Mormon Times briefs

PROVO — This year's Art, Belief, Meaning Symposium at the Brigham Young University Museum of Art will examine how artists — both past and present — respond to the challenge of representing godliness.

The symposium, titled "Picturing the Divine," will be in the Museum of Art auditorium Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. LDS painter Brian Kershisnik will be the keynote speaker, followed by a diverse mix of presentations by scholars, art professionals, practicing artists and BYU students addressing visual arts, literature and film.

Kershisnik, a BYU graduate who also studies at the University of Texas, was an artist in residence at the Utah Museum of Fine Art in 2007. His work "Nativity" will be on display in the museum during the symposium.

The symposium is free and open to the public, and no registration is required. A complete program is online at moa.byu.edu.

Film festival deadline approaching

Submissions for the seven-page script competition of the 2009 LDS Film Festival must be in the mail by Saturday.

Besides cash awards, winning writers will have an opportunity to work with the filmmaker who selected their script. Scripts do not have to be LDS- or gospel-themed.

"We are looking for honest stories that are personal, real and true," reads a news release.

Saturday is also the early entry deadline for the short-film competition. Cash prizes of up to $1,000 for winning films will be awarded. The regular deadline is Nov. 15, with an extended deadline Dec. 1.

Special screenings (films 20 to 60 minutes in length) and feature film exhibition (films 60 minutes and longer) entries are due Dec. 1.

For more information and entry forms, visit ldsfilm

festival.org.

Program will honor Pres. Taylor

The John Taylor Family Association invites family members and friends to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the third president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The event will be held in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve and Sister Barbara Taylor Dayton Perry will speak. In addition, Duane Cardall will provide a tribute, and there will be an audiovisual presentation on the life of President John Taylor.

Self-reliance event next week

PROVO — The 11th annual Economic Self-Reliance Conference will bring together social entrepreneurs to address domestic and international poverty and economic development. The event is Nov. 6 and 7 at the Brigham Young University Conference Center. John Hatch, founder of FINCA International, will present a special microcredit seminar explaining issues surrounding microfinance and the methodology of village banking. Visit ce.byu.edu/cw/esr for registration and a complete conference schedule.