Betty Amsden’s

100th Birthday Celebrations

Betty’s Birthday Celebration will run from Sept 2026-Sept 2027. The Birthday program will feature special events and funding opportunities designed to help promote the benefits of giving, and to celebrate the wonderful impact of the Foundation's grantee and alumni community.  

Over the course of 12 months, the Foundation has provided our Grantee Group companies small ‘100 for 100’ grants to help young people attend and participate in performances and creative experiences.

100 for 100 Birthday Program Updates

  • Creativerse 2026

    OCT 26: Arena Theatre Company has transformed Bendigo into a playground of possibilities for children and their families. Welcome to Creativerse 2026!

    As part of Creativerse, the Foundation has supported Brainlight, an award-winning interactive artwork by Australian light and interaction artist Laura Jade. Participants wear a lightweight EEG headset, and their own brain activity is transformed in real time into a glowing, sculptural light installation, revealing patterns of focus, calm, excitement and imagination as they change moment to moment. Brainlight is free to all festival-goers.goes here

  • Melbourne Festival of Puppetry

    SEPT 26: We couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate what would have been Betty’s 100th Birthday than supporting the The Puppet Picnic Community Day!

    Held at the Carlton-Parkville High Rise Estate Gardens as part of the Melbourne Festival of Puppetry, entertainment on the day included puppet making workshops, roving performances, shows, music and the fabulous Puppet Parade featuring puppets made by the students at Carlton Primary School.

    The Melbourne Festival of Puppetry was created by current BAF Grantee Lemony S Puppet Theatre, in partnership with La Mama Theatre.  Betty would have been thrilled to see how the Festival has grown since its inception in 2015.