The arts week has begun, here’s some of what’s happening in today’s “Artsday” column by HELEN MUSA.

STAR mezzo-soprano and director of the Luminescence chamber ensembles, AJ America, is singing solo in a concert of music by Monteverdi and Caccini, with Ariana Odermatt at the  harpsichord. Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, 12.40pm-1.20pm, Wednesday, June 8.

THE Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra concert is coming to the National Portrait Gallery with “Sounds of Vienna” this Tuesday, June 7 at 7.30pm.

FREE-Rain Theatre Company, a part of the ACT Hub triumvirate,  presents David Williamson’s hit play “Emerald City,” directed by Anne Somes. 14 Spinifex Street, Kingston, June 8 (preview) to 25.

THE Queanbeyan Hive has launched an exhibition called “Outside of the Square”, just to be different from  Strathnairn’s popular “Squares” exhibition. All artwork needs to be hexagonal, with the idea of creating a honeycomb display of hexagon art on the theme, “The Hive”.  First Prize will be $1200, with 13-18 years $600 and 12 & under $200. The exhibition will be on show as part of the Palerang Regional ArtsTrail in October, but registrations an hexagon canvas purchases are now open here

CANBERRA artist Natsuko Yonezawa  and sound designer, Marlene Claudine Radice are  presenting a 10-minute in-progress performance work, “Achiragawa”, as part of the Vivid Sydney Program at Carriageworks in Sydney on June 9, but it will also be  livestreamed here with  a 15 percent discount code of 15LDAT22

AUTHOR   Biff Ward will be in  in conversation with Frank Bongiorno about Ward’s  most recent book, “The Third Chopstick: Tracks through the Vietnam War”, in the National Library Theatre, 6pm to 7pm,  Wednesday, June 8.