Young Arts Ambassadors, 2016

Young Arts Ambassador Youth Showcase

by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS The arts are for everyone to create and to enjoy. The Washington Center for the Performing Arts’s Young Arts Ambassadors are learning about the arts from the inside out, and they’ll share their knowledge and creations at a showcase this Saturday. A benefit for the program, the showcase features …

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Amy Shephard, photo by Heather Schofner Photography

Center Salon at The Washington Center

by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Billed as being “much like Parisian salons of old,” Center Salon at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts will fill the intimate space of the Black Box with art, literature, music and theater. Amy Shephard, actor, singer and co-founder of StoryOly at Rhythm & Rye, will emcee the …

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Ken Waldman, photo by Art Sutch

Fiddling Around With Poet Ken Waldman

by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS “Good satire has its place.” That’s a simple, yet timely point made by fiddler and poet Ken Waldman about today’s tumultuous political climate. Like many poets and musicians, Waldman uses his storytelling craft, not only to process his reactions to politics, but to create meaningful art as well. This …

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Weekend Preview: April 14, 2017

WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, Olympia brings stunning musical performances, laugh-out-loud improv shows and a hearty dose of storytelling to keep you entertained each night. Get ready for another week of pure entertainment!   Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, sponsored by Shur-Kleen Car …

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Terren Zander and Olympia Poetry Network

Olympia Poetry Network Celebrates the Dead (Poets)

by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Once a month, the lights at Traditions Café dim and the noise of a room packed with poets and novelists dies down to a hushed whisper. The crowd anxiously awaits one of Thurston County’s highest-regarded and longest-standing literary events: the Olympia Poetry Network’s monthly reading and open-mic session. This …

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Garrison Keillor

Weekend Preview: April 7, 2017

WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there are enough high-profile author talks and beautiful classical music performances to keep you bouncing between venues.  Grab your tickets quick, before the seats fill and the lights dim.    Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, sponsored by …

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Amy Solomon-Minarchi

Writing in the Rain With Olympia’s Poet Laureate

by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Olympia’s first poet laureate, Amy Solomon-Minarchi, is already hard at work promoting poetry within the community with her call for Writing in the Rain poems. Solomon-Minarchi is accepting short-poetry submissions until April 10, when she’ll select short poems of three to six lines to be “painted” onto city sidewalks …

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PJ Perry, photo by Robert Falk

Weekend Preview: Feb. 10, 2017

WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, there’s no shortage of highly anticipated musical performances, exquisite dance or thought-provoking theater to keep you entertained. Get ready for a full lineup of arts and culture in Olympia!   Click here to listen to our podcast version of Weekend Preview, sponsored by Alan …

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Megan Snyder-Camp

Megan Snyder-Camp Poetry Reading

by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Each month, Olympia poets, authors and literary enthusiasts gather for an evening of poetry and camaraderie. It’s a chance to let their guard down and simply enjoy the spoken word. Seldom do featured readers have much in common with each other in the way of theme, style or poetic …

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Olympia Poetry Network

Seasons Readings From Olympia Poetry Network

by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS What would the holiday season be if it didn’t include a bit of winter poetry, read under the warm glow of a lamp in a cozy room? The Olympia Poetry Network (OPN), a nonprofit organization with 25 years of history in the South Sound, invites community members to join …

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