Australia's oldest library will celebrate its 200th birthday and is inviting the world's oldest continuing culture along for the party.
The State Library of NSW marks the milestone throughout 2026 but will launch a six-week festival of performances, talks and live music on site across September and October.
Among the performers, Kalkadunga composer and yidaki (didgeridoo) master William Barton can't wait to be part of the celebrations with his show Earth Flow: Song Book.
"We're all honoured to be part of it ... but also to bring our legacy into the space and that's the humble legacy of connection to Country and the grounding of the mother country," the instrumentalist told AAP.
"We're adding to the acknowledgement of the ceremonial space that was here before the library as well."
Choreographer Stephen page is also bringing his creative vision to mark the moment with his work RECLAIM: A Contemporary Ceremony.
The Nunukul and Munaldjali man will tell the story of Australia from first contact to present day through a series of First Nations characters.
"It's just really great that we get to work here, we get to share these stories and celebrate the library's 200 years or 65,000 years," Mr Page told AAP.
"Activating the space as a space for all, to be inclusive of all community members, I think that's a really important thing."
Both men will stage their shows in the iconic Mitchell Library reading room, which serves as a great source of creativity.
"We've both been in our little creative caves, inspired by the library," Mr Page said.
"There's an extraordinary, like, just natural acoustics in that place.
"The plinth is the bottom part of a statue and we've stylised that as a staging."
The artists are looking forward to celebrating the legacy of the library including the Indigenous connections to the institution.
"There's two extraordinary First Nations librarians, Ronald Briggs and Melissa Jackson, who have been here for 30 years," Mr Page said.
"To come into their workplace where they're the carer of First Nations knowledge, it's just extraordinary working with them to research some of the topics and knowledge and themes.
Ms Jackson has been invited to participate in Mr Page's show as a guest performer.
Also featuring on the birthday bill, immersive multimedia work The Scott Sisters: Pioneers of Science and Art, is inspired by the lives of 19th-century illustrators and naturalists Harriet and Helena Scott.
Conceived and created by Australian Haydn Ensemble Artistic Director Skye McIntosh, the presentation draws directly from the Library's collection.
It is described as a blend of "exquisite animations, theatrical performance and live classical music performed on period instruments".
Bell Shakespeare's A Night at the Library, written by Joanna Erskine, takes younger audiences on an epic quest through the Library in late September and early October.
