Big Mama's house

Mom's the word this weekend (the big day is Sunday, need you be reminded) and the Roy Street Collective is all over it. The seven-or-so member art group have hijacked and recreated the commercial holiday, inviting several dozen artist friends over to their ever-evolving space (111 Roy E.) to act, dance, swing from the ceiling on long tissus and bang out tunes on recycled instruments among paintings, sculptures and a slew of un-Hallmark greetings and crafts for sale.

In true Roy Street fashion, Mama Jam promises to be colourful opening event. The Collective was born four years ago in a former fish market fashioned into an architecture firm, home and art space. It caught people's eye and has since taken on a life of its own. "This place is all about the space," explains member Louise Markus. "It's not a white-wall gallery. We've taken a kind of feminine approach: lay back, do, wait and the magic will happen. We're just the facilitators."

Necessity is the mother of invention, as goes the saying, and Markus couldn't agree more. "Things have been really dusty around here lately," she says. "You know, constant renovations and everything. I've got a very inventive mind at this point." For cool gifts for Ma, check out the Mama Jam Art Market, May 7–10, 2–8 p.m., May 11, noon–4 p.m., $3. » Matthew Woodley

Jean engineering

As I enter the newly expanded Galerie Art Mûr (5826 St-Hubert), I can't help but stop and view Sylvie Fraser's photographs through the nipple holes of a car-sized metal bra. Then I pass by Barbara Todd's bomb-covered quilt into the back space to hear Carole Baillargeon speak about her exhibition L'arbre est dans ses feuilles.

Seeing L'arbre is like stumbling across some odd props left over from a circus performance - forms made of denim balance on various wheeled objects. Baillargeon, an obsessive recycler, started collecting jeans in 1995. She cuts out and uses the denim material for another project; these four sculptures are made from the pockets, zippers and seams that remain. With scraps of useless material and furniture fit for the trash, Baillargeon creates a humorous, rolling work about community. You can be a part of this work-in-progress too. Just put your name in the back pocket and bring your old jeans to the gallery. Runs until May 28, 933-0721 for more info. » Christine Redfern

Gotta have faith

This weekend, Belgian-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui examines faith and its various meanings to people in Foi, which has been billed as a "medieval/contemporary opera." Cherkaoui, only in his late 20s, is already making a name for himself with this elaborate production, most notable for its 19-ton set.

For this performance, Cherkaoui collaborates with Belgian company Les Ballets C. de la B, which is made up of 11 dancer-actors, from such far-flung places as Iceland, Korea and Tenessee. Vocal and instrumental ensemble Capilla Flamenca provides the soundtrack to his work with a performance of 14th-century music. Catch the medi-opera until May 10 at the Centre Pierre-Péladeau (300 de Maisonneuve W.), 987-6919 to reserve. » Marites Carino

Corazon in crisis

Elle Corazon is in trouble. The Mile-End community arts-, crafts-, yoga-, and everything-else-space has recently run into financial difficulties (due to the always-precarious nature of public funding) that may threaten its very existence. So, in the grand tradition of threatened community spaces everywhere, Elle Corazon is Putting on a Show.

Actually, it's more like an auction. Dirty Laundry is a silent auction of arts, crafts and services, all donated by local artists and tradespeople. Live music by Christine Charette and an installation/performance piece by Vanessa Yanow will keep the potential philanthropists and patrons entertained, and the artwork will stay up for curious onlookers for the month of May. Dirty Laundry, the evening of entertainment, takes place Thursday, May 8 at - where else? - Elle Corazon (176 Bernard W.), at 7 p.m. (bidding ends at 10 p.m.). » Mark Slutsky

Is it Art?

SINGLES CIRCUS: You may have seen it on Oprah. The 8 at 8 Dinner Club is a new scheme for singles - a group blind date of sorts currently gaining devotees in select American metropolises, and now setting up shop in Montreal. It works like this: interested parties fill out a general questionnaire, get matched up and sent to a "reputable restaurant" where they're met by a host, introduced to each other and left to hit it off. Anything that ensues is at the discretion of the diners. According to matchmaker RayGence Marketing's president, Ray Tapp, the ratio of interested females to males hovers around 2:1. "Men still tend to go to Crescent Street," he explains. Looks like an opportunity for the taking, boys. Twenty-five dollars per date, (450) 659-6819 to sign up.

ArtsHole

BARELY LEGAL: Dawson College's cinema students invite you to "enter the minds of teenagers and their thoughts and fantasies about sex in a no-holds-barred carnival atmosphere." Circus of Lust features videos and live performance on May 9–10, 8 p.m. (3040 Sherbrooke W.). • ILLUSTRATOR ARMY: The third Biennale de l'illustration québécoise features the work of more than 60 professional artists, some recognizable from advertising, packaging and mass media. Presided by renowned poster artist Vittorio Fiorucci, the exhibition features more than 100 works and continues at the Maison de la Culture Frontenac (2550 Ontario E.) until May 31. • TV DINNER: Along with eats, Café Ciné Lumière (5163 St-Laurent) serves up contemporary film on it's giant screen every single night, 485-1795 for schedule and reservations.

ARTISTAT: Percentage of Quebec writers, according to new government figures, who count on writing as their principal source of income: 9

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