Arts Headlines / OCtober 13, 2006

Music and literature merge at writers festival   The worlds of music and literature collided Oct. 4 at the Ottawa International Writers Festival. Local musician Andrea Simms-Karp provided the opening entertainment for the John Newlove Poetry Award.   Mixed-media artists showcase their creations   Members of local arts group, Ottawa Mixed Media Artists, have followed their instincts in producing work for their latest juried exhibition.   Ottawa still lags in funding for arts among big cities   Local arts groups lobbied municipal election candidates to increase arts funding at a meet-and-greet late last month.   Viewpoint: Canadian Idol stars fail to hit a high note with consumers   It has become a familiar scene to many Canadians: two contestants, clutching each other on a huge stage in front of an audience of screaming fans and a panel of judges, all waiting to see which one of them will become the next Canadian Idol.