Tag Archives: Arts

Arts & Culture

Showing Out: A Place For Blackness and Queerness To Come Alive

by Leija Farr

Langston Hughes Performing Art Institute hosted one of the most emotional, heart-pulling choreography moments this year. Shown at the historic Central District building in September, Showing Out: Contemporary Dance Choreographers was an event showcasing artistic expression through powerful movement. Curated by Dani Tirrell, it highlighted the Black and queer experience that is often underrepresented and unappreciated in our society.

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Arts & Culture

Scenes in Motion: SODO Track murals bring public art to transit travelers

by Lisa Edge

(This article originally appeared in Real Change and has been republished with permission.)

Has your commute become more colorful? Those traveling via bus or light rail along Fifth Avenue South between Royal Brougham Way and South Spokane Street have recently been treated to a new sight: A continuous line of murals, known as SODO Track, turning an otherwise uninteresting route into a charming one.

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Arts & Culture, Music

Jazz Singer Johnaye Kendrick Discusses Her New Album, Inspirations and Her Role as an Educator

by Gus Marshall

Local treasure Johnaye Kendrick is a sensational jazz singer as well as esteemed professor at Cornish College of the Arts. Her self-produced sophomore album Flying (Johnygirl Records) has solidified Kendrick as one of the current names to know on the national jazz scene.

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Arts & Culture, Music

Columbia City and Hillman City Receive Official Arts & Cultural District Designation

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by Jacob Uitti

In August, Columbia City and Hillman City received an historic honor: a prestigious Arts & Cultural District designation from Mayor Jenny Durkan. Now forever linked—and not just by Rainier Avenue—the two diverse, multicultural neighborhoods, which are comprised of about 13,000 people, can further showcase their dozens of art and music venues—from the Columbia City Theater to the Royal Room and the soon-to-be-opened Black and Tan Hall. To get a sense of what this new arts and culture designation means for the area exactly, the South Seattle Emerald reached out to Kathy Fowells, Director of SEEDArts, which was one of the many organizations responsible for getting the initiative to the Mayor’s office. Fowells discussed what the future holds for the neighborhoods, what an arts app might look for them and much more.

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Arts & Culture, Events

Seattleites Get A Sneak Peak At This Year’s Seattle Design Festival

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by Beverly Aarons

The Seattle Design Festival gave the public a free sneak peek of this year’s festival on Tuesday, August 21st at the Center for Architecture & Design. The sneak peak event was jammed with eager participants despite the cloud of wildfire smoke stifling the entire city. The event provided screen printing for attendees who brought t-shirts, and there was food and a slate of presenters who gave attendees just a small sampling of how the 2018 Seattle Design Festival will explore the theme of “trust”—how to build trust between communities, public space policymakers, businesses, technology companies, architects, designers, advocates and all the other community stakeholders who have an impact on how space is used in urban settings.

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Art, Arts & Culture, Civics, Culture, Social Justice

Imagine Black: Art Collective Create Signs That Expand The Idea of Black Identity and Community In The Central District

by Leija Farr

Seattle is ahead of the curve in a phenomenon, and not in a good way: the displacement of Black people in our city has left the idea of safe spaces undeniably malleable. The Central District, once a community replete with Black lives and culture, has undergone displacement for many years now. As a result, lineage and generational foundation have been relocated, as a new narrative builds itself in the vacancy.

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Arts & Culture, Community

Photo Essay: BAAMFest Features Music, Dance and Pop-Up Museums

by Susan Fried

More than 2,500 people attended this year’s BAAMFest (Rainier Beach Arts and Music Fest) on Aug. 19th at the Rainier Beach Community Center Plaza. The annual event featured more than 40 acts on four stages, four pop-up museums and 40 booths.

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