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Jian Ghomeshi to moderate Readers and Writers Festival

Also in arts news: get Works-in-Progress tickets, check out a new art exhibit and go to summer camp
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media star

The Whistler Readers and Writers Festival announced that Jian Ghomeshi, host of CBC Radio's Q, author and musician, will serve as key moderator at the event this year.

On Oct. 19, he will interview the to-be-announced headlining author in an "in conversation" session during the festival's gala evening. He will also moderate a brunch panel on Oct. 20.

"I never need an excuse to come back to Whistler," Ghomeshi said in a release. "But I'm so glad to be coming back for this homegrown event. I'm honoured and excited to be part of this event."

This year, the festival, running from Oct. 18 to 20, received $30,000 from the Resort Municipality of Whistler's Festivals, Events and Animation program to help grow the event. So far, organizers have revealed that Patrick deWitt, author of the Governor General Literary Award-winning book The Sisters Brother, Lisa Moore, Canada Reads winner, Richard Wagamese, winner of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Media and Communications and Robert Rich, who wrote The Midwife of Venice will all take part.

The full lineup will be released in early August.

Works-In-Progress tickets on sale

The Point Artist-Run Centre is kicking off its summer season with the first in a series of events called Works-in-Progress.

During the shows, local and visiting artists will offer audiences a peak into their creative process and what they're currently working on. The shows will take place at the heritage lodge on Alta Lake and include an informal dinner.

First up, Scotia Bank Giller Prize finalist Zsuzsi Gartner will talk about her unique Analog Project July 6. The Vancouver author decided to go offline after growing tired of faux-human contact on social networking and watching her productivity plummet thanks to unending strings of Internet links. Wrapping up a year on her big, red typewriter, Gartner will offer insight into the experience.

The talk will be followed by a concert from Whistler's Poor Dirty Sylvia. The duo will play their own brand of old-time country along with covers and talk about their songwriting process.

Tickets are $20 for the show and dinner and $10 for the show. They're available now at Armchair Books, Hempire and online at www.thepointartists.com.

Tree to Sky exhibit opens

A new solo exhibit is opening at the Nita Lake Lodge Train Station Gallery on Saturday featuring paintings by Bowen Island artist Janet Esseiva.

The show, titled Tree to Sky, will feature Esseiva's colourful landscapes of trees. With over 25 years of painting and teaching experience, she's studied art in both South Africa and Canada and currently works on Bowen Island where she also serves as a curator at The Gallery @ ArtisanSquare.

The exhibit opening will take place Saturday from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the gallery.

Art camp for kids

Sports are out. Loitering in the village is out. Sitting on the couch all summer is definitely out. So what do you do with holidaying kids when school is over?

Send them to one of the expressive art camps running at the Point Artist-Run Studio starting in July. Registration for the six-week camp for 8 to 11 year olds is still open ahead of the kick off on July 9. Taking place every Tuesday and Wednesday until Aug. 16, the classes will rotate through activities involving music, art and theatre.

Separate, but similar classes for teens ages 12 to 16 will take place on the same days. To register or for more info visit www.thepointartists.com.