By Heidi Trautmann

Speaking on my own behalf…I don’t know anymore where to turn to first, which concert to visit, in which event to listen to poetry read, which exhibition to visit first, where to dance the tango and which village festival to see. My calendar is full.

Let’s start with the last one, the village festivals, each little village is now celebrating something, asparagus, tulips, artichokes, chestnut, silk worms, eco, dogs, fun runs, nature walks, raki etc. old cars - we haven’t had potatoes yet and wine – not to mention art and craft and music and folk dance festivals. I hear people moaning, don’t make us race from one place to the other and always find the same things. Somehow the old established ones suffer from it, from the fatigue of the people. Someone told me…ahhh it’s election time in two weeks and all the mayors draw the attention to their well-meaning and sense for art and culture.

My priority are the arts, art exhibitions, theatre shows, literary circles, some concerts…. but just have a look at my website and count the events we had in April and May, (they are listed as I get and enter them I must find a way to sort them properly by date which is not easy) I have a collection of hundreds of posters I get sent by email only for the last two months. I get invited to many events but I cannot cover them all. I would have loved to see the first play in Lefke by the Slow Theatre behind which is Ismail Isilsoy, the sculptor of wooden faces and in earlier days also theatre man; but Lefke has become too far for me at night, but however, they will come to Kyrenia and Nicosia, see the calendar.

I also could not make it to the Baraka Theatre at the Arabahmet Cultural Centre with a play by Molière.

Yesterday I missed the Ballet Show with Moscow Ballet group dancing swan lake at the Near East University, no cards anymore. The Bellapais Musical Festival has begun…There were the Lefkosa Music Days, then Turkish Music evening with my friends the Nicosia Music Association; not to forget the Cyprus Songs on the 8^th of May.

I would have loved to see the art event at MAGEM in Famagusta, but again, it takes me three hours just driving time….for the exhibition by Gönen Atakol I had organised a bus.

There a photo exhibitions on, painting and craft exhibitions, art events by the Girne Lions Women, by Charity groups, the universities become competitive and bring one event after the other, especially Near East University for their 25^th anniversary, yesterday I went to see the sculptors work on huge blocks of marble, the exhibition Academiada will be from May 08 for one week in the foyer of the hospital and in front of the building. Last Sunday I talked to the 40 artists that were lined up on the Highway Kyrenia Lefkosa, see my report on these pages. GAU are hosting a symposition “The Art of Poetry” I am sure I will attend.

Can you see the dilemma I am in? However tonight I will be going to the FODER Photographic exhibition at 19:00 hrs. Foder is one of the local photographic associations. At 19.30 I will be at the opening of an interesting looking art exhibition by Fezile Köksal at the Ismet Güney Art Centre. You will see my report next week in Cyprus Observer. Oh yes, here one of our friends, Tim Francis, will invite his friends and art lovers to ‘Myanmar Memories and More’ at his house (see details in the Events Calendar or also on my website).

On Saturday there will be the 3^rd anniversary of the Home of Cooperation with a huge open air music festival with many music groups starting at five. That is something for the young to stay up late and sing and dance.

I think I stop now. I am not complaining, no, I am happy that people enjoy doing art, showing it and also appreciating the efforts of others. Art is a good language. But why all at once? From experience I know that in the months of July, August and half September there will be nothing, all dead. And then I will have to invent tales while I sit by the pool.