Reading Misreadings

While the Grand Valley Writers Series is known for bringing esteemed and emerging writers from other regions to campus to share their work, up next on the annual series’ roster is none other than one of our own. Monica Robinson, affiliate professor of writing at Grand Valley State University, is set be the next author featured in the 2014 Grand Valley Writers Series. On Oct. 14, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Robinson will read from her latest published manuscript, “Bright Shards of Someplace Else.” The book is made up of 11 stories that looks into what happens when people misread the minds of others. The book reading and signing will take place in the Alumni House and Visitor Center Dining Room on the Allendale Campus. The event is free to attend and open to the public. To find out more about the series, contact Oindrilla Mukherjee at (616) 331-3411 or [email protected].

Will Play for Food

It’s no secret that a common occurrence at concerts is the overconsumption of certain beverages. This month at The Intersection, however, it’s all about the lack of food consumption that others in the local community deals with each day. The Intersection has partnered with the Will Play For Food Foundation – a group focused on enabling venues to donate a portion of their proceeds to feed hungry children in their communities. For the remainder of the month, every ticket that the venue sells will provide a meal to a child in West Michigan. Additionally, Will Play For Food staff members will be at select shows throughout the month collecting donations, 100 percent of which will be put toward ending childhood hunger in North America. For more on the foundation, check out willplayforfoodfoundation.org. To see which shows are coming up at The Intersection, visit sectionlive.com.

What It’s All A.B.out

On Oct. 18, Grand Rapids-based hip-hop artist A.B. will release his album at The Pyramid Scheme. Not only will the album be released via hardcopy, but also it will be performed in its entirety live. The one-man act A.B. will be joined by a live band, as well as by a handful of local artists such as Lady Ace Boogie and Dante Cope. The show kicks off at 8:30 p.m. and welcomes those ages 21 and older. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door. To listen to A.B.’s work, visit soundcloud.com/ab-11. For more about the album release party, visit the event page at facebook.com/events/1445633198994771.

Grand Prize of ArtPrize

This week, downtown Grand Rapids will be a bit easier to maneuver; the votes are in and counted – ArtPrize has officially ended. But for Anila Quayyum Agha, creator of “Intersections,” a big part of the ArtPrize experience is just beginning. Agha’s entry, which was a crowd favorite from the start, took both the public and juried vote, in turn claiming the grand total of $300,000. The first-year contestant became the first two-time ArtPrize grand prize winner and a three-time ArtPrize prize winner all in one evening. Also for the first time in the history of the festival, the juried vote was split between two entries, the other winner being the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s “(Dis)comfort Zones,” which took a $100,000 prize. To check out “Intersections,” visit the official ArtPrize page at artprize.org/anila-quayyum-agha/2014/intersections.Bethany On Oct. 19 the Louis Armstrong Theatre will host the debut performance of student-written piece “Bethany.” The play was written by Laura Marks and directed by Kerissa Bradley as a part of a the Performance Studio Series, which allows theatre students to direct and produce their own works. The play is set to begin at 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, and will also be performed at the same time on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21. Tickets are $6 in advance and $7 the day of the show. For more information, contact the Louis Armstrong Theatre box office at (616) 331-2300.