Arts Council calls for award nominations

The Arts Council of Southeast Missouri is accepting nominations for two annual arts awards. The deadline is today. Nomination forms are available at the Arts Council, 16 N. Spanish St. in Cape Girardeau, or at www.capearts.org/Awards.aspx. The Otto F. Dingeldein Award can be given to living artists, non-artists or organizations. The Friend of the Arts Award honors a nominee involved with the Arts Council who provides assistance to the organization. Recipients will be named at the Dingeldein Gala on Feb. 17 at the Cape Girardeau Country Club. For more information, contact the Arts Council at (573) 334-9233.

Bootheel Bluegrass Festival returns

The annual Bootheel Bluegrass Festival returns at 7 p.m. Thursday; from 2 to 10 p.m. Jan. 27; and from 12:30 to 10 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Bavarian Halle, 225 Drury Lane in Jackson. Tickets for Thursday are $10; tickets for Jan. 27 or Jan. 28 are $15 per day; or a three-day pass may be purchased for $30. For more information, call (314) 368-4418 or (314) 831-6406 or visit www.bootheelbluegrass.com.

'Dixie Swim Club' auditions to be held

The River City Players will hold auditions for its upcoming production, "The Dixie Swim Club," at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at Port Cape Girardeau, 19 N. Main St. For more information, call director Larry Davis at (573) 270-3994.

'Bartered Bride' performances set

"The Bartered Bride," an opera by Bedrich Smetana, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. today and 3 p.m. Sunday in the Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus, 518 N. Fountain St. in Cape Girardeau. Tickets are $18 and may be purchased at the River Campus box office, by phone at (573) 651-2265 or online at www.rivercampus.org/tickets.

The Messiah Choir concert to be held

Trinity Lutheran Church will host the annual Messiah Choir performance of Handel's "Messiah" at 3 p.m. Sunday at the church, 100 N. Frederick St. in Cape Girardeau. All are welcome to attend.

Lecture and exhibit to be held in Cape

Murray State University's Nicole Hand-Bryant will present a lecture titled "The Job We Wanted, and the Job We Actually Do" from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Feb. 2. Hand-Bryant also will present a pop-up exhibition and print sale during First Friday Openings from 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 3. All events will be at Catapult Press in Southeast Missouri State University's Catapult Creative House, 612 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. All gallery exhibitions, events and talks are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Leah Powers at lepowers@semo.edu or (573) 290-5372.

-- From staff reports

Pertinent addresses:

16 N. Spanish St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

225 Drury Lane, Jackson, Mo.

19 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

518 N. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

100 N. Frederick St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

612 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.