To mark the Year of Arts and Culture, the Bali Tourism Development Corporation, along with all the hotels and other facilities in Nusa Dua, are to launch the 1998 Nusa Dua Festival on 25 October, and it will run through to 30 November. The Festival's activities will centre on the Candra Loka Ampitheatre. Artists and performers will come from all areas of Bali to participate in the Festival, which is to include an exhibition of handicrafts and agricultural products. For more information Tel. (0361) 771 010.

DAVINA STEPHENS' SHOW AT GANESHA

Davina Stephens arrived in Bali aged six, and later lived in Goa, India as well as New York. She was a child of the hippie generation, whose senses were awakened by the colours, smells and exotic sounds of the tropics. But her urban experiences also add a pop culture element to her repertoire, evident in many of her paintings of scenes around Kuta Beach. Stephens has a lyrical style and often allows her canvases to overflow onto the frame. Her work can be seen at the Four Seasons' Resort's Ganesha Gallery between September 21 and October 28.

JURASSIC COMES TO KUTA

Jurassic dinosaurs thundered into Kuta last month when M&M, a catering and theme party company, recreated Jurassic Park at the request of one of its clients. Celebrated guests included an 8-meter tall Tyrannosaurus Rex, an iganodon, a corythosaurus, a triceratops, a brachiosaurus and two walking, carnivorous velociraptors. With a team of local artists, M&M transformed Waterbom Park and Spa into a dinosaur theme park. The M&M staff assumed roles much like in a theatre, and East-West cuisine was served to the guests in a jungle theme setting. M&M is a catering company based in Kuta. They offer a range of theme parties with either a Balinese or Western twist. For more information Tel. (0361) 755 676 Fax. 753 517.

EQUIL PRIMA BOWLING COMPETITION

The Prima Bowling Club will be holding a competition between 11 and 25 October to celebrate its second anniversary. The competition, sponsored by EQUIL mineral water, will involve all of Bali's bowling clubs and will take place every Saturday and Sunday during the month of October at Grand Bali Beach, Sanur. If you would like to be a part of it, Tel. (0361) 288 511 for more information.

KINNARA GALLERIES

Nusa Dua Beach Hotel has recently opened its Kinnara Galleries. Closely associated with Gallery Ardiyanto in Yogyakarta, and a global exhibition network that spans four different continents, Kinnara Galleries defies the mediocrity that pervades much of today's 'gallery industry', and each monthly exhibition is arranged by a team of professionals Tel./Fax. (0361) 287 510.

INTERCONTINENTAL CHARITY

On 4 October, the Bali Intercontinental Resort is to celebrate its fourth birthday. But this year it will be done a little differently than previous years. This year, the Intercont's birthday will be marked by its distribution of food packages to needy families in Bangli, Singaraja, Negara and Jimbaran. The packages include rice and sugar. Said General Manager Rolf Hubner : "This is our contribution to the community of which we are a part."