Arts & Culture

Mix Master

Who's Behind the Music at the International Fountain?

After crafting musical mixes for Seattle Center's iconic water feature for 26 years, DJ Whetzel hangs up the headphones.

07/05/2022 By Jameson Fink

Bookworm

Blue Kettle Books Brings the Indie Bookstore to New Terrain

Monica LeMoine has long been a teacher—now she can add business owner and bus driver to her resume too.

06/24/2022 By Taylor McKenzie Gerlach

Summer Book Report

Pacific Northwest Beach Reads

School is out and self-motivated erudition is in. If a Seattle summer ever materializes, these are the local authors you should bring to the beach.

06/22/2022 By Taylor McKenzie Gerlach

Slaying Storytime

How a Seattle Illustrator’s Picture Book Ignited a Pizza Boycott

Levi Hastings's Big Wig children's book about drag is embroiled in big controversy.

06/17/2022 By Taylor McKenzie Gerlach

Anti-Museum

Banksyland Rejects the Art Gallery Convention

Perhaps what’s most striking about the internationally touring art exhibition is what isn’t on display.

06/15/2022 By Taylor McKenzie Gerlach

Bay Watch

New Elliott Bay Book Company Owners Hope to Carry on the Legacy

Yes, your punch cards will still be accepted.

06/10/2022 By Ann Karneus

Day in the Life

A SAM Curator Reframes the Mysterious World of Fine Art

Christie’s, consecrated statues, and coffee—it’s all part of the workday for Natalia Di Pietrantonio.

06/09/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Met Recs

June Pick: A Memoir by Sonic Boom Cofounder Nabil Ayers

The son of a jazz-funk titan reflects on creating a pillar of Seattle's music community and his complicated relationship with his father.

06/08/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Gorge Yourself

Music Festivals Worth a Trip

From the Gorge Amphitheatre to Fort Worden, our favorite live music destinations are coming back to life.

06/03/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Serious Business

Jon Mooallem’s New Book Finds Beauty in Being Ugly

In Serious Face, the Bainbridge Island–based writer quietly exalts the imperfection of everything, from the way we handle catastrophes to his own face.

05/20/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Summer Reading

Orcas Island Lit Fest Draws Luminaries from the Puget Sound and Beyond

The San Juans, already a compact creative hotbed, become the epicenter of the region’s flourishing literary scene the first weekend of June.

05/18/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Prestige TV

Jean Smart's Long, Fascinating Road from Ballard to Hacks

Smart's character tours the country on the show's second season, which begins this week. But her resume’s already been there.

05/09/2022 By Allecia Vermillion

Met Recs

May Pick: Our Blue Planet: Global Visions of Water at SAM

How can we be clear-eyed about the climate crisis without losing hope? The answer may lie with the arts.

05/05/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Space to Dream

Gallery 4Culture Reopens to the Public

King County's publicly funded gallery has provided a counterpoint to the city's commercial art spaces for over 40 years.

05/04/2022 By Sophie Grossman

On the Page

Kim Fu Conjures Metaphorical Monsters

In her recent short story collection, the Seattle author employs surrealism to get closer to the truth.

04/29/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Make Believe

What’s New at Seattle Children’s Museum?

The Seattle Center hub for imaginative play is back, after a two-year hiatus, with fresh exhibits.

04/26/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Killer Confessions

Bosco Brings Seattle Grunge to RuPaul's Drag Race Season Finale

She’s fierce. She’s Seattle. She’s fighting to bring the crown home.

04/22/2022 By Taylor McKenzie Gerlach

For the record

A Guide to Seattle Record Store Day 2022

What local shops are doing for the vinyl lover's Black Friday, arranged by key.

04/22/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Festival Planner

A Guide to Fairs, Fetes, and Fests

We've been looking forward to this summer for two years.

04/08/2022 By Sophie Grossman

On the Page

Jane Wong Reads Between the Lines in How to Not Be Afraid of Everything

The Seattle poet unearths buried memories and unspoken truths in her latest collection.

04/04/2022 By Sophie Grossman

Seattle Met