1 – 9 March 2025
On the Western Broadwalk
Experiences
Buying small indulgences – like lipstick – during times of economic hardship is so common that the phenomenon has been nicknamed ‘the lipstick effect’. This exhibition flips the concept on it’s head, providing a visual commentary on the complex relationship between beauty, empowerment and entrapment for women.
| Date | Time |
| 1 - 9 March 2025 | All day |
| No ticket required | Free |
Sydney Opera House Insiders pre-sale
9am, Tuesday 14 January 2025
Become a Sydney Opera House Insider to receive exclusive pre-sale access
What’s On e-newsletter pre-sale
9am, Wednesday 15 January 2025
General Public tickets on-sale
9am, Thursday 16 January 2025
Wheelchair accessible
Professor Juliet SchorThey are looking for affordable luxury… buying ‘hope in a bottle’.
Useful information:
Powerful images to captivate and challenge
Shot entirely by leading Australian female photographers, this exhibition reframes ‘the lipstick effect’ as a symbol of strength, resilience and the complexity of women’s experiences.
Putting women both in the frame and behind the lens, this exhibition sheds light on stereotypes and inequities that ripple through our society, showcasing the neglected nuanced realities of women everywhere. Each image is paired with a stirring quote from an All About Women guest speaker, bridging visual culture and social commentary in an immersive installation on the Opera House Western Broadwalk.
The exhibition is curated by Agender, a gender equality initiative founded on the principle that representation matters, to spotlight the talent, wisdom and experience of female photographers and directors in Australia.
Presented by Sydney Opera House
Agender
Agender is a gender equality initiative, celebrating the great talent, wisdom and experience of female photographers and directors. Our mission is to bolster the careers of female image makers and inspire a new generation. We pursue gender equality across work, representation and pay in the photographic and motion industry.
Founded on the principle that representation matters, Agender challenges traditional norms and drives meaningful cultural change through compelling visual narratives. Representation matters because when women’s perspectives are absent, society perpetuates cultural blind spots, reinforcing stereotypes and inequities that ripple through society, neglecting the nuanced realities of half the population.
As curators, creators and collaborators, Agender works across multiple disciplines to elevate diverse perspectives. From producing powerful exhibitions and events, to crafting thought-provoking campaigns and cultural conversations, we bring together artists, communities, businesses and organisations to create work that resonates deeply and inspires action.
Our projects bridge the realms of visual culture, social commentary and artistic innovation, fostering meaningful connections between art and audience. Agender uses the transformative power of visual storytelling as a tool for progress and equity.
Plan your visit
Venue information
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer.
Getting here
The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see the Wilson Parking website for details.
Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six minute walk to the Opera House.
Frequently asked questions
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.
Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. Resale restriction applies. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.
Please contact Box Office on +61 2 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend.
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues.
The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House became a smoke-free site in January 2022. Read our Smoke-free Environment Policy.
