Salon After D’Arc: The Gift of Heartbreak

Is it truly better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? 
Salon After D’Arc returns in 2026 with four thought-provoking evenings exploring the forces that shape how people love and remember.  
Guided by host Jamila Rizvi (Deputy Managing Director of Future Women), The Gift of Heartbreak explores heartbreak beyond melodrama and as a deeply human experience that reshapes you emotionally, physically and creatively.   
Journey through the history of heartbreak with artist and academic Drew Pettifer, followed by a behind-the-scenes look into his featured work on display at Rebel Heart, a response to the story of Captain Moonlight. 
Artist and content creator Celeste Mountjoy will examine the power of heartbreak as a creative force.  
Hear Dr Michelle Lim (CEO and Scientific Chair, Ending Loneliness Together) in conversation with Jamila on how loneliness is a current key social, health and economic issue. 
The Salon After D’Arc series is generously supported by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust. It is an opportunity to delve deeper into interesting topics, make connections in the beautiful surrounds of the Library and view rare books acquired through the Women Writers Fund initiative. 
Presented in State Library Victoria’s 170th year, Salon After D’Arc invites audiences to consider not only the stories they inherit, but those still being written, and whose voices are finally being brought to the forefront.