CALLING ALL ARTISTS: How do you have your work displayed in the Dallas Arts District without it being in one of its museums? The answer is: win the Fourth Annual Catholic Foundation Plaza Artists Competition. The winner gets $1,000 and his or her work transferred onto a vinyl-like substance for it to be displayed on a 28 foot by 9 foot outdoor art wall at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe. The winning entry will be unveiled in October, the same month as the opening for the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts. Entries needn’t be religious in nature, but they should be appropriate for the space that they will inhabit. Deadline for entering is Aug. 12.; for an entry form, e-mail [email protected].

ANOTHER FW PIANO PRODIGY: Later this month, pianists from around the world will descend on Fort Worth to compete in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. And it may not be long before one of Fort Worth’s own enters the field. Lewis Warren Jr. is already making waves in the piano community by winning several competitions. And the 12-year-0ld has nerves of steel, having recently played the national anthem in front of 170,000 people at Texas Motor Speedway. He says he was “sort of nervous” in a profile in The Dallas Morning News, but he just likes playing in front of people.  Be sure to watch the accompanying video for a taste of his talent.

PROS AND CONS: The Washington Post conducted a pretty thorough investigation of the recession’s affect on the arts over the weekend. The findings are probably what you would expect: Arts administrators are having a tough time making ends meet, while art students are worried about their prospects. Some silver linings were found, though. Among them: “As financial bubbles pop, speculators may stop investing in the art market, which would bring its prices back to earth. Those lower prices would help museums stretch their acquisition funds.” So see, it’s not all bad.