Creative State

In this Creative State podcast, dancers and WAYAL alumni Dhaya Sarathy and Olga Loktev speak with Carina A. del Rosario, WAYAL Program Specialist. They share about their experiences with dance and arts education, how what they learned has shaped other aspects of their life and their career plans. They also reflect on the impact the WAYAL program had on their views about the creative economy and th...

Join ArtsWA Wellness, Arts, and the Military Program Manager Bryan Bales for a conversation with our Vet Corps Navigator Gabriella Smith about her work serving Veterans and their communities.

In this special episode,  we sit down with Eric Ballentine, regional coordinator for the Washington Department of Veteran's Affairs (WDVA) Vet Corps. Eric sheds light on how the Vet Corps works, what makes Veterans such powerful storytellers, the Minority Veterans organization, and his plans for a podcast of his own.

In this special episode, we sit down with Gabrielle Trautmann of Gabi's Olympic Cards and Comics to learn about how her shop - which she bought at 18 years old - creates community in Olympia, Washington. Gabi, whose father served in the military, holds regular events for Veterans to gather and build human connections (she even lifts the "no swearing" rule). Learn more about Gabi's Olympic Cards an...

Jeremy Whittington:  Jeremy is a 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Luminary Award honoree based in Spokane, Washington. He is the Artistic and Managing Director of Stage Left Theater. Click below to: Learn more about Stage Left Theatre Explore Jeremy Whittington's work Listen to the full interview The 2022 Governor's Arts & Heritage Awards:  The 2022 Governor's Arts & Heri...

Faaluaina (Lua) Pritchard, Executive Director of Asia Pacific Cultural Center:  Asia Pacific Cultural Center is a 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Luminary Award honoree based in Tacoma.  Click here to learn more about Asia Pacific Cultural Center . Janae Huber:  Janae is the Collections Manager for the Art in Public Places program at ArtsWA.  Click here to learn more about...

Holly Jacobson, CEO of Path With Art:  Path With Art is a 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Luminary Award honoree based in Seattle. Click here to learn more about Path With Art . Tamar Krames:  Tamar is the Program Manager for Arts in Education at ArtsWA. Click here to learn more about Arts in Education . Watch their videos: What is a Teaching Artist? ( Audio described version ) Arts...

The Working Washington Grants: Round 5 and Convention Center Grants programs bring $75 million in pandemic relief to small businesses and nonprofits across the state. In this episode, we sit down with Shannon Halberstadt to discuss both programs - and why it's important for everyone who is eligible to apply. Shannon is the Creative Economy Sector Lead for the Department of Commerce. Learn more abo...

In this episode, we look at community from three different perspectives: keeping communities strong during the pandemic, forging healthy communities by preserving cultural traditions, and creating community for Veterans through music-making. We speak with Governor's Arts & Heritage Award honoree Akuyea Karen Vargas and incoming Center for Washington Cultural Traditions Director Thomas Richards...

Episode 2: Community Development in the Arts |  How can the arts support communities and the economy? We speak with Spokane Valley Summer Theatre Director of Development Marnie Rorholm, ArtsWA Community Development Manager Annette Roth, and Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier. For the final segment, you’ll hear Gabriella Smith, our Vet Corps Navigator for the Wellness, Arts, and the Military Program,...

Episode 1: National Poetry Month | In the inaugural Creative State, we speak with Gallery One Executive Director Monica Miller, ArtsWA’s Poetry Out Loud Manager Judy Cullen, and Washington State Poet Laureate Rena Priest. For the final segment, you’ll hear Gabriella Smith, our Vet Corps Navigator for the Wellness, Arts, and the Military Program, speak with Olympia Poet Laureate Ashly McBunch. Gall...