Here’s this week’s “Arts in the City” from our arts editor HELEN MUSA.

CANBERRA troubadour Fred Smith, who by day works for DFAT processing refugees, will join band members to perform songs from his “Dust of Uruzgan” album as well as new material drawing on his experiences working on the Afghan evacuation, in support of Afghan refugees in Canberra. At The Playhouse, February 17. Book at canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

“MIXED Signals” is a new solo exhibition exploring the perceptions of beauty from Canberra-born artist Jess Cochrane, whose star is fast on the rise in the international scene. “Signals” showcases more than a dozen multi-disciplinary painted-over photographic portraits, created in Canberra during a recent visit from her home in London. It opens at aMBUSH Gallery Kambri, ANU, 6pm-8pm, February 10 (book via events.humanitix.com) then runs until March 15. 

PHOENIX Collective is performing “Darkness & Light”, works by Beethoven, Mozart and Aussie composer Mace Francis, at Tuggeranong Arts Centre, February 17. Book at trybooking.com

“DEGREES of Concern” is a group exhibition at ANU School of Art & Design Gallery, February 9 – March 18, featuring artists from around Australia including Yandell Walton, Ngaio Fitzpatrick and Adam Sebire. The exhibition coincides with the ANU Climate Update Conference and is also part of “Aquifer”, an ACT-wide program of dialogue, events and exhibitions responding to the climate crisis.

THE Eishan Ensemble’s “Project Masnavi”, led by the Persian-Australian tar virtuoso Hamed Sadeghi, fuses contemporary Persian classical music with modern jazz. They’ll be at The Street Theatre, February 12. Book at thestreet.org.au

“TRIPTYCH” is an exhibition of 40 years of ceramic leadership from Janet deBoos, Greg Daly and Alan Watt, curated by Peter Haynes. At Nancy Sever Gallery, City Walk, Civic, until February 27.

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