HELEN MUSA has a nose for arts news and views. Here’s her latest “Arts in the City” column. 

CANBERRA actor Jasmin Shojai has won a place in the global finals of World Monologue Games 2021, which features performers from 50 countries and will feature in the “Main Amateur” category. More than 100,000 viewers have already tuned in to the qualifiers and regional livestream finals. The global finals will be live streamed here on November 12, 13, 19 and 20. 

THE new “Little Darlings” Youth Portrait Prize 2022 at the National Portrait Gallery is for students only, with four separate categories across kindergarten to year 12. Responding to the theme “identity”, young artists can paint, draw, photograph, print or combine all of these to make their portrait. Three winners will be chosen from each category by a panel of judges including NPG director Karen Quinlan. Applications are due by 5pm, Friday, October 8 at portrait.gov.au

LANDSCAPE photographer Scott Leggo has expanded his jigsaw puzzle range to cheer up patrons in extended lockdowns, with 13 new puzzles added to his range featuring panoramic photos from Canberra and across Australia. Visit scottleggo.com

SHANE Strange, the founder and publisher of Recent Work Press, a small prizewinning press poetry imprint based in the ACT, is keen to set up a patrons’ fund that honours and thanks key supporters while supporting the administrative and operating costs of running an independent publisher. All donations will be tax-deductible in Australia and the fund will be open for one-off or periodic donations until December 31 by emailing contact@recentworkpress.com 

WHILE preparing for the launch of the inaugural National Capital Art Prize, now postponed to October, Aarwun Gallery director Robert Stephens has commissioned a new logo featuring its catchcry, “Art For Everyone”. Inquiries to aarwuncanberra@bigpond.com 

CARWOOLA artist Isobel Rayson is presenting a body of new work with Suki and Hugh Gallery in Bungendore.But with the gallery currently closed, the exhibition will be presented in a virtual tour utilising Matterport technology, which precisely models the space allowing viewers to walk through at their leisure. We know how gallery director Susan Foxlee feels when she says, of the new technology: “Hopefully I can wrap my head around it.” The walk is accessible here.