At a glance
- Who it’s for
- Anyone in south-west Sydney, including families, who wants a free exhibition near a train station
- What to do now
- Plan a visit from Saturday 7 November 2026; entry to the galleries is free. Book the talks and workshops listed below on the Powerhouse ticket site
- Where
- Liverpool Powerhouse, 1 Powerhouse Road, Casula NSW 2170
- Dates
- The Offbeat Sari: Saturday 7 November 2026 to Sunday 4 April 2027. The Dressing Room: Saturday 7 November 2026 to 25 April 2027 (Sydney time)
- Getting there
- Casula Station (T2 line) is about a 2 minute walk across the pedestrian overpass; free on-site parking
- Last checked
- Saturday 31 October 2026, against the Liverpool Powerhouse exhibition, visit and ticket pages
- Not yet confirmed
- Prices for The Language of Cloth talk and the Sari Stencil Printing workshop, and the Friday and Saturday closing times, which differ between two Powerhouse pages
Two exhibitions about the sari open at Liverpool Powerhouse in Casula on Saturday 7 November 2026, and both are free: The Offbeat Sari, which runs to Sunday 4 April 2027, and The Dressing Room, which runs to 25 April 2027. The Powerhouse says The Offbeat Sari brings together over 50 of the finest saris of our time and is presented exclusively in New South Wales at Casula.
What is The Offbeat Sari?
The exhibition is a touring show from the Design Museum in London, curated by Priya Khanchandani. The Powerhouse describes it as a major exhibition celebrating the contemporary sari, with saris from designers, wearers and craftspeople in India. It says the show gives Australian audiences a rare insight into contemporary Indian fashion.
The Powerhouse’s description lists what visitors can expect:
- Couture pieces worn by celebrities from Bollywood to Hollywood.
- Styles seen on the streets of Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.
- Designers experimenting with sari gowns, pre-draped saris and materials such as steel.
- Young city wearers pairing the sari with sneakers on the commute.
The Powerhouse does not publish a floor plan or a list of individual garments on the page, so this guide does not name specific pieces.
What is The Dressing Room?
The Dressing Room is a second free exhibition, curated by Shahmen Suku. It focuses on a room that is easy to overlook: the master bedroom, which in many South Asian households becomes a temporary dressing room before weddings, festivals and family ceremonies. The Powerhouse says saris are ironed, pleated and pinned there, and jewellery is selected and shared.
Eight artists are listed on the exhibition page:
- Shareeka Helaluddin
- Salvin Kumar
- Shivanjani Lal
- Anjum Olmo
- Priya Panchalingam
- Sid Pattni
- Monica Rani Rudhar
- Sancintya Mohini Simpson
Three of them, Salvin Kumar, Anjum Olmo and Monica Rani Rudhar, also lead the children’s workshops in January (see the table further down).
When is the Powerhouse open?
The Powerhouse is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays unless it advertises otherwise. Its Visit page and the footer of the Offbeat Sari page give slightly different late-night hours, so check before a Friday or Saturday evening visit.
| Day | Visit page | Offbeat Sari page footer |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday and Thursday | 10am to 5pm | 10am to 5pm |
| Friday | 10am to 10pm | 10am to 9pm |
| Saturday | 8am to 10pm | 8am to 9pm |
| Sunday | 10am to 4pm | 10am to 4pm |
| Monday and Tuesday | Closed | Closed |
How do I get to Liverpool Powerhouse?
The Powerhouse says it is directly opposite Casula Station, reached by a pedestrian overpass, and gives the walk as 2 minutes to the front doors. Casula is on the T2 line. The Powerhouse also advises that on big event days the train is the best choice because parking can fill up fast.
| Option | What the Powerhouse says |
|---|---|
| Train | Get off at Casula Station on the T2 line, then cross the overpass (about 2 minutes) |
| Car | Free on-site parking; enter via Shepherd Street or Powerhouse Road |
| Tall vehicles | The Woodbrook Road underpass has a vehicle clearance of 2.5 metres |
The Powerhouse says it has lift and ramp access throughout the building. Galleries have free entry.
Which talks and workshops go with the exhibitions?
The Powerhouse lists six programs alongside the shows. All bookings are subject to a booking fee. Prices are as shown on the Powerhouse ticket site on 31 October 2026.
| Program | Date and time | Where | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Language of Cloth, beyond the Sari (conversation and live weaving demonstration with designer Chandrika Tamang, 60 minutes) | Saturday 14 November 2026, 10am | Performance Space | Not shown on the page we read |
| Braided Mirror Hangings (children’s workshop led by Monica Rani Rudhar, 120 minutes) | Wednesday 20 January 2027, 11am | The Marsden Workshop | $5.00 |
| Sari Stencil Printing (children’s workshop led by Anjum Olmo, 120 minutes) | Thursday 21 January 2027, 11am | The Marsden Workshop | Not shown on the page we read |
| Storytelling, Games and Sari Tying (led by Salvin Kumar; three sessions) | Friday 22 January 2027, 10:30am to 3:30pm | The Marsden Workshop | $5 per person per session |
| The Colours of Resilience (sari fashion show and morning tea for World Cancer Day, 150 minutes) | Sunday 7 February 2027, 10:30am | Turbine Hall | Free |
| A Journey Through the Textile Heartland of India (lecture on the saris of 16 states, 90 minutes) | Saturday 13 March 2027, 11am | Theatre | $10.00 |
The Storytelling, Games and Sari Tying day has three sessions: storytelling and paper folding from 10:30am to 11:45am, Tin Pani games from 12:15pm to 1:45pm, and sari, dhoti and mundu tying from 2pm to 3:30pm. The Powerhouse prices the day at $5 per person per session, plus the booking fee.
The Language of Cloth conversation is presented in collaboration with FOMA and is led by Julia Booth. The Colours of Resilience is presented with Pink Sari Inc..
What else is there to do at the Powerhouse on the same trip?
Casula Parklands spans 22 hectares beside the Powerhouse.
The Powerhouse Growers and Artisan Markets run every Saturday from 8am to 1pm. On Saturday 7 November the Liverpool’s Birthday Block Party is on in the city centre at Bigge Park; see our Liverpool’s Birthday guide for that event. Casula is a separate trip from Bigge Park, so allow travel time if you plan both on the same day.
What is still to be confirmed?
The Powerhouse has not published a price for The Language of Cloth conversation on the page we read, or for the Sari Stencil Printing workshop. Both pages list General Admission without an amount, so check the ticket site before you book. The two Powerhouse pages also disagree on the Friday and Saturday closing time, as the table above shows.
The Powerhouse has not said whether the exhibitions will need timed entry or have any queueing arrangements on opening weekend.
What should I know before I go?
- Both exhibitions open Saturday 7 November 2026 and are free.
- The Powerhouse is closed Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays unless advertised.
- Take the T2 line to Casula Station and cross the overpass; parking is free but can fill on big days.
- Book talks and workshops on the Powerhouse ticket site, and expect a booking fee.
- The embroidery photo at the top of this page is a stock photo of a saree from Tamil Nadu and is not an exhibit from the show.
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Liverpool Powerhouse or Liverpool City Council.
Sources
- Liverpool Powerhouse: The Offbeat Sari, checked Saturday 31 October 2026
- Liverpool Powerhouse: The Dressing Room, checked Saturday 31 October 2026
- Liverpool Powerhouse: Visit, checked Saturday 31 October 2026
- Liverpool Powerhouse tickets: The Language of Cloth, beyond the Sari
- Liverpool Powerhouse tickets: Braided Mirror Hangings
- Liverpool Powerhouse tickets: Sari Stencil Printing
- Liverpool Powerhouse tickets: Storytelling, Games and Sari Tying
- Liverpool Powerhouse tickets: The Colours of Resilience
- Liverpool Powerhouse tickets: A Journey Through the Textile Heartland of India
Featured image: embroidery on a white silk saree from Tamil Nadu, a stock photo and not an exhibit (photo: Kritzolina / CC BY-SA 4.0) (text added)