What’s happening in the arts? HELEN MUSA knows. It’s her “Arts in the City” column…

MUSICACT has appointed Canberra-born bass player Joel Tyrrell as its new program manager, with the brief to deliver MusicACT’s professional development program to empower contemporary musicians of all ages and the industry to grow their careers in Canberra. Inquiries to 0410 132680 or joel@musicact.com

CAROLINE Downer has installed an exhibition called “Art Word Place” at the Regional Australia Institute in Barton. Writers from the Arts North West region were commissioned to create a short poem or prose based on their home landscape. The artists drew on this as the basis of new works capturing rivers, plains and sky, drought, of adversity and optimism. Level 2, 53 Blackall Street, Barton, 8am to 5pm, Monday to Thursday, until further notice.

STRATHNAIRN Arts has two shows, paintings by Cindy Curby that capture the life of local native flora found in the bushlands of the Canberra region, along with “Once Upon a Time, When Trees Were Big” mixed medias works by Elena Bozhko Marshall until April 5.

ROLAND Peelman, artistic director of the Canberra International Music Festival, will perform a recital of piano music by Bach, Mozart, Schumann, Skrjabin and Kats-Chernin at Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, 12.40 to 1.20pm, Wednesday, March 25. No bookings required. Program and tickets at the door.

CANBERRA Contemporary Art Space staff emailed to say they’re busy settling into their new home on Lake Burley Griffin, and would be happy to accept tax-deductible donations to help. Meantime, exhibitions at CCAS Manuka go on as usual and as there is still availability to exhibit there this year they’re calling for proposals. Information and donations at ccas.com.au 

MANY performances have been postponed or cancelled by the government’s strategy to contain coronavirus. The cancelled performances this week include: 

• WORKS by James Madsen, Meredith Connie and Julia Vlahogiannis at the ANU School of Music on March 26.
• CANBERRA Bach Ensemble at St Christopher’s Cathedral, Manuka, March 27 and 29.
• THE twilight concert at the Tuggeranong Arts Centre, March 29. 
• THE Australian Chamber Orchestra’s performance at Llewellyn Hall, on March 21.