Arts Spaces & Companies

South Sound Studio Tour is Looking for New Board Members

Many area residents and visitors have loved participating in the South Sound Studio Tour, seeing local artists’ creations up close and personal, talking with the artists about their art, and in many instances watching the magic of turning blank sheets of paper or canvas, hunks of clay or found materials into works of art. Now the Studio Tour is looking for volunteers to serve on the board, specifically, to fill the Outreach Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator roles.

Rob Patrick and the Beginning of Everything

Audio artist Rob Patrick, long-time program director of the Olympia Film Society, has been awarded a fellowship by the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts). It has enabled Patrick to complete an experimental audio documentary. If Your Heart Hurts, Rub a Little Dirt On It: MGM and the Beginning of Everything is a free-form sound portrait of movie-making in the Hollywood studios during the 1930’s, and of some of the women who became stars during that decade.

Keep on Laughing at Olympia Little Theatre

“Keep on Laughing” by Paul Elliott is Olympia Little Theatre’s 87th season opener. This wacky and playful sequel to “Exit Laughing,” which was performed by Olympia Little Theatre in March, combines rapid-fire dialogue and plenty of entendre, presenting poignant undertones that explore an enduring question: are you ever too old to have fun? The main cast of “Exit Laughing” and director Dave Marsh have resumed their roles for this production.

Millions in Inspire Olympia Grants Awarded to 49 Arts Nonprofits

Because voters approved a one-tenth of one percent Olympia sales-tax increase (now in its third year) to fund the Inspire Olympia grant program, the city recently announced $3.3 million in grants for 2026-27, with $2.1 million awarded to 49 arts nonprofits. Thanks to this, Olympia has gained a theater and a gallery as well as other opportunities for the community to experience and participate in arts of all kinds.

Soundscape & Book Launch for Countershade Press: Uplifting Queer Voices in Olympia

The woods come alive in the theatrical soundscape performance, part of the August 28 book launch at Browsers Bookshop of “Menagerie: A Cluster of Loss,” published by Countershade Press, a new micro press for queer speculative fiction run by husbands Jonah and Austin Barnett. Following the performance, Jonah Barnett will host a Q & A with Cecelia Meade, the author of the story “The Woods,” one of five by local writers in “Menagerie.”

© Copyright Oly Arts, all rights reserved 2015-2026