HELEN MUSA’s back with another “Artsday” column previewing some of the week’s best arts events. 

EASTERN European music band Super Rats will take the audience on a metaphorical ride through the backstreets of Bucharest from 6pm on Friday, March 25, after which, at 7.30pm, the movie “The Grand Budapest Hotel” will screen under the stars at Strathnairn Arts Homestead, Holt, where a pop-up snack bar, sausage sizzle barbecue and wood-fired pizzas will be available. Book here 

Then at Smith’s Alternative on the following night, March 26, the Super Rats will be on stage again from 6.30pm with “a full program of doinas, sirbas, horas and songs about broken carts, broken hearts, equine theft and life’s vicissitudes”. Bookings here

AFTER many postponements, Poetry at Manning Clark House, Forrest, returns this week with poets Andrew Galan, Michael Thorley and Suzanne Edgar reading. From 7pm to 9pm, Thursday, March 24. Book here

VETERAN doctor-pianist Robert Schmidli will perform Bach’s “Partita no 1 in B flat Major BWV 825”, Bartók’s “Suite Op 14” and Chopin’s “Ballade no 4 in F minor Op 52” in this week’s Wednesday Lunchtime Concert at Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, 12.40pm-1.20pm, March 23. Book here  or 6232 7248.

GRAINGER Gallery has an exhibition of “Snow Gums” by Yanni Pounartzis, famous for his chip-eating magpie “Big Swoop” sculpture in Garema Place. To be opened by Cassandra Keller, CEO of CK Architecture, the show offers a contemporary view of an ancient landscape. Building 3.3, 1 Dairy Road, Fyshwick, opening, 6pm, Thursday, March 24.

WRITERS from the Fellowship of Australian Writers Canberra and Region have produced an anthology of short stories and verse titled “School Days”, capturing vivid images of school days past from teachers and students, compiled and edited by Jenni Warren and Michael Moloney. Launch at the Inspire Centre (Building 25) University of Canberra, 5.30pm, Thursday, March 24. To attend, contact [email protected]

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.