- Plight of beloved backyard critter turns a children’s theatre production into a headline-grabbing story.
- Giant puppet insects on stage. Microscope stations. Take-home native seeds for habitat restoration.
- Science Week event registration pays dividends in ticket sales and new audiences for Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre and partners, Legs On The Wall, Penrith City Council and Venables Ventures.
The ‘Why’ always comes first.
For Fleur Wells (pictured right), this proved a pivotal lesson – and success story – to emerge from registering a National Science Week 2025 event, Beetle by Legs On The Wall (8-9 August, Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre).
The marketing and communications officer at Penrith Performing and Visual Arts, including cultural hub ‘The Joan’, was blown away by mentoring, support, resources and practical training provided to Science Week participants.
In June, she joined 70+ participants at Science in Public’s exclusive ‘Meet the Media’ forum, which introduced registered Science Week event holders to working journalists from television, radio and print media.
The 90-minute forum provided insights into what journalists look for in a story: the ‘Why’, followed by the how, what and when to pitch.
“The session was extremely insightful and practical,” says Fleur.
“The mentorship helped me to finesse my pitch for media and to focus more on environmental and theatrical elements of the experience.
“This resulted in traction from the media, including, our first feature in The Sydney Morning Herald [read article] in over a decade, as well as a couple of radio interviews and articles in local papers.
“The skills I gained in this workshop continue to be of great value, helping me to create pitches that are picked up by more mainstream media.”
Aimed at children aged six to 14, Beetle by Sydney-based theatre company Legs On The Wall carries an important conservation message, reminding audiences about the delicate balance of our natural world.
The plight of the disappearing Christmas beetle sits at the heart of the story, putting a spotlight on loss of habitat and climate change.
As Legs On The Wall artistic director Joshua Thomson told The Sydney Morning Herald, seeing the year’s first Christmas beetles, in his childhood, was a sign of good times to come.
“I remember it stood as a symbol of Christmas, summer, water, heat, fun, family and friends. Now, even though my family are living all over Australia, we all still share if we see one…. Unfortunately, we’re seeing them less and less.…
Beetle is a story of hope; it reminds us of the importance of the smallest things; our responsibility to let it live on through different stories, every new summer.”
The Joan staged three performances of Beetle during National Science Week, selling 620 tickets.
“We had an almost sold-out schools’ performance for the matinee, which was huge, as it is the most uptake for a schools’ show we have had since COVID… I completely put that down to the support of National Science Week,” Fleur said.
The cultural hub also hosted pre- and post-show activities including microscope stations with Christmas beetle specimens and native seeds for every audience member to plant at home.
Fleur said National Science Week provided a valuable platform to connect with new audiences and celebrate the intersection of the arts, science and environment in a meaningful and engaging way.
“The profile, energy and support that comes with being part of a national initiative is invaluable and exceeded expectations,” she said.
“Participating in National Science Week helped us to directly achieve our KPIs around community engagement, including new and existing audiences, as well as venue activation and ticket sales.
“On top of that, it helped us to achieve excellent media coverage, which was beneficial in helping to position The Joan and Penrith City Council as a key destination for important and valuable experiences for families.”
Fleur’s top tips for anyone interested in registering a National Science Week event?
“Our biggest lessons were the value of registering early and importance of framing your activity with a clear, broad message that resonates with media and audiences alike.
“Early registration allows you to take full advantage of the support available, and clear messaging helps amplify the impact of your story.”
Photos by Eddy Summers
National Science Week 2026 runs from Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 August.
For news and updates, including how and when to register your National Science Week 2026 events, apply for grants and more, visit: www.scienceweek.net.au