Arts in the city: Judi bowls the Bald Archy over with her ‘Wrecking Balls’

The Bald Archy winner.
A CARICATURIST, illustrator and painter from Newcastle has won this year’s $10,000 Bald Archy Prize for her portrait of cricketer Mitchell Johnson in a Miley Cyrus pose on top of a huge cricket ball. Judi Nadin, who also won the 2010 Bald Archy for her portrait of a nude Bert Newton, took the award for her portrait “Wrecking Balls (Ashes to Ashes)”. The 2014 Bald Archy Prize exhibition, Watson Arts Centre, Aspinall Street, until March 2. Entry $4.

THE monthly “Poetry at the Gods” sessions at The Gods Café/Bar in the ANU Arts Centre are getting off to a lively start with one Les Murray session on February 11 already sold out and a second one scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, 7.30 for 8pm. Bookings to thegodscafe@gmail.com or 6248 5538.

THE Canberra International Music Festival has a new general manager in pianist Kathleen Grant, described by director Chris Latham as “a very experienced arts administrator”. The appointment was made possible by the festival’s recent ascent to the ranks of “Key Arts Organisation” with the Australia Council.

FURTHER to our recent report of Bea Brickhill’s departure from Creative Partnerships Australia, an email has arrived from the CEO in Sydney, Fiona Menzies, telling us that, “based on our new organisational needs”, the ACT branch will now be closed and operate out of Sydney. Offices in SA and Tasmania will also close. ArtsACT placed stress upon the need for an ACT office and was regularly funding the organisation.

TREVOR Dunbar, director of the Canberra Grammar School Gallery, has come up with a quirky exhibition to start the year. Titled “Object ‘da”, the show, he tells us, celebrates the aesthetic value of a range of objects, some culturally specific, ranging from high kitsch to the genuine art object. “There are many engaging themes from ‘Aboriginalia’ through to crucifixes and popular arts”. At CGS Gallery, 40 Monaro Crescent, Red Hill, from this weekend until February 28, weekdays 10am to 4pm and Saturdays 11am to 4pm.

SEDUCTIVE Australian flautist Jane Rutter, who trained with the late French master, Jean-Pierre Rampal, will perform at “a delectable cocktail party in a privileged place”, the French Ambassador’s residence, as a fundraiser to help the Alliance Française of Canberra. Bookings to afcanberra.com.au/fundraising-concert-with-the-flutist-jane-rutte.

AFTER something of a drought, local young adult fiction writer, Jack Heath, is making up for lost time. Recently Canberra writer K J Taylor launched Heath’s latest book, the sci-fi thriller “Ink, Inc.”, at UC Co-op Bookshop. Heath tells us it’s about “a boy who once did something terrible”. That’s enough of a teaser.