The Bellingham Arts Commission is seeking nominations for the 34th Annual Mayor's Arts Awards. The nomination deadline is Dec. 31.

"This long-standing award is offered in celebration and recognition of the many talented, creative people who inspire our community through the arts," Bellingham Mayor Kelli Linville said in a press release.

The commission accepts nominations to honor Bellingham citizens who have significantly contributed to the arts in our community. Accomplishments by individual artists, businesses, benefactors, organizations, arts educators, arts supporters, civic improvement leaders or notable events or achievements are all possible areas for awards. Once the nomination period is closed, staff will announce the date for the awards ceremony.

Nominations can be made online anytime using the form at www.cob.org/services/arts/mayor-award.aspx. Nominations also can be emailed to arts@cob.org, or submitted in writing to Shannon Taysi, Planning and Community Development, 210 Lottie St., Bellingham, WA 98225.

USA DANCE BELLINGHAM PLANS HOLIDAY BALL

It's the party time of the year, and blues vocalist Sonja Lee says she and her band "are absolutely thrilled" to be playing at the Blue Moon Ballroom, 1213 Cornwall Ave., on Dec. 15. It's USA Dance Bellingham's Holiday Ball, and there will be free beginning waltz lessons from 7 to 8 p.m., with the band playing from 8 to 10 p.m.

Sonja will be joined by drummer Christian Casolary and by saxophonist Thomas Harris, back again from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. All ages are welcome. Cost is $10 per person, $7 for USA Dance members and students with ID. Formal attire is encouraged, but not required.

Sonja adds, "We've played this dance several times and it is so much fun!"

Thomas and his band play a Christmas dance Dec. 21 at Blue Horse Gallery, Café and Wine Bar.

WWU GAINS THREE MORE ART GALLERIES

Western Washington University will celebrate the opening of three new gallery spaces in the Performing Arts Center at 4:15 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14.

Hosted by Western President Bruce Shepard and by Dan Guyette, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts, the free public ceremony will feature a brief program honoring Seattle art patron Virginia Wright, whose gift made the renovation of the gallery spaces possible.

Representatives of Safeco Insurance Co. and the Washington Arts Consortium plan to attend and be recognized for their contributions to the galleries.

A recent $250,000 gift from Wright allowed the university to create new gallery spaces in the Mainstage and Concert Hall lobbies to display pieces from its recently expanded collection of Northwest art, and to renovate a third existing gallery, which houses a rare collection of tapestries by Alexander Calder.

The new galleries highlight about 75 works of the 208 paintings, sculptures and works on paper acquired in 2010 from the joint gift of the Safeco and the Arts Consortium. The celebration marks the public debut of the works in their new home at Western.

Items on exhibit include works by Guy Anderson, Michael Daily, Morris Graves, Paul Horiuchi, William Ivey, John Koenig, Nancy Mee and Frank Okada.

Complimentary parking for the celebration will be available from 3:30 to 6 p.m. in the gravel lots on the south end of campus. No permits are required those hours. Details: 360-650-6825.

ENTRIES SOUGHT FOR WWU'S FEMININST JOURNAL

Labyrinth is Western Washington University's feminist journal produced annually through the Associated Students Women's Center. With a new editor at the helm for each issue, Labyrinth is launched with a well-attended reading and art show.

This year's editor, Anna Ulmer, has announced the theme and submission procedures in several notes on Facebook. The 2013 theme is "Bodies in Motion: Identity Expression To Perpetuate Momentum."

Submissions, which can be original prose, poetry, artwork or photography, are open to the public. There are two deadlines: If you want feedback on your work, submit by Dec. 14; if not, submit by Jan. 1.

To submit, e-mail Anna at As.wc.creative.programming@wwu.edu to request a submission form.

Details: http://www.facebook.com/WWULabyrinth.

Reach MARGARET BIKMAN at margaret.bikman@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2273.