A DAY of music making at Belco Arts tops off this year’s Canberra International Music Festival, with free performances by DJ Diola, Super Rats, ANU Young Musicians Ensemble, Tiwi Strong Women, Jess Green, Golden Gate Brass Quintet, Kim Cunio and Heather Lee with Samarai Cunio and Woden Valley Youth Choir, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen, 10am-4.30pm, Saturday, May 8.

THE May edition of the LGBTQI+ Elders Dance Club Canberra, a free social event for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse and intersex elders and allies is on at Ainslie Arts Centre, 31 Elouera St, Braddon, this Sunday, May 9, from 1-3pm.

THE “Rainbow Serpent” concert at the Canberra International Music Festival brings together the musicians of Tiwi Strong Women, Ensemble Offspring, Andrew Blanch, Ariel Nurhadi, Jo Geia and dancer Tammi Gissell, who has created a new work titled “Mundaguddah”. NGA, noon and 2pm, book here.

NATIONAL Opera is presenting the Pocket Opera version of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” at Wesley Uniting Church, 2pm and 6pm, Saturday, May 8. Each concert will be followed by light refreshments with the artists. Book here.

THE Friends Ensemble Music Prize will see six ANU School of Music ensembles performing for the Friends Chamber Music prize (first prize $1,000, people’s choice $500); and Friends Jazz and Contemporary Music prize (first prize $1,000, People’s Choice $500). Big Band Room, Peter Karmel Building, ANU, 6pm, Monday, May 10. Free, register here. 

IN the next Geoff’s Poetry at Smiths, Judith Beveridge from Sydney and Canberra’s Sarah Rice will be reading their work. Smith’s Alternative, 76 Alinga St, Civic, 7pm, Monday, May 10, book here.

CRAFT ACT’s shop features locally made, handcrafted items including textiles, glass, wood, ceramics, metal, jewellery and more. Purchases will help sustain Australia’s high-quality studio practice and grow the design craft sector. 180 London Circuit, North Building, Level 1, Civic Square.

QUEANBEYAN Performing Arts Centre, The Q, has come up with “Q The Bard”, a youth Shakespeare competition designed to encourage young performers, both professional and aspiring alike, to show us their modern take on classic texts. There are monologue and duologue categories for 12-15s, 16-18s and 19-25s. The winners will have the opportunity to become Q Ambassadors for 2022. Registrations by August 1 here.