lBig things are happening at the Bermuda National Gallery (BNG) in the weeks and months ahead.

September 21 marks the opening of two new exhibitions, each of which will run until January 15. 'Focus on Colour: From the 1870s to 2001' will feature both works from the BNG's permanent collection and others from private collections. Curated by artist Julie Coash, who is also senior lecturer in studio art and art history at the Bermuda College, the paintings will illustrate the way colour has been used in art during the period specified.

'Man of Mystery, The Artwork of Edward James, 1861 to 1877,' features a series of watercolours which has been assembled by the BNG working in conjunction with the Bermuda Archives, the Bermuda National Trust, the Bermuda Historical Society and the St. George's Historical Society, from whose collections they are derived.

'Bermuda Sightings' will feature six photos by former Masterworks Foundation artist in residence Phil Bergerson. The 15'' x 15" colour shots are all of the Royal Naval Dockyard, and are loosely themed around the vanishing British naval presence in Bermuda. They form part of a 30-strong collection of images Mr. Bergerson exhibited in Toronto last year.

October 3 sees the resumption of the Gallery's popular lunchtime lecture series with guest speakers drawn from participants in this summer's Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC. The speakers will debate Bermuda's cultural offerings in a collaborative project between the Gallery and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. The hour-long lectures take place on Wednesdays. Further details will be featured in the Bermuda Calendar.

The BNG is teaming up with the Masterworks Foundation this autumn to launch a new tour through the City of Hamilton. Entitled 'Walk of Art,' it will start in the National Gallery and proceed to the Bermuda Society of Arts gallery across the landing. Either BNG Director Laura Gorham or Masterworks' Tom Butterfield will then take walkers to the Anglican Cathedral, where they can also climb the tower for fabulous views over Hamilton and beyond. Participants will then visit the Masterworks Gallery on Bermuda House Lane, and the Rosebank Gallery on Bermudiana Road. The tour will conclude with lunch at Waterloo House on Pitts Bay Road.

The tours are planned for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and require a minimum of eight people. The cost of $65 per person or $100 per couple. Payment can be made by Visa or Mastercard. For reservations ( 295-9428 or book online: www.experience-bermuda.com

Those who missed 'Jalla! Jalla!,' the Swedish film which won Best Feature in this year's Bermuda International Film Festival (BIFF), can catch up tomorrow night at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute auditorium, when BIFF will screen it again, along with the award-winning Venezuelan short film, 'Cedula Ciudadano" (Citizen ID). Screen time is 7 p.m. Admission is $5 for BIFF film club members, and $8 for others. Preceding this, La Coquille is offering a special, three-course dinner for $29.75 plus gratuities is available from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. To reserve ( 292-6122.

Eddie Ming's Tiny Tots' Drum Exhibition and buffet supper, curtailed last weekend due to the weather, has been rescheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 29 at The Rhythm Lab, St. George's Community Centre (opp. St. George's Bus Centre). The programme will feature three-year-old drum student Chare Smith. For further information ( 297-2874 or 297-8422.