When it comes to Calgary’s underground art scene, kaitkaboom is one of the best-connected ladies in town: whether it’s a burlesque carnival, a fashion show or The Banff Centre, she can always be found with a cupcake and a smile.

No surprise, then, that kaboom’s energy is directed toward a community-building project. Kitschykoo! magazine launched its first issue in February 2007, at the Looks Could Kill Art Boutique in Art Central. “I came up with the idea for an art magazine that showcases underground artists,” says kaboom. “Pop artists, graffiti artists, vintage lifestyles — stuff that most mainstream people wouldn’t know about.” Now in its fifth issue, Kitschykoo! regularly spotlights independent art galleries, up-and-coming bands and people with unique lifestyles.

Kitschykoo!’s launch parties have become somewhat legendary in the underground scene. Most recently, kaboom co-presented the Community Cloth +15 Fashion Show (which is exactly what it sounds like: a fashion show in the downtown Plus-15 system) and the Popcorn Show that brought together 25 local artists in the IDEAL Artspace.

Now, she’s kicking things up a notch with the next launch: Charmed Life. In a new art gallery called Artspot, 45 visual artists (their work displayed salon-style, consuming any available wall space) will be joined by DJs, live portrait artists and, of course, cupcakes.

“I love promoting people,” says kaboom. “I met the cover artist for this issue, Pam, at the Popcorn Show. She was doing all this crazy stuff in blacklight and neon, and this amazing portraiture, and she’d never been in a show before. I was like, ‘Why aren’t you famous yet?’ and asked her to do the cover.”

The magazine is published quarterly, and can be purchased at Nation, To a T Artist’s Studio, Blame Betty or by e-mailing kitschykoomag@hotmail.com. The Charmed Life group show and launch party takes place at Artspot (1040 14 Ave. S.W.) on May 31, 7 p.m.

Inanna Publications, a Toronto-based feminist publishing house, brings two of its authors to Calgary this week. In her collection of globe-spanning short stories, Silent Girl, Tricia Dower explores racism, war, isolation, kidnapping and sexuality in tales inspired by the women of Shakespeare’s plays. Then, in Stone Sightings, Madeline Sonik’s poetry breaks down the feminine archetype. Dower and Sonik read at McNally Robinson (120 8 Ave. S.W.) on May 29, 7 p.m.

Is your poetry ready for the stage? Take your turn at the mic at the Calgary Poetry SLAM!, where your three-minute poems vie for prize money and a treasured position on the 2008 Calgary Slam Team. Hosted by Jennifer Roberts, the evening starts with an open mic and then quickly turns into a sizzling evening of fierce literary competition. Join the action at the Auburn Saloon (163, 115 9 Ave. S.E.) on May 29, 8:30 p.m, $5.

Parlez-vous français? If so, head over to the French Book Fair, a two-day market featuring the best and brightest in francophone literature. In partnership with the Librairie Monette, Sophia Books and French Bestsellers, the book fair takes place at the Alliance Française de Calgary (1221 2 St. S.W.) on May 30, noon to 8 p.m., and May 31, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Spring has sprung, and it’s time to cultivate your child’s green thumb. The Grow a Garden Storytime features garden-themed storybooks for youngsters, and takes place at McNally Robinson on May 31, 1:30 p.m.

If Slam competitions aren’t your thing, there’s another place to share your words: Red Mile Revenge, hosted by Selina Clary, is a hold-no-bars open mic poetry series for everyone with a poem and an urge to perform. Head down to Tubby Dog (1022 17 Ave SW) on June 3, 8 p.m, to join in on the action.

Once more, the flywheel reading series pushes the envelope with an exciting literary experiment. Two fiction writers and two poets have been paired up and asked to create a genre-bending collaborative performance. Check out the Cross-Pollination Experiment at McNally Robinson on June 5, 5 p.m.

Every month, New Tribe magazine hosts the Aboriginal Writers Circle, an opportunity for local aboriginal writers to share their work and receive feedback. They meet at McNally Robinson on June 5, 6 p.m.