Vocal Intent will be singing two concerts of songs for six voices: Spring Flowers, An Eclectic Bouquet, on Saturday at 7 p.m. at St. Hilda’s Anglican Church in Sechelt. Admission is by donation to benefit St. Hilda’s Ministries as part of their Artist in Our Midst series.

They perform again at 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Pender Harbour School of Music. 

The program includes songs from many genres of music, mostly a cappella arrangements, knit loosely around the theme of spring turning to summer. The six-member group has been together for several years, working on their ensemble sound. They are Sylvain Brochu, Jon Eriksson, Jen MacInnes, Tom Kellough, Elizabeth Scott and Tina Wesseling. See more at www.vocalintent.ca.

Dare To Be Heard

Tonight (Friday) at 8 p.m. the Artesia Coffeehouse at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt presents Dare To Be Heard! A Night of Spoken Word hosted by Richard Austin and Shelley Harrison Rae. Admission is $10 at door. See: www.suncoastarts.com for more details.

Suncoast Singers

The Suncoast Singers present their spring concert, Celebrating Creation, at 7:30 p.m. tonight (Friday) at St. John’s United Church in Davis Bay and at 2:30 p.m., Sunday at St. Hilda’s Anglican Church. The performance features selections from Haydn’s Creation and other choral works. Tickets are $15, available at Laedeli Gifts in Gibsons, the Sechelt Visitor’s Centre or at the door. Children under 12 are admitted free.

Cedar weaving

A cedar weaving workshop with Jessica Casey takes place this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sunshine Coast Museum and Archives 716 Winn Rd. in Gibsons. You will learn the basic skills of weaving and, over the course of the day, complete a berry basket to take home. No experience is necessary. Fee includes materials. This workshop is a pre-requisite to a two-day cedar weaving workshop in June. To pre-register, contact 604-886-8232.

Short films

The Sunshine Coast Film Society presents Gay and Lesbian Lives in West Africa — Three Short Films by Paula Stromberg on Monday, May 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons.

A Good Day in Ghana (17 min.) and Women in Blue Jeans (seven min.) explore gay lives in a UN refugee camp in Ghana, where government officials ordered the arrest of homosexuals. In The Cleansing (17 min.), a young man discovered in bed with his boyfriend flees to Vancouver after his life is threatened. The Rainbow Refugee Committee assisted him in remaining in Canada. Special guest Paula Stromberg is an NGO journalist covering human rights and LGBTQ issues around the world. She will be in attendance along with guest Chris Morrissey, the founder of the Rainbow Refugee Committee. See: www.scfs.ca for more.

Verandah show

See work by artist Jan Poynter at her Verandah Show at Poynter Studio this weekend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 558 Woodland Ave. in Grantham’s Landing (off Chamberlin between Reed and Harvey roads).

On show are original paintings, works from the studio archive, pastels, water colours and more. She will also be launching the newest series of Natural Pattern paintings and prints. See more at www.janpoynter.com.

Chorus at Harmony

Arbutus Sounds Chorus will be bringing their barbershop-style tones to the Gibsons Seniors Society on Saturday for a spring potluck. Doors open at Harmony Hall (on Harmony Lane in Lower Gibsons) at 5 p.m. and dinner is at 5:30. Tickets are $5 available from Phyllis at 604-886-1378.

Art and music

A colourful combination of art and music takes place on Saturday at 7 p.m. when Gibsons artist Nadina Tandy creates a work of art throughout the evening accompanied by the equally artistic music of Graham Ord on sax, Paul Steenhuis on bass and Barry Taylor on drums. A donated artwork from Tandy will be auctioned to benefit the Food Bank. Call 604-886-3114 to reserve, as seating is limited.

Poetry reading

The Gibsons Live Poets Society brings two acclaimed White-horse poets, Jamella Hagen and Clea Roberts, to the Sunshine Coast this Saturday at 7 p.m.

The poetry reading takes place at Wheatberries Bistro at 818 Gibsons Way and is free and open to the public. Canada Council for the Arts and the Writers’ Union of Canada are sponsoring the reading. For more information, visit www.gibsonspoets.ca or email info@
gibsonspoets.ca.

Open house

The Sunshine Coast Spinners and Weavers Guild hosts a 25-year celebration at an open house on Friday, June 1, from 4 to 8 p.m. at St. Hilda’s Church. Admission is free. At 7 p.m. there will be a lecture by Jacey Boggs, instructor and author of Spin Art — Mastering the Craft of Spinning Textured Yarn.

Tuesday deadline

Send notice of your arts events to jandegrass@dccnet.com or phone 604-886-4692 by Tuesday at 5 p.m. for Friday’s newspaper. Let me know who, what, where, when, why and ticket info briefly. Because of the volume of submissions, Art Beat covers events one day to one week ahead only.