Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

ART

Holy Marketplace!: For the first time in its 2,000-year history, the Vatican has approved a deal to market in the United States reproductions of all artwork housed in the Vatican’s 13 museums and the Sistine Chapel. The venture, a partnership with Pittsburgh-based marketing firm Treasures Inc., is designed as a fund-raising program for Catholic schools in the United States. Starting this fall, an initial 45 items--including decorative prints, note cards, porcelain, jewelry and collector tins--will be available through a fund-raising catalog offered by the Pittsburgh Diocese. Items will range from $5 to $40, with approximately 50% of proceeds going directly to the schools. Future plans call for Vatican Museums retail outlets with a line of 1,200 items, including commercial and home furnishings and a line of commemorative art books.

AWARDS

Nosotros Winners: The Latino entertainment community paid tribute to the late actor Raul Julia at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Friday night as the star of TV’s “The Burning Season” and the big screen’s “Addams Family” was honored with a Special Tribute Award during the 25th anniversary Golden Eagle Awards, presented by the Latino entertainment group Nosotros. Also honored were singer Lydia Mendoza, who was named a “Legend”; “Chicago Hope” star Hector Elizondo, who received an overall Life Achievement Award; the group Los Camperos de Nati Cano, given the Life Achievement Award in Regional Music; and movie director Robert Rodriguez, who received the commemorative Margo Albert Award. Other recipients included “To Wong Foo” star John Leguizamo (outstanding actor), “Desperado” star Salma Hayek (most promising female star), “New York Undercover’s” Michael De Lorenzo (outstanding actor in a TV series), MTV’s Daisy Fuentes (rising female star), “Mi Familia” producer Gregory Nava (outstanding film producer), “A Walk in the Clouds’ ” Alfonso Arau (outstanding director), “General Hospital’s” Maurice Benard (outstanding lead actor in a TV soap), talk-show host Cristina Saralegui (outstanding achievement) and Hollywood Bowl Mariachi Festival producer Rodri J. Rodriguez (outstanding producer of live events).

Choreographers Feted: Five-time Tony-winning choreographer Michael Kidd (“Guys and Dolls,” “Hello, Dolly!”) will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work on stage, film and TV, and Daniel Ezralow will receive the Alternative Award for “his contribution to choreography outside of the mainstream” during the third annual Bob Fosse Awards, Sept. 30 at Santa Monica’s Museum of Flying. The awards, proceeds from which benefit the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, will also honor choreographic work in motion pictures, music videos and commercials.

TELEVISION

Letterman’s New Schedule: CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman” will switch to a Monday through Thursday taping schedule in the fall to free up Fridays for work on remote comedy segments. Under the new schedule, Letterman will tape two shows each Thursday, which executive producer Rob Burnett admits means that “if at noon on Friday, [President] Clinton does a press conference without his pants on, we’ll miss out.” But Burnett insists he isn’t worried about losing the topicality of Friday’s show, since Letterman has experimented through the summer with a Tuesday through Friday schedule in which each Monday’s monologue was taped the previous Friday--an even longer delay--and no problems have arisen.

POP/ROCK

Garcia Sings Again: An album of traditional folk songs and ballads recorded by the late Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia with his longtime friend, mandolinist David Grisman, will be released in October on Grisman’s Acoustic Disc Records. The CD, called “Shady Grove,” was recorded between 1990 and 1995 during sessions at Grisman’s San Rafael studios and was intended as an homage to the tunes that inspired Garcia and Grisman during their formative years. Tracks include “The Sweet Sunny South,” “Off to Sea Once More” and “Stealin’.”

QUICK TAKES

The Batmobile--yes, the same one that caught David Copperfield’s fancy to the tune of nearly $200,000 and then became the subject of lawsuits when Copperfield found out it was used only for publicity shots for the 1989 movie “Batman”--went to a new home on Friday. The vehicle joined other “Batman” memorabilia on display at the Words & Pictures Museum of Fine Sequential Art, a Northampton, Mass., center specializing in comic book and fantasy items. The Batmobile was purchased by the museum’s founder, publisher-producer Kevin Eastman, after Copperfield and previous Batmobile owner Michael Eisenberg settled their legal claims. . . . As part of its “Choose or Lose” coverage of the Republican National Convention, MTV will host a free outdoor concert by rock group 311, on Tuesday at noon at San Diego’s Hospitality Point. The concert will air live on the cable channel. . . . Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug will make her “acting debut” with a cameo appearance on the Fox series “Beverly Hills, 90210.” The episode is scheduled to air Sept. 18.