• SHORTIS and Simpson, Music for Everyone and Dave O’Neill plan to raise the roof of Ainslie Arts Centre, Elouera Street, Braddon when they celebrate the centenary of folk songwriter Woody Guthrie. John Shortis has researched Guthrie’s life story for “quirky anecdotes”, “surprising tidbits” and “the grand moments”. It’s playing at 8.30pm, August 10. Bookings to 6230 7190 between noon and 6pm Monday-Friday.

• FRED Smith has written to say he, some of the “Spooky Men” Chorale and Liz Frencham will be at the Lobby on August 11. Fred and the Spookies have just released a YouTube clip of a song called “Say a Prayer”, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the sinking of the HMAS Canberra in August, 1942. Bookings to www.trybooking.com and dinner bookings to 6273 1455.

• THE Llewellyn Choir and The Llewellyn Sinfonia are preparing Monteverdi’s “Vespers,” of 1610, described as “grand and operatic in style,” for performance in St Christopher’s Cathedral, Manuka at 7.30pm on August 11. Bookings to 6278 4498, www.llewellynchoir.org.au or tickets at the door.

• SALUT! Baroque’s latest luminary or “superstar” will be Alessandro Scarlatti, whose work will feature in its concert at Albert Hall, 7.30pm on August 10. Tickets at the door.

• AT the Bungendore Wood Works, 8pm, on August 10, David Pereira will appear with US cellist Michael Haber to perform duets by Gabrielli, Barriere, J.S. Bach, Boismortier, Giardini and Boccherini. As well, The Cello Tragics cello choir will play Elena Kats-Chernin’s “Phoenix Story” and Scott Joplin rags.

• AND you have only until August 8 to catch the exhibition at the Wood Works featuring artworks by Jim Birkett, Glenda Borchard, Helen Fitzgerald, Simon Hooper and Ian Lakey.

• HERE’S an unusual fundraiser and a fabulous idea. Local artist Kathleen Rhee will devote a percentage of exhibition sales and all ticket sales from her first solo exhibition of meditative framed artworks to Working Wonders, a local charity that provides clothing, shoes and accessories to women in need for job interviews. At Canberra Grammar School Gallery, 2pm, on August 11. Tickets at the door.

• “WHY would anyone in their right mind be an artist?” is the title of a “Next Gen Artist Forum,” at the Belconnen Arts Centre, 3pm, on August 5. Musician Reuben Ingall, dance artist Jamie Winbank, trombonist and theatre practitioner Michael Bailey, and visual artist George Rose may answer that question.