What pops into your head when you think of Icelandic culture? If it's those Viking hats with the horns, then you should probably check out this year's second annual Núna (Now) Festival for a little education.

The festival was created to celebrate the contemporary artistic and cultural connection that exists between Canada and Iceland. Caelum Vatnsdal, a Winnipeg author and director, is one of the six members of the curatorial committee for the festival. He says that the connection between the two countries extends far beyond the fact that there are more Icelandic people in Manitoba than anywhere else in the world, besides Iceland.

"There are also a lot of connections just in terms of how the art community works and what their influences are and things like that," Vatnsdal says. "In both places, we're talking remoteness, long winters, and small-but-passionate art communities who often work together and work in multi-disciplinary styles."

The festival, which runs May 6 to 11, features musical acts ranging from rock bands to opera singers as well as art shows and film screenings.

Although the names of some of the acts may not be familiar - not to mention hard to pronounce - that doesn't mean it isn't worth checking them out. Vatnsdal says that one must-see act will be Icelandic rock band Sprengjuhollin. The band plays on May 9 with local indie-pop band Paper Moon.

"They're a pretty eclectic band, they run from Figaro-style stuff to crazy rock to kind of, I think, songs that are hilarious in their original language," Vatnsdal says. "Even though I don't understand them, I get the sense that they're really, really funny songs."

If you insist on checking out an act that you've heard of before, head down to the Lo Pub on May 8 to see Weakerthans singer John K. Samson performing a solo show with Icelandic rock band Mugison. Samson is also one of the festival's curators.

"He knows contemporary music pretty well and how to book the acts, so he just has a lot of practical knowledge to bring to the table, and he's got good taste," Vatnsdal says of Samson. "And it helps that he's a name that people recognize, from Iceland or whatever, and it kind of greases the wheels a little bit. In any case, it doesn't hurt."

Check out www.nunanow.com
for a complete listing of acts and venues.