The University of North Texas Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference of the Southwest is offering cash prizes totaling $15,000 for writers of book-length manuscripts, personal essays and reporting, and research-based narratives.

Writers of the top 20 manuscripts and the top 50 articles and essays will be selected to participate in writing workshops at this year's conference, which will take place July 18-20 in Grapevine. The writer of the winning manuscript will have the option of entering into a provisional publishing contract with UNT Press.

Essays and articles must be no longer than 20 pages. The deadline is June 13.

For details visit www .themayborn.unt.edu.

Michael Merschel

Wendy Wagner of Houston has captured the $50,000 Hunting Art Prize in the 28th annual competition sponsored by the oil services company Hunting PLC. Ms. Wagner, whose works have been shown in numerous solo shows at Houston's New Gallery, competed against more than 100 other artists.

The Hunting Art Prize is open to amateur and established artists in Texas who are 18 or older. Those submitting their work underwent a two-tiered jury process, after which Ms. Wagner's I Hope I'm Dreaming was selected as the winner.

Michael Granberry

Riccardo Muti, an Italian conductor who has led many of the world's most important orchestras, has been appointed music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He signed a five-year contract and will start the job in September 2010. In January, he will begin overseeing auditions and handling planning for future seasons.

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