Welcome to On the Radar, where we preview up-and-coming arts events to mark your calendar for. There’s nothing cozier than a handmade quilt on a cold winter night, but these blankets with humble beginnings have been elevated to the upper echelons of art at the Florida International Museum, which debuts two new quilt collections Friday.

Rooted in Tradition: Art Quilts includes dozens of diverse works from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum, which incorporate visual rather than practical elements like found objects, canvas, paper and paint. Sew – It’s Art! is a collection of quilts from Pinellas County’s quilt guilds that explores local history via the traditions, subjects, techniques and materials that combine to create our own colorful local quilt. (Pictured: French Braid Mountain Tops by Betsy Schobert) On display Nov. 6-Jan. 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun., Florida International Museum, 244 2nd Ave N., St. Petersburg, $8, $6 seniors and military, $5 students, 727-821-1448, spcollege.edu/FIMuseum. – Franki Weddington

After the break: From Havana to Hell’s Kitchen: A Latin Cabaret

This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2009.