FOURTEEN musicians and a production team, all from Canberra and Cooma, will pay homage to the Blues, Soul and Motown sounds in the staging of a Blues Brothers and Soul Revue.

LOCAL Blues and Rock musician, Ben Brikcius, along with Matt Elford (from original rock band Stormatic) plays rhythm and lead guitars in the show. The Musical Director and bass player is Matt Charlesworth, head of music at Monaro High in Cooma. Matt Swain (from local act, Wallpaper) completes the rhythm section on drums. Lead characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, are played by Denis Vrkic, from corporate act, Hit Parade and Nic Lee-Murphy, from folk trio, Songmen. ANU Bar, 8pm, Saturday April 9, bookings to moshtix.com.au and at the door on the night.

Events:

The Estate of Joy Warren OAM, viewing, Ainslie Arts Centre, Elouera Street, Braddon, Friday, April 8, 10 AM to 5 PM, Saturday, April 9, 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday, April 10, 9 AM to noon.

Auction at Albert Hall, Commonwealth Avenue, 2 PM, Sunday, April 10. Goods to be collected and paid for at Ainslie Arts Centre on April 11 and 12. Catalogue and full details at mossgreen.com.au

Talks:

SYDNEY curator, researcher, lecturer and artist, Cecilia Heffer, will provide insights into her curating of the travelling Group Exchange: 2nd Tamworth Textile Triennial exhibition and share details on the exhibition selection process, as well as on the themes behind key works. At Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre Gallery Nth Building Civic, on Friday 8 April from 1.00pm – 2.00pm.

MEMOIRIST Jo Case talks with poet Melinda Smith about what an Asperger’s diagnosis meant for her child, herself and her understanding of the workings of her own family. At Muse Café, East Hotel Kingston, Sun 10 Apr, 3.30-4.30pm details at musecanberra.com.au/events/ unless otherwise noted, all events are $10 which includes a coffee or glass of wine/sparkling water.

Arts Business:

M16’s Writer in Residence Program 2016 is a supported residency for emerging writers with an interest in the arts. It offers an emerging writer the opportunity to develop their writing practice, publish their work, contribute to the critical discussion of Australian contemporary art particularly in Canberra and work closely with a small arts team. To apply submit an example of your arts writing (review, essay, etc.) no longer than 1000 words and a CV by 5pm Friday 29 April to exhibitions@m16artspace.com

AUTUMN school holiday programs “The Funky Art of Assemblage” and “Figurative Sculpture” are coming up with Alex Asch and Mariana del Castillo at Belconnen Arts Centre, details at belconnenartscentre.com.au

THE Young Music Society’s autumn school holiday program “Lost in the Wild” is to be a journey into the musical wilderness for primary school children led by musician Jim Sharrock. Belconnen Arts Centre, April 18 – 22. Applications to youngmusicsociety.org.au

APPLICATIONS are now open for the Playing Field Studio 2016 Community Arts Residency Program. Successful applicants will have unlimited access to a studio space for seven days or a term block (10 weeks for two hours a week over Term 3 or 4). A budget of up to $500 for materials and equipment. Submissions close at 5:00 pm on Friday, May 2 to playingfieldstudio@gmail.com or call 0468 749 711 for an application form and more information.

Workshops:

ACTING for the Fun of It courses are for adults who wish to develop their creativity through exploration of drama and theatre skills. The courses are TQI (Teacher Quality Institute) accredited and teachers are able to count the 12 hours of each course towards their 20 required hours of professional development. The first course for 2016, “Acting for the Fun of It” will commence on April 25, 7 p.m. – 9pm. (changed time) at ImproACT studios in Civic between 7 and 9 p.m. The course comprises 6 x 2 hour sessions on consecutive Mondays. Information and enrolments from tutor peterbwilkins@aol.com or peterwilkins@grapevine.com.au phone on 0408 034 373.

Prizes and Awards:

A RECORD $25,000 in cash and a Hinterland art-studio getaway make up the first prize package in one of Australia’s most prestigious regional art awards, the Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2016. The Sunshine Coast Art Prize 2016 offers a prize pool of more than $35,000 and online entries are open until 5pm on Friday, April 15. For terms and conditions of entry, visit gallery.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

REGIONAL Australia’s richest and most prestigious opera prize, the Noosa-based Dame Joan Sutherland Vocal Competition Award 2016, could help you hit a career high note. Applicants will audition live before a panel of adjudicators on Sunday, June 5 at Griffith University Conservatorium of Music, Brisbane. Applications close 5pm Friday April 29, entry form from nfa.org.au

ENTRIES for the 2016 Australian Catholic University Prize for Poetry are now welcome, with writers from all over the country competing for the coveted first prize. The $7,000 ACU Prize for Poetry will be awarded for outstanding poetry with the theme “Loving Kindness.” Closing date Monday 6th June 6, information at acu.edu.au

Dance:

GREAT SPORT! Is a dance performance celebrating the legacy of movement and sporting history in Australia. Performed by Canberra GOLDS over-55 Dance Company and Dance for Parkinson’s ACT. Main Hall and Garden of Australian Dreams, Thursday 7 April 2.00 pm – 3.00 pm, Friday 8April 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm, Saturday 9 April 3.30 – 4.30 pm. Bring a jacket if chilly. Wheelchair access is available and some seating will be provided. Free event, but please register at eventbrite.com.au.

“Faces,” by James Batchelor and collaborators, Canberra Theatre Courtyard Studio, April 6-10. Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

Theatre:

THE Great Moscow Circus, Majura Park, until April 25. Bookings to 1300 667269, thegreatmoscowcircus.com.au or at the on-site box office.

DISNEY’S “The Little Mermaid,” at the Canberra Theatre, April 8-17, bookings to canberratheatre.com.au or 6275 2700.

BELL Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”, The Playhouse, to April 9, bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

“PLAYHOUSE Creatures” by April DeAngelis and directed by Jordan Best, is the story of five of the most famous actresses of the Restoration period, their triumphs, their trials, and their struggle to be taken seriously as legitimate actors. For new company Pigeonhole, at The Q Queanbeyan, to April 9, bookings to theq.net.au or 6285 6290.

ImproACT has a new show “Parallel” at 7:30pm April 8 and 9 in Street 2. Three stories on a theme told simultaneously on one stage, using physicality and messing with focus. Bookings to thestreet.org.au or 6247 1223.

 Films:

RICKETTS’ Collection of Italian Cinema is at National Film and Sound Archive (Acton) Friday 8 April – Sunday 10 April. Bookings to trybooking.com

 BANGARRA’S Stephen Page makes his feature film directorial debut with the vibrant dance film, Spear (2015, PG, 84mins)depicting the journey of young Aboriginal man Djali (Hunter Page-Lochard) as he comes to understand what it means to be a man. It co-stars Aaron Pedersen and dancers from Bangarra Dance Theatre. Screening Arc cinema, extended to April 8. Details at nfsa.gov.au

Concerts and gigs:

THE AUSTRALIAN Chamber Orchestra’s upcoming concert series: Cinemusica. At Llewellyn Hall, 8pm Sat 9 Apr. New work for strings and percussion, bookings to aco.com.au 1800 444 444 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)

CARL Rafferty presents a Twilight Champagne celebration at Albert Hall, 5pm Saturday April 9. Enjoy great tunes and virtuosic performances. You’ll be entertained by great tunes from Rossini, Handel, Mozart, Kreisler, Debussy, Strauss and Verdi. Bookings to eventbrite.com.au.

ART Song Canberra has Northern Lights, Christina Wilson (mezzo-soprano) and Alan Hicks (piano). Music from lands illuminated by the Aurora Borealis. Songs and piano solos from Nordic composers including Edvard Grieg and Jean Sibelius, Scottish favourites and Samuel Barber’s Hermit Songs. Wesley Music Centre, Sunday 10 April 3pm, tickets at the door only, no bookings.

GRIFFYN Solos, The String Contingent is performing at Belconnen Arts Centre, Saturday April 9, Doors 7pm, music starts 7:30pm, drinks available Tickets from griffyn.iwannaticket.com.au or at the door.

THIRSTY Merc are here as part of their ‘Back to the Grind’ tour, at Canberra Southern Cross Club Corinna Street, Phillip on Thursday, 7 April. Bookings to 6283 7200.

CANBERRA Symphony Orchestra has its first concert in the 2016 ActewAGL Llewellyn Series. MOZART Symphony No. 31 in D major—Paris JONATHAN DOVE The Magic Flute Dances—?Concerto for Flute and Orchestra NIGEL WESTLAKE Out of the Blue TCHAIKOVSKY Suite No. 4 in G major—Mozartiana Benjamin Northey Conductor Virginia Taylor Flute Wednesday 6 April, 7.30pm or Thursday 7 April, 7.30pm Llewellyn Hall, bookings to cso.org.au

Exhibitions:

BEAVER Galleries has GW Bot’s “Endangered glyphs, paintings, works on paper & sculpture,” and ceramics by Les Blakebrough, and his investigation into the aesthetic and physical qualities of ‘Southern Ice’ porcelain inspired by the places in which he has lived and worked. 81 Denison St Deakin, 7 April – 1 May.

MEGALO Print Studio + Gallery has a group exhibition showcasing the unique collaborative project “Bonsai Print,” in which four Bonsai artists and five emerging printmakers have been working together at Megalo, an idea developed by Megalo’s Press Studio Manager John Hart. Trees will be replaced throughout the duration of the show altering the exhibition each week. At 21 Wentworth Avenue, Kingston, until April 30 Tuesday – Saturday 9.30am – 5pm. opening: 2pm, Saturday April 9.

“CONNECT with Your Nature: artist-in-residence” is a Craft ACT Curated Exhibition featuring Craft ACT Accredited Professional Member Ruth Kingston and Jodie Hatcher (UK). This exhibition will be opened by Brett McNamara, Regional Manager, National Parks and Catchments, ACT Parks and Conservation Service. At Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre Gallery, Level 1 North Building, 180 London Circuit Canberra. 6pm Thursday 7 April.

The Gallery of Australian Design (GAD) will be launching an exhibition this Friday 8 April at 6pm, exploring a key aspect of Canberra’s local history and heritage. Presented by the ANU School of Art Furniture Workshop, the ACT ‘Witness Tree Project’ features objects created from the timber of city street trees who have come to the end of their useful life. The ACT Witness Tree Project saw select trees distributed to a handful of artists, craftspeople and furniture makers to be transformed into new objects. At GAD 47 Jardine street Kingston until April 30.

IN “The Other Shore”, Singaporean photographer Wei Leng Tay asks how one’s sense of self is entwined with national identity, and how a host environment affects everyday lives. At Australian Centre on China in the World building, (behind the College of Law) ANU, until July 15
9am–5pm, Monday to Friday and selected weekends: 10am–4pm (April 23–24, June 10–11 and July 9–10).

“LAKE EYRE Horizons …..where sky, land and water merge” by Carmel McCrow, is opened today 7April at 6pm by Denise Ferris, Associate Professor, Head of School, School of Art, ANU. At NISHI GALLERY, 17 Kendall Lane, New Acton Exhibition runs to April 24, 11am-3pm Wednesday to Friday, 10am-4pm weekends.

THE BUNGEE program @BCS presents: ‘The Youth of Tomorrow’ A multimedia exhibition by participants of the BCS Bungee Youth Resilience Program Date(s) of event: Belconnen Community Centre, Swanson Court, Belconnen 9am-4:30pm Mon-Fri until April 15.

PhotoAccess is presenting “Right Hear, Right Now” by award-winning Sydney artist Kate Disher-Quill. Spanning all three spaces of the PhotoAccess Huw Davies Gallery, it’s a sensory experience providing an insight into what it is like to live with hearing loss, breaking down taboos, and exploring deafness and hearing loss through multimedia, photography and installation. The exhibition will be opened by Drisana Levitzke-Gray, Deaf advocate and 2015 Young Australian of the Year.

“ANIMAL, Vegetable, Mineral, a solo exhibition by Rosalind Lemoh, explores the transformative interchange between humans, animals, plants and minerals. At ANCA Gallery, 1 Rosevear Place, Dickson, 12-5pm, Wednesday-Sunday to Sunday April 24.

FROM ‘Play School’ to ‘Countdown’, from ‘Bellbird’ to ‘Alvin Purple’, early ABC television programs hold a special place in the hearts of many Australians. With its new exhibition “Tuning In: ABC TV 1964–76”, the National Archives of Australia has brought together some of the nation’s favourite shows, all from the Archives’ audio-visual collection. Opens April 7.

“THOROUGHLY Modern”, curated by David Broker, asks if the ‘Great Australian Dream’ still exists. The detached house on a quarter acre block with a barbeque and hills hoist was a measure of success in the post war 1950s and 1960s but that was a time of full employment, burgeoning wealth and urban sprawl. Artists are Janet Angus, Grant Hill, Matthew de Moiser, Alex Lewis, Danny Wild and Stephanie Wilson. At Gorman Arts Centre Canberra Contemporary Art Space until May 7, Tuesday to Friday 11am to 5pm and Saturdays 10am to 4pm.

“STRATHNAIRN artBAC” a show of work by members of Strathnairn Arts curated by Bianca Hill, “Beauty and Belonging” ceramics by Idil Abdullhai, “Uncertain Journeys” by Euan Graham, all at Belconnen Arts Centre 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen to April 25 10-4, Tuesday-Sunday.  

“SUNLIGHT and Shadows,” books and artworks on paper by Jill Clingan is at Strathnairn Gallery I. Meantime in Gallery 2 are ceramics by Trenna Langdon, both exhibitions, 90 Stockdill Drive Holt, Thurs – Sun 10 – 4, until April 17.

M16 Artspace in Griffith has ‘Look at Me’ a collection of paintings, ceramics and papier mache by four artists who live on the Far South Coast, “The Lost Plans” by painter Yanni Pounartzis, interpreting Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin’s original plans for the capital, and “Perceptions, Connections,” a group of artists who double as volunteer guides at the National Gallery of Australia respond to a works in the NGA’s collection and “Attitudes” Rick Cochrane’s print investigations of the human form in action.

NANCY Sever has an exhibition by gold/silversmith Gilbert Riedelbauch, ceramicist Avi Amesbury, and glass artist Mel George at Nancy Sever Gallery, 4/6 Kennedy Street, Kingston ACT The exhibition runs until May 1. Opening 6pm, Friday, April 8.

“PETITS Travaux”, a showing of small works at Aarwun Gallery in Gold Creek is a hanging of small, original artworks from twenty fine artists.

‘BODY Politic’ is an exhibition of new works by Melissa Cameron, which have all been conceived and created since her move to Seattle in the USA in 2012. Most works in the exhibition belong to the Escalation Series, which charts through wearable works, the history of various weapon technologies. At Bilk Gallery For contemporary metal and glass Palmerston Lane Manuka until April 17.

“BARBARA Hanrahan: Words + Art” exhibits prints and prose of artist and writer Hanrahan, assembling pieces form UNSW Canberra and UNSW art collection, at ADFA Northcott Drive, Campbell 9am to 5pm until June 17.

CARLA Wolf’s sculptures involve rotating shapes composed of lines and have a simplicity that belie her rigorous making methods as she works with different clay mixtures, often with paper fibre and/or Perlite added. The work has been made during her artistic residency at Watson Arts Centre, where the exhibition is showing at Watson Arts Centre 10am to 4pm until April 17.

THE ANNUAL Queanbeyan Leagues Club Art Exhibition is at the Queanbeyan Art Society Gallery to April 23. A record 120 works have been judged by Anita McIntyre.

IN its newest show, Canberra Museum and Gallery aims to further the enjoyment of the complexity of the nature of the Canberra region and our ‘bush capital’, in photos, paintings, sculpture, natural history illustration and drawing, scientific specimens and audio-visual material and a program of walks and talks, which can be found at cmag.com.au “Bush Capital: the natural history of the ACT,” CMAG, until June 26.

THE Friends’ Botanic Art Group’s Art Exhibition is in full swing at the Visitor Centre, Australian National Botanical Gardens until April 17.

CANBERRA Glassworks has been busy playing with marbles, and in their newest show, they’ll be showing off the responses to this humble yet technically demanding glass art form by nine artists from across Australia. “Collecting Nostalgia,” at Canberra Glassworks to April 24.