=The exhibition Only one Painting at Most is in its fifth edition at the German Academy. The artists chosen to display their work in this two-person, two-piece show are Domenico Bianchi and Sean Scully, with Without Title and Wall of Light Dusk respectively.

Bianchi was born in Rome in 1955 and lives and works in the Italian capital. He made his debut in the 1970s with experimental, abstract work exploring the use of natural materials such as wax, wood and metal. His paintings have been said to resemble Renaissance woodcuts, while his technique of painting in wax originates from the ancient encaustic pigment mixed with beeswax. In his artworks, Bianchi uses geometrical shapes and signs to create the idea of movement.

Born in Dublin in 1945, Scully divides his time between New York, Barcelona and Munich. His work has been influenced by both Mondrian and Matisse, as well as by American art of the 1950s. Scully uses overlapping layers of colour, which give way to a flow of light and warmth. In 1989 and 1993, the artist was nominated for the British Turner Prize and in 2003 was given the Honoris Causa from the Massachussetts College of Art (United States).

German Academy. Until 21 October. Villa Massimo, tel. 064425931, www.villamassimo.de. Mon-Thurs 09.00-13.00, 14.00-17.00, Fri. 09.00-13.00.

=The Japanese Institute of Rome inaugurates its autumn activities with a film festival entitled Cinemacommedia in Giappone registi a confronto, which is a journey into the world of Japanese comedy over the last 20 years. Nine films depict different aspects of the vivid and colourful atmosphere of everyday life in Japan. The programme features work by directors Kinji Fukasaku, Yoji Yamada and Shun Nakahara among others, all of whom are known for their methodical yet original style of working with the actors and for communicating with the audience in unconventional ways. All screenings are in Japanese with Italian subtitles. Entrance is free.

Japanese Institute of Rome. Via Antonio Gramsci 74, tel. 063224754, www.jfroma.it. 11 Oct-13 Dec. Each Tues 19.00.

=Photographs by Dutch artist Gerhard Lentink, best known for his wooden sculptures, are on display at the Dutch Institute in Rome. The exhibition, entitled Viaggio Meridionale, consists of 225 shots taken during a pilgrimage from Utrecht to Rome in 2001. The journey, entirely on foot, lasted 95 days. Lentink says: It reminded me of the Dutch artists of the 16th century, such as Gerrit van Honthorst, from my own town Utrecht. Honthorst set out to visit Rome and learn from Caravaggios artworks. He did it out of love for Caravaggio my girlfriend and I did it because of our love of art, Italy and Europe in general. It was a very European voyage indeed. They had to cross the French and German border twice to get to Italy, but the artist concludes that, though it was tiring, it was wonderful avoiding the hubbub of the towns and chasing after the subject of my pictures.

Dutch Institute, Via Omero 10-12, tel. 063269621, www-s.nir-roma.it. Tues-Fri 09.30-12.30.

=To mark the centenary of the death of the French writer Jules Verne, there will be a cycle of films based on his literary works at the Saint Louis de France Cultural Centre each Mon at 17.00 and 21.00 until 12 Dec. There will also be a documentary by Olivier Sauzereau and Paul Cornet staring Bernard Giraudeau entitled Jules Verne: an extraordinary voyager on 14 Nov.

This year the centre commemorates its 60th anniversary and to celebrate there will be a round table and cocktail event on 27 Nov at 16.00 to discuss its achievements. A new website will also be launched.

The centres didactic activities have been enriched by a new French course. As well as the usual Les petits diteurs, where children are taught how to write, illustrate and bind their own books, and Eveil la lecture, where French is taught to children through fairytales, there is Lheure du conte learning French through short stories (for children aged 7-77 years!).

Saint Louis de France Cultural Centre, Largo Toniolo 20-22. For more information on courses tel. 066802629 or www.saintlouisdefrance.it.

=There will be a concert of baroque and romantic harp music performed by Samia Bousbane at the Belgian Academy in Rome on 12 Oct at 19.00. The programme includes work by C.P.E Bach, Franz Liszt, John Thomas and Gabriel Faur.

Belgian Academy, Via Omero 8, tel. 063201889, www.academiabelgica.it.

=Mike Cooper (guitar, visuals) and Keith Rowe (guitar, electronics) will be playing two solos and a duet from Treatise the masterpiece by Cornelius Cardew at the British School at Rome on 7 Oct at 21.00. Cardews score is dotted with signs, marks, figures and lines inciting the performers to improvise. This original way of writing and reading music is reminiscent of the Byzantine system, which was made of signs and letters corresponding to sounds. It was the most-used system of the mediaeval world until Guido dArezzo invented the pentagram and notes.

Rowe will introduce the performances with an explanatory lecture on the ways in which Cardewss original piece should be approached.

British School at Rome, Via Gramsci 61, tel. 0632649385. Free entry. All are welcome.