat of Arms, Historic Memorials Collection, and Great Hall Tapestry) the annual Enlighten illuminations provide a further vibrant offering. Since its inauguration in 2011, Enlighten’s ‘After Dark’ Illuminations have visibily transformed some of the nation’s most well-known cultural institutions (see the ACT Government’s Enlighten Strategic Plan). Along with Parliament House, these include the National Gallery of Australia and Old Parliament House (since 2011) and the National Portrait Gallery and Questacon (since 2012). Total attendance for Enlighten increased from 8,678 visitors in 2011 to 391,826 in 2023.

The following table details the Parliament House projections, which includes many depictions taken from the Parliament House Art Collection. However, as each year involves multiple projections, those listed may not be fully comprehensive.

Year Projection
2011 and 2014 Featured projections of Arthur Boyd’s Great Hall Tapestry, in four panels (1984–88), portraits of past Prime Ministers from the Historic Memorials Collection, 12 examples of the Marble Foyer marquetry panels, the Magna Carta, the names of all 150 electorates, and a mosaic created from Parliament House fixtures, finishes and artwork.
2015 Featured projections of Mavis Ngallametta’s Bushfire at Ngak-Pungarichan (2013), a celebration of the Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary, and the names of all 150 federal electorates.
2016 Featured projections of Arthur Boyd’s Great Hall Tapestry, in four panels (1984–88), 12 examples of the Marble Foyer marquetry panels and the Magna Carta.
2017 Series of projections included Joseph McGlennon’s Florilegium #1 (2014), Michael Nelson Jagamara, Luritja/Warlpiri people and Imants Tillers’ The Messenger (2014), Samson Poantimului, Tiwi people Tokwampini (2011), Robyn Stacey’s Beau Monde (2006), Alick Tipoti, Kala Lagaw Ya people Gubau Aimai Mabaigal (Wind Makers) (2006) and the names of all 150 federal electorates.
2018 Featured projections under the theme ‘Strange, Beautiful and Unexpected’ including the Barunga Statement, images of the Hansard Library, James Guppy’s Red Poppy (2005), a work by Yankunytjatjara artist Yatjiki (Vicki) Cullinan and a new design by Ken Done, created to mark the 30th anniversary of Parliament House.
2019 Featured projections of Kuru Ala – The Home of the Seven Sisters, a collaboration by artists Myrtle Pennington, Ngalpingka Simms, Kanta Donnegan, Jennifer Mitchell and Tjaruwa Woods, Laurie Nona’s Badhu Habaka (2016), Matilda Nona’s Sawur (Vine) (2016), an original image by David Booth, images of women in politics and Indigenous fabric designs.
2020 Featured projections of Jacqueline Gribbin’s print series Dear Gilbert…(Song for the Ichthyologist) (2017–19), Sydney Ball’s Betela (1976), Arthur Boyd’s Untitled (design for the Great Hall Tapestry) (1984) along with a specially commissioned work by Claudia Moodoonuthi titled DULKAWARNGIID – Bentinck Island (2019).
2021 Featured projections under the theme ‘Hope’ including images of the first members of the Commonwealth Parliament, Christian Thompson’s Writing on the Wall (2019), collated images of stained glass and glass sculpture as well as images of maireener shell necklaces from the Parliament House art collection.
2022 Featured projections of Dora Meeson’s The Women’s Suffrage Banner (1908), Kumantye Jagamara’s Possum and Wallaby Dreaming (1994), Catherine Nelson’s Tropic (2020), Tony Bishop’s Coachwood [Ceratopetalum apetalum], one of twenty marquetry panels (1986–87) and images of Parliamentary trailblazers.
2023 Featured a Home is Where the Habitat Is animation by Eggpicnic’s Camila De Gregorio and Christopher Macaluso, along with a special Pride Week projection (10–12 March).
2024 Featured a LEGO animated version of the building designed by Ryan ‘Brickman’ McNaught.

Commemorative Illuminations

The National Capital Plan identifies Canberra as ‘a symbol of Australian life and a location for memorials and national events.’ Accordingly, illuminating Parliament House for commemorative purposes contributes to fulfilling this symbolic representative function.

Since opening in 1988, Parliament House has featured 30 commemorative illuminations, with more than half occurring in the last decade. Of these:

  • 13 were for international observances,
  • 7 were in response to significant international events,
  • 6 were for national observances,
  • 2 were in celebration of significant international agreement anniversaries and
  • 2 were in celebration of nationally significant events.

 

The following table details the instances of illumination (compiled from available sources and should not be considered comprehensive).

Date Occasion
1998 Illuminated in pink
12 June 2007 Illuminated in red for the Heart Foundation’s ‘Go Red for Women’ campaign
October 2007 Illuminated in pink for breast cancer awareness
29 March 2008 The lights are switched off for Earth Hour
October 2008 Illuminated in pink for breast cancer awareness
5 October 2009 Illuminated in pink for breast cancer awareness
15 November 2009 Illuminated in blue for World Diabetes Day
27 March 2010 The lights are switched off for Earth Hour
26 October 2010 Illuminated in blue to commemorate the United Nations’ 65th anniversary
2011 World Aids Day illumination
26 March 2011 The lights are switched off for Earth Hour
22 September 2011 Illuminated in pink for breast cancer awareness
1 April 2012 The lights are switched off for Earth Hour
October 2015 Illuminated in pink for breast cancer awareness
15–22 November 2015 Illuminated with the French Tricolore following terrorist attacks in Paris
8 March 2017 Illuminated with the images of trailblazing women in celebration of International Women’s Day
10 November 2018 A beam of light is projected from the Australian War Memorial to Parliament House to commemorate Remembrance Day
28 February–2 March 2022 Illuminated with the colours of the Ukrainian flag following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
28 March 2022 The Australian and US flags are projected on the façade of APH for the 70th Anniversary of the ANZUS alliance
2–5 June 2022 lluminated in purple for the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II
10–22 September 2022 Illuminated with images of Queen Elizabeth II following her death
25 November 2022 Illuminated in orange for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
6–7 May 2023 Illuminated in purple for the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III
29–31 May 2023 Illuminated with the work of First Nations artist Kayannie Denigan for National Reconciliation Week
6–8 July 2023 Illuminated with the ‘Illuminations of Country’ projection based on Kayannie Denigan's series of artworks entitled My Country for NAIDOC Week
6–7 August 2023 Illuminated in green and gold in support of the Matildas during the FIFA Women’s World Cup
9 October 2023 Illuminated with the colours of the Israeli flag following the attacks on Israel
27 November 2023 Illuminated in orange in support of the United Nations’ 16 days of activism against gender-based violence
27–29 May 2024 Illuminated with the work of Keturah Zimran for National Reconciliation Week
20 June 2024 Illuminated in blue in support of the St. Vincent de Paul 2024 CEO Sleepout

 

The US White House and UK Houses of Parliament engage in similar light illuminations for cultural commemorations, and Canadian Parliament Hill hosts an annual sound and light show against the backdrop of the Parliament Buildings.