by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS According to the Daily Mail, there were over 200,000 wild lions in Africa three decades ago. Now there are a tenth of that number, with only five viable populations remaining on the vast continent. That’s why Madison Elementary is coming to the rescue. “Lion cubs are our mascot,” says …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Samba dancing began as semba in Angola, then evolved into its modern form in early-20th-century Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Olympia’s resident samba troupe, Samba Olywa, united to dance in Procession of the Species 1995. Now it performs several times a year under the direction of a seven-member steering committee. …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS ((See the OLY ARTS Luminary Procession 2017 photo essay, taken by Shanna Paxton)) The subtler sibling to the many-splendored Procession of the Species, the Luminary Procession shines bright, filling the streets of Olympia with glowing paper lanterns and live music. When it began in 2009, this procession was intended …
by Ned Hayes for OLY ARTS Nearly every inch of the route for the Procession of the Species is covered with vibrant chalk art. The Procession team hands out chalk to children from ages 0 to 99: Everyone is invited to create their own art on the route. Yet this is not just a momentary …
by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS Jippi! Norway Day returns to Thurston County, going strong in its 11th year. Guests are encouraged to attend the annual festival to experience Nordic culture, kindly hosted by the Sons of Norway and Daughters of Norway. “We just love putting on Norway Day, and we hope the public loves …
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 …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS It’s no exaggeration to call Eli Sterling the visionary behind Olympia’s own Procession of the Species. He produced a series called Earthbound for Thurston County Television in 1991; it went on to win nine Northwest regional and national public-access television awards. Earthbound, says Sterling, “was dedicated to pursuing a …
OLY ARTS is excited to provide comprehensive coverage of the 2017 Procession of the Species. Our coverage is listed below. ((See the OLY ARTS Procession 2017 photo essay, taken by Shanna Paxton.)) The 2017 Procession Celebration: Luminary Procession 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 28, 2017 Procession of the Species 4:30pm Saturday, April 29, 2017 Procession Mission To …
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 …
by Ned Hayes, publisher and Christian Carvajal, managing editor of OLY ARTS “The arts…are essential to the prosperity of the state and to the ornament and happiness of human life. They have a primary claim to the encouragement of every lover of his country and mankind.” —George Washington We stand for art. Our publication is …