The Gang was off snapping the Canberran paparazzi at ANCA, Dickson, yesterday morning during the media launch of the inaugural Canberra Living Artists Week; an event that’ll go off like party popcorn across the length and breadth of the city over the next week and a bit. Canberra Arts Marketing has pulled together an Organising Committee made up of the Who’s Who of hip pro-active arts management (yep, there is a pulse in Canberra’s pompous arts cadaver, despite scurrilous reports to the contrary…) and the resultant ‘festival’ promises to be an absolute hoot.

Artists Jeffrey and Alex Frith pulled out their chainsaws for a bit of wintery ice sculpting while guest speaker (fortepianist) Geoffery Lancaster announced the star guest for the upcoming weekend program of live mayhem and funky art havoc; the incomparable HG Nelson. (The gang is seriously excited, we love HG.) A jolly launch was had by all, due in no small measure to the bucket of gluwein. All in all it presages plenty of fun ahead…

For a run down of the CLAW program go to

http://www.artsaroundcanberra.com.au/claw/

and for more happy snaps from yesterday’s media scrum go to

http://www.flickr.com/photos/glasscentralcanberra/sets/72157601596688419/

 The art in the background, by the way, is:

(i) The Colour of ABC, an exhibition of paintings by Joy McDonald (in the ANCA gallery until Sept 2nd), and

(ii) Mothers of the Revolution, figurative ceramic sculpture by Vivien Lightfoot (in the ANCA courtyard, also until Sept 2nd)