Art editor HELEN MUSA always has arts news to share. Here’s her “Arts in the City” column…

“I MET Spielberg and he spoke to me. It was so surreal that Steven Spielberg knew my name,” reports Canberra actor Rob Shiells, who made a dashing Mr Bingley in Kirsty Budding’s 2019 production of “Pride and Prejudice”. Shiells moved to Los Angeles last year on a scholarship to the LA branch of the New York Film Academy, where, despite covid, he has continued to find work in short films and TV, including a featured role in Steven Spielberg’s current film “The Fabelmans”, loosely based on the famous director’s childhood. 

FOR the first time, M16 Artspace is offering a drawing prize for younger artists. With the help of Capital Chemist there’ll be junior (years K-6) and senior (years 7-12) prizes. The M16 Young Drawers’ Prize is for drawings made in the past year in traditional drawing media and techniques. It is open to entrants from the ACT and surrounds. Entries close on October 24.

NOW launched on the documentary platform “iwonder” is the timely but disturbing film “Motley’s Law”, about Kimberley Motley, an audacious former beauty queen who became the first and only Western lawyer – and the only woman – licensed to practice law in the courts of Afghanistan. Now living in North Carolina, it presents a portrait of one woman’s desire to deliver justice in a place where the most dangerous thing for many people could soon be the law itself. Accessible at iwonder.com, with Telstra TV, Apple TV, Android TV or through Google Chromecast or Apple’s Airplay.

CANBERRA Contemporary Art Space on the lake and CCAS Manuka are closed until further notice, but have suggested art lovers take a look through their exhibition catalogues and “past shenanigans” on a new and improved CCAS website at ccas.com.au

IN a similar inspiration, dance artist Liz Lea, while announcing the postponement of “Stars in 3D”, has posted a video impression of the show’s highlights.

LOOKING ahead, there is still optimism that the 22nd Italian Film Festival will screen at Palace Electric from September 21 and the Japanese Film Festival at Palace and the National Film and Sound Archive from October 28.