Another busy burst of local arts news and events in today’s “Artsday” column by HELEN MUSA.

COMEDIAN Sammy J, nominated for  Best Comedy Release at the ARIA awards, will be in town performing songs from his album “Symphony in J Minor” and beyond. Canberra Theatre Centre, Saturday, April 9, Book here  or 6275 2700.

POLIFEMY choir, directed by Robyn Mellor, will perform music of the Renaissance for Palm Sunday and Holy Week in Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest, 5pm-6pm,  Sunday, April 10. Book here.

THE National Capital Orchestra, under the baton of Louis Sharpe,  will play works by  Dvořák, Dulcie Holland and Liszt at The Q, Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre, 3pm, Sunday, May 10. Book here  or 6285 6290.

THE Canberra Refugee Action Campaign’s major annual rally in Garema Place, from 1pm on Sunday, April 10, will be attended by Afghan film and TV actor Hasiba Ebrahimi, in town to host a screening of the movie “Shereen” at Palace Electric Cinema on April 11. Proceeds from the screenings around Australia will go to its cast and crew and other Afghan filmmakers now in hiding in Afghanistan.

MARUKI Orchestra is presents its first concert for 2022, “Melodies in Autumn” at Albert Hall, 3pm-5pm, Sunday, April 10. Book here

IN “Connecting Stories: Innovations”, Australian Dance Party, Catapult Dance, QL2 Dance and The Flipside Project are joining hands from Canberra and Newcastle to create works in response to the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibition “Shakespeare to Winehouse”. At the National Portrait Gallery, 11.30am, 12.15pm, 1pm and 1.45pm, on Saturday, April 9, and Sunday, April 10. All welcome.

CANBERRA Potters Gallery is exhibiting the work of four 2021 ceramics graduates from the ANU School of Art and Design  – Martha de Ramos, Roz Hall, Rose Shen-Ju Hsieh and Oliver Owens. “Connections: EASS 2022” runs until May 1. 

THE Queanbeyan Palerang Heritage Festival is running from April 9 to May 14, with more than 15 events held between Queanbeyan, Bungendore, and Braidwood. The festival will be officially launched in at the Queanbeyan Library,  6.30pm, April 12. All details here.

NANCY Sever Gallery  in Civic has “Fragile,” by  Annie Franklin and Gordon Robinson, opening on  Sunday,  April 10. Then the exhibition runs until May 8.

ANNETTE Gero, one of Australia’s leading quilt historians and internationally recognised experts on Australian quilt history, will be talk about soldiers’ quilts at the National Library of Australia, 6pm on Monday,  April 11. Dr Gero will also talk about the history of quilting in Australia in the Queanbeyan Bicentennial Hall at 11am Tuesday,  April 12. Inquiries to 0413 186 796.

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