Arts Things: Happenings in and Around Bellevue This Week

1. BAMIgnite takes place this Friday, Sept. 30, from 8 - 11 p.m. at , 510 Bellevue Way NE. For $5 music, performance and art all burst together in this high-energy after-hour party. Come celebrate the final days of BAM's popular "Think Twice: New Latin America Jewelry" show. Wear your most provocative jewels to get showered with surprise gifts! 21+ only. Cash bar.

2. , 8805 S.E. 40th Street, Mercer Island presents a free talk by award-winning Broadway producer Mitchell Maxwell, Oct. 2, 2011 at 2 p.m. What does it take to have a career in the arts today? Maxwell will discuss what it takes to build a career in the arts based on his own experiences as told in his just released novel Little Did I Know (Prospecta Press, October 2011), a coming-of-age tale about a young aspiring producer who dreams of creating glorious musicals in the tradition of summer stock. It's inspired by Maxwell's real life experiences. Maxwell will sign books after the event. No advance reservations and seating is limited.

3. Village Theatre, 303 Front Street North, Issaquah, presents Take Me America, through Oct. 23. The theatre says the rock musical revolves around seven desperate refugees who know their chance for safety rests in the decision of three American agents, inspired by true stories from across the globe. The show runs Wednesday - Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., Saturdays & Sundays at 2 p.m., selected Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m., and selected Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. Ticket prices range from $22 - $62.

4. Friday, Sept. 30 – Sunday, Oct. 2 is corporate appreciation days at BAM. If your company is a corporate sponsor of BAM, you and a guest are invited to visit for free this weekend. All you have to do is show your corporate badge or business card. Not sure if your business is a BAM partner? Check here.

5. Are you an artist? BAM is seeking entries for its Biennial 2012: High Fiber Diet, juried exhibition. The submission deadline is Dec. 15, 2011. The BAM Biennial is a juried exhibition occurring every two years which focuses on the work of established and emerging Northwest artists and craftsmen, emphasizing current and new work. For 2012, artists are encouraged to take a creative approach to the fiber medium, considering both traditional expressions of fiber art and the fringes of the medium, where concepts of art and craft merge. The exhibition is intended to recognize the innovative and extraordinary work being produced by contemporary Northwest makers, and to celebrate the region's distinctive character. Exhibition Dates: Oct. 25, 2012 - Feb. 24, 2013. Visit BAM's website here for details on how to submit.