Arts Scene

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

welliott@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

Local writer nominated

Dana Mills, who went to Somerset and Central Kings schools, has been nominated for the $10,000 Journey Prize, now known as The Writers' Trust of Canada.

Mills works as an editor in Toronto, but he was in the area recently working on a book project. The short story “Steaming for Godthab”, which was published by Geist, is his first published work.

The 10-year-old prize is awarded annually to a new and developing writer of distinction for a short story published in a Canadian literary publication.

The award is made possible by James A. Michener's generous donation of his Canadian royalties earnings from his novel Journey, published by McClelland and Stewart in 1988. The Journey Prize itself is the most significant monetary award given in Canada to a writer at the beginning of his or her career for a short story or excerpt from a fiction work-in-progress.

t@b peforms

On Thursday and Friday, Oct. 16-17, t@b will perform live at the Al Whittle Theatre in Wolfville. The shows start at 8 p.m. and will be done by 10 p.m.

While unveiling a collection of brand new t@b songs, the duet will perform material by local songwriters Jack McDonald and Chris Robinson, among others. Chris will appear onstage playing bass and singing, along with Denise Aspinall, Aran Silmeryn and Adam Bazinet.

Both shows will be recorded for possible reproduction. Tickets are available for $10 at Just Us! in Wolfville or from Ariana Nasr and Andy Flinn.

Paper marbling workshop

There are still spaces available in the paper-marbling workshop Oct. 25 at the ninth annual Gaspereau Press Wayzgoose.

The workshop is intended to introduce participants to the basics of making decorative paper through the process of marbling.

The facilitator is bookbinder Joe Landry of Cow Bay, N.S. The session will be limited to 10 participants, selected on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a $30 fee for participants. This workshop will be held Saturday, Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Kentville Rec Centre, 354 Main Street.

For more information about the workshop, this year's wayzgoose and the full weekend schedule, visit www.gaspereau.com or call 678-6002.

Please submit

The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia invites aspiring Atlantic writers to send unpublished manuscripts by Dec. 5.

Since 1976, more than 500 prizes have been won by novelists, poets, non-fiction and children’s writers. Many of today’s best-known writers first tested the waters and placed in the Atlantic Writing Competition.

The competition encourages writers to write for existing markets and is judged in five different categories: poetry, novel, short story, children’s picture book and YA novel. Submissions are accepted from anyone (at least 16 years old) who has been resident in the Atlantic provinces since June 1. Published writers may not enter in a category in which they have been published or produced.

Each entry is judged by professionals working in the field, with short individual critiques returned to participating writers. Cash prizes ranging from $50 to $200 are awarded to the top three submissions in each category at a gala next September.

For complete details and to obtain a copy of the required entry form, visit www.writers.ns.ca /awc.html.

Hear ghosts

Jeremy Novak, who conducts Wolfville Walking Tours, has a new “Gravely Ghost Tour,” which is his second 90-minute historical production, running Wednesday, Oct. 29 and Friday, Oct. 31 at 8 p.m.

“There are many Wolfville legends, both documented and folklore, worthy of perpetuation. Let the gravekeeper dressed in black and his ghostly friends inform and entertain.

“At the same time,” Novak adds with a grin, “they are not intended to cause sudden heart attacks. That would be bad for business.”

Art classes

The Ross Creek Centre for the Arts has a children’s visual art class for kids aged 8-11 running until Dec. 7. Join in on Sundays from 1–3 p.m. for nine weeks of classes taught by artist in residence Sojo Truth.

Explore the world of art in a fun way, led by a professional artist. For more information, e-mail Chris O’Neill at chris@artscentre.ca.

On a Wolfville wall

Jack's Gallery is a brand new shared venture of the Just Us! Wolfville Café and the Acadia Cinema Co-op. Located in the back lobby of the café, at the entrance to the Al Whittle Theatre, the new gallery is a shared community space where filmgoers and java sippers can enjoy the creative efforts of local visual artists.

Submission forms are available at the Just Us! Wolfville café or at www.justuscoffee.com. Deadline for submissions is Oct. 31.

Fundy screenings

Fundy Film screens How She Move this Sunday. While living in the turmoil of her surroundings, Raya attempts to follow her med school dreams through an inner-city stepping team competition. Filled with genuine dance performances and hypnotic choreography, this film grabs you and never lets go.

It will screen at the Al Whittle Theatre, Wolfville, Oct. 19, 4 and 7 p.m. Tickets ($8) are available 30 minutes before screening. Visit www.fundyfilm.ca or call (902) 542-5157.

Coming up

Until Oct. 25

The O’Conner Girls, CentreStage Theatre, Kentville, 678-8040

Until Nov. 8

Edward Burtynsky’s photos, Acadia Art Gallery, Wolfville

Until Nov. 27

Erma Walker, Valley Regional Hospital Art Gallery, Kentville