Southland high school students may audition for...

Southland high school students may audition for cash scholarship grants of up to $5,000 in the eighth annual Los Angeles Music Center Spotlight Awards competition. Categories for students currently in ninth through 12th grades are ballet; jazz/modern dance; opera; musical theater/pop vocal; classical instrumental music, and jazz instrumental music. Deadline to apply is Oct. 6. There is a $10 application fee. For further information, call Barbara Haig at (213) 202-2245 or write Spotlight Awards, c/o The Music Center, 717 W. Temple St., Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

*

Newport Harbor Art Museum will hold a benefit auction Oct. 7 of more than 20 works, all embodying the theme of time, by leading contemporary artists. The “It’s About Time” champagne buffet and auction, to benefit museum exhibition and education programs, will be held at the Tourneau Swiss watch store in Costa Mesa’s South Coast Plaza mall. Participating artists include Ed Kienholz, Edward Ruscha, Terry Allen, Kim Abeles, Squeak Carnwath and John Baldessari. The works will be displayed from through Oct. 6 at the museum, 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach. Tickets to the auction party are $75 per person. (714) 759-1122.

*

Artist Beverley Peter Meyers has donated a painting to be auctioned for an AIDS charity at the Thursday opening of his one-man show at Avant Art Gallery in San Juan Capistrano. Proceeds of the sale of “Change” will benefit Orange County’s AIDS Services Foundation Panache Fund. The fund provides outings and entertainment for AIDS patients. Meyers’ opening, from 5 to 9 p.m., is free and open to the public. The gallery is at 33041 Calle Aviador, Suite D. (714) 240-0808.

Compiled by Kenneth Williams