Arts in the city

• DURING a coffee interview session last week, author/speechwriter Bob  Ellis, kept looking nervously at his mobile phone. “I’m waiting on a call from Kamahl,” he told me, adding that he’d been asked to write a speech for the famous singer to deliver during the coming visit of President Obama. Assuming Ellis was serious, you’d have to wonder what the organisers of the visit are thinking.

• ARTIST Cheryl Jobsz paints a picture of suburbia: “8am: a house, a garden and a ubiquitous blue port-a-loo surrounded by a cyclone mesh skin. 5pm: site cleared, levelled, house, garage, garden, trees, and birds disappeared.” It’s all in her new installation at ANCA Gallery, Rosevear Place, Dickson until November 20.

• ALTERNATIVE-country singer Lachlan Bryan will promote his new single “Fly by Night” at the Canberra Country Music Festival’s Federation Stage at 5.45pm, and the Front Gallery, Lyneham, from 9pm, on November 19. Other performers at the festival include Australian Gold Guitarist Catherine Britt and Sean Patrick McGraw from Nashville. Visit www.canberracountry.com

• ERINDALE Theatre will be the setting for a Canberra-made zombie movie, “Theatre of the Dead” by director Patrick J Gallagher and producers Daniel Sanguineti and John Cougar. At a “crowd-funding” campaign launch on Halloween last week, media were treated to lollies in the shape of eyeballs. They need local support and you can chip in from as low as $10 by visiting www.indiegogo.com/Theatre-of-the-Dead

• YEARS ago, when Prof David Williams left the School of Art, he wouldn’t use the word “retiring”, preferring the term “re-focusing”. Now they’re farewelling textile artist and lecturer Annie Trevillian who, they say, will be “re-purposing”.

• SUZIE Edwards, visual arts curator at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, is re-purposing next week after 12 years at the helm. She’ll be hard to replace.

• SALUT! Baroque presents “Caledonian Baroque” on November 18 at 7.30pm in Albert Hall, music by Geminiani, Matteis, Oswald, Barsanti, Veracini and McGibbon. Tickets  at the door.

MUSICIAN Simone Penkethman is running free singing workshops for mothers on Mondays from 10am to noon for Belconnen Community Services. Accompanied children are welcome. Inquiries to 6264 0232 or bcc@bcsact.com.au

• I HEAR Canberra Opera workshop has been looking for a penny farthing bicycle for its coming production of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore”. Success. Drago Zovak from the bicycle shop facing the ANU Arts Theatre has a whole collection of them.

• ARTSOUND FM’s annual radiothon, “Save Our Sound”, culminates in an open day and book fair at the Manuka Arts Centre from 10am, November 13.

• TEN String and Bouzouki is an ensemble formed by Chilean guitarist Felipe Vásquez and Bouzouki player Alexandros Tefarikis and is playing at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, 7.30pm, November 19. Bookings to 6293 1443.
M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith, has “Natural Instincts”, an exhibition by Julie Bradley, Tiffany Cole, Nicola Dickson, Patsy Hely, Cherry Hood, John Pratt and Julie Ryder, noon-5pm, Wednesday-Sunday,
until November 13.

• THE 15th Japanese Film Festival is in full flight in Canberra until November 13. The festival will screen earthquake-related films such as Yamakoshi’s “The Recovery of a Tiny Japanese Village and The Town’s Children”. More information at 15th.japanesefilmfestival.net