Poet Janée J. Baugher in Olympia Workshop & Poetry Reading
A Project of the Olympia Poet Laureate Program
Generative Writing Workshop: Ekphrastic Writing
Poet and writing instructor Janée J. Baugher, author of The Ekphrastic Writer: Creating Art-Influenced Poetry, will lead a creative workshop exploring how visual art can inspire poetry and storytelling. Baugher is currently touring for her newly released, award-winning poetry collection The Andrew Wyeth Chronicles (Tupelo Press, Feb. 2026).
In this class you'll learn techniques for deeply engaging with artwork and transforming those observations into poems or prose. Artwork will be provided, though participants are welcome to bring their own. All experience levels welcome.
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Sat, Apr 18, 3:30-5:00 PM
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The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St NW
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Learn more: JaneeBaugher.com
Poetry Reading & Open Mic
Bring a poem to share during the open mic, or come listen, enjoy the readings, and grab a bite from Soul Café.
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Featuring Janée J. Baugher and Olympia Poet Laureate Ocean
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Hosted by the Olympia Poetry Network
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Traditions / Soul Café, 300 5th Ave SW
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Sat, Apr 18, 6:00-7:30 PM
For more information, contact [email protected].
To learn more about Olympia's Poet Laureate program, visit olympiawa.gov/poetlaureate.
Watch now: Olympia Art & Artists - Abe Singer
In our very first episode of "Olympia Art & Artists," get to know Abe Singer, the artist behind the amazing new art pieces at Grass Lake Nature Park.
Abe was chosen to repurpose an old, steel water tank on the property into three sculptures - one bird blind and two mushrooms. The thoughtful pieces tell the story of a fallen log, broken down by the little decomposers who feed its nutrients to the next generation, and the parallel story of the restoration of the park itself.
Join us at Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation for some great classes!
To register or for more information, please click the link after each class, call 360-753-8380 or stop by to see us at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia Street NW, Olympia.
Performing Arts & Dance
Discover Voice Overs! Mar 18
All About Guitar Chords, Mar 19
Olympia Dance Squad, May 2-June 27
East Coast Swing Rock & Be-Bop Part Two, Apr 3-May 29
Basic Ballroom Waltz Part Two, Apr 3 - May 29
Pop Goes the Ukulele!, Apr 8-29
Beginning Guitar, Apr 9 -May 7
Creative Contemporary Dance, Apr 13-Jun 8
Sensory Friendly Creative Dance Class, Apr 14-May 26
Visual Arts, & Crafts
Spring Equinox Personal Mandala, Mar 14
Art Sampler, Mar 17-31
Painting with Paper, Mar 21
Nature Photography Workshop, Mar 21
Suminagashi - Floating Ink Collage, Mar 28
Intro to Acrylics, Apr 1-22
Found, Cut and Adhered: Personal Collage Journeys, Apr 2-23
Exploring the Written Word through Art, Apr 4
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Upcoming Events at Lacey Library
Tales & Tails: Senior Storytime with Therapy Dog Hallie
Seniors are invited to a relaxed, welcoming gathering featuring gentle read-alouds and the soothing presence of gentle Hallie, a certified therapy dog who loves a good story and a scratch behind the ears.
Participants are welcome to listen or share short excerpts from books, essays, or poetry-whatever feels meaningful in the moment.
Spending time with therapy dogs has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and promote feelings of calm, connection, and well-being. Combined with shared stories and conversation, this program offers a peaceful space to slow down, connect with others, and enjoy the simple comfort of being together.
Tea and cookies provided. Just bring your love of stories, dogs, and good company. Made possible by the Friends of the Lacey Library.
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Wednesday, March 18, 2026 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College Street SE, Lacey WA 98503
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Learn more
The Vanguard Generation: African American Artists, 1880-1918 with Daniel E. Atkinson
Discover the remarkable first generation of African American artists and performers whose contributions helped shape popular culture. Active after the Civil War and before World War I, many of these artists were the first in their families to be born out of bondage or to attend college-overcoming tremendous hardship in defiance of Jim Crow laws.
Using newly discovered documents from the era, this talk reveals the talent, ingenuity, conflicts, and solidarity of the "Vanguard Generation."
Made possible by the Friends of the Lacey Library and Humanities WA
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Friday, March 20, 2026 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
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Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College Street SE, Lacey WA 98503
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Learn more
Coming shows to the Washington Center
Ladies of Laughter
Always a favorite, the Ladies of Laughter tour includes winners and the best talent from its national competitions. This year we welcome Leighann Lord, a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress, Veronica Mosey, a Ladies of Laughter finalist, and the 2016 Ladies of Laughter winner, Kelly MacFarland, returns to our stage! Recommended for age 18+.
Pilobolus
Celebrated for its groundbreaking physicality, innovation, and storytelling, Pilobolus presents its Other Worlds Collection, a captivating exploration of the spaces we inhabit-within ourselves, our relationships, and the world around us. Pilobolus tests the limits of human physicality to explore the beauty and power of connected bodies. This "mind-blowing troupe of wildly creative and physically daring dancers" (NY Newsday) tests the limits of human physicality.
Adventure Series: The Power of Creativity: A Journey through Storytelling, Exploration, and Hope
Award-winning photographer, journalist, and author Kike Calvo explores how creativity can be a catalyst for connection, storytelling, and meaningful change. From documenting remote villages to diving with great white sharks, Kike shares the invaluable lessons he has learned along the way.
Also at the Washington Center - Go Figure!
You're invited to Artist Reception Night at the Washington Center, next Wednesday!
Figurative Elements express a deeper connection to the world around us in this curated exhibit featuring the art of:
Jason Bennett, RobRoy Chalmers, Christine Echeverri, Gabrielle England, Danny Gordo, Faith Hagenhofer, Rayleen Lilley, Asenath Lizárraga, S. Maiden, Evangeline Poulos, Aimee Schreiber, Ashley Roy Simpson, and Lexi Wittenberg, with 80 works of art ranging in medium from paintings to printmaking to embroidery and showcased across our three floors of exhibition space. We will also have a live Student Quartet in our lobby filling the air with music.
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Wednesday, March 25th, from 5-7pm, for the Artists' Reception for our newest exhibit in our Center Gallery, Go Figure!
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The event is FREE to the Public, No need for tickets, and suitable for All Ages!
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At The Center Gallery, 512 Washington St. in Downtown Olympia.
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Learn more
A Weekend of Yiddish Music and Dance
Presented by Temple Beth Hatfiloh with support from The Yiddish Book Center
Telegrams to the Future: Niggunim of Dvekut & Joy from Ukrainian Klezmorim. A Shabbat Salon with Christina Crowder
A chance encounter in Tokyo a few years ago led to the unlikely release of thousands of unique musical manuscripts in a Kyiv archive previously unavailable to contemporary klezmer musicians and scholars. The Kiselgof-Makonovetsky Digital Manuscript Project (KMDMP) is an international digital humanities project connecting participants with the work of important klezmer musicians from late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. You'll hear a little about KMDMP this evening, but like Jewish practice, this project is a participatory endeavor. A nign is a wordless melody invested with spiritual intention-elevated by those who sing them. The melodies presented in this evening were collected from klezmorim and baal-tfile (prayer leaders) in early twentieth century Ukraine and Belarus during the An-sky ethnographic expeditions between 1912-14. We will explore a small nign "toolkit," that includes a nign for quieting the mind, one for thoughtfulness and connection, and few for joy, celebration, and solidarity.
Instrumental Workshop for Musicians: The Inner Secrets of Klezmer Dance Tunes Taught by Christina Crowder (accordion)
Join renowned klezmer accordionist, performer, teacher and researcher Christina Crowder for an in-depth exploration of the traditional dance music of Eastern European Ashkenazi Jews. Like most traditional musics, the "klezmer" in klezmer music isn't the notes on the page, it's what's between your ears. Whether you're familiar with klezmer or new to the genre, this workshop will take a deep dive into tunes from the heart of klezmer repertoire-freylekhs, khosidl, and bulgar-to find the Jewishness "embedded" in the tunes. We will explore the distinctive elements of klezmer style through phrasing, ornamentation, elaboration, and creating groovy dance textures, along with a conversation about "rhetoric" in certain kinds of tunes that resonate with Jewish philosophy. All instruments welcome, charts provided as needed.
Yiddish Dance Workshop Taught by Maia Brown
Join dance leader Maia Brown for an exploration of the Eastern European Ashkenazi Jewish dance tradition, also known as "Yiddish" dance, with live klezmer music accompaniment! Yiddish dance is a living, embodied cultural practice long marginalized and often misunderstood. In this workshop, we'll explore the dynamic exchange between klezmer music and dance, foundational movement vocabulary, the expressive use of rhythm and tension, and cultivating safety and consent in communal dance spaces. This workshop will prepare you to dance even harder at your next klezmer night out, with your ancestors at your back.
No dance experience needed! Dancers of all kinds, dance-curious non-dancers, simkhe celebrants, and musicians will all benefit from this workshop.
Concert and Tantshoyz (dance party!) with Christina & the Zamlers
Join Christina & the Zamlers (Christina Crowder: accordion, Mae Kessler: violin, Jimmy Austin: trombone) for a fun and heartwarming evening of klezmer music and dance! Come ready to move to lively freylekhs and bulgars, lift your voice in soulful niggunim (wordless melodies), or simply sit back and savor the music. Dancing will be led by dance leader Maia Brown, and dancers and listeners of all ages and abilities are welcome! Ticket sales available in advance, and at the door.
Contact [email protected] or [email protected] with questions
Monday at the Eagles -- The New Immortals
The New Immortals is an experimental musical collective based out of Portland Oregon. We try not to confine ourselves to a specific musical style or genre. Things change... Jim Olsson - Guitar, Tucker Mastin - Bass, Andrew McVey - Drums, Alfredo Rivera - Tenor Sax
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Monday, March 16th, 7:00 - 9:30pm
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The Eagles Social Room, 4th and Plum
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$15 to $35 suggested
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All ages welcome until 9pm
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Eagles members and their guests are welcome. If you're not an Eagle yet, come as our guest. Maybe you'll change your mind!
Korean Woodblock Printing demonstration at Community Print
We are honored to host Korean American designer, printmaker, and scholar Lars Kim at Community Print in downtown Olympia on Saturday, March 28, at 1 pm. Lars will discuss Korean woodblock printing with an introductory lecture that examines the rise and rapid development of woodblock printing, the visual process of woodblock carving and printing, and key historical differences between printing from woodblocks vs. movable metal or wood type. Lars will demo woodblock printing using handmade paper and a hand-carved woodblock from a master South Korean wood engraver, a faithful reproduction of a fifteenth-century text that includes both traditional Chinese characters and the newly invented Korean script. Other woodblock and metal/wood type specimens from Korea, China, and Japan (both antique and contemporary) will also be on display. This presentation is part of Community Print's monthly Shop Talks series. These talks are free, but donations for the presenters are accepted.
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Saturday, March 28, at 1 pm
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Community Print, 414 Legion Way SE, Olympia
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Participants who wish to print and take home their own Korean woodblock print can pay a $20 materials fee and stay for an informal workshop following the lecture.
Newsletter Roundup
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Washington Center | Apply to Exhibit your Artwork in our 26/27 Season
Would you like to exhibit your art at the historic Center Gallery at Washington Center for the Performing Arts?
The Washington Center gallery has been proud to host many artists and artist's guilds since the Center's inception. The space has offered several artists and curators the opportunity to bring visual arts to the community over the years. We host six exhibitions per year.
Applications for our 2026/2027 Gallery Season are open now.
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View and submit an application HERE.
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To learn more, visit our website.
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DEADLINE MAY 15th 2026
About the Gallery
Our three-floor gallery is open to the public for viewing by appointment Monday-Friday from 12:00pm - 4:00pm, or to ticketed patrons one hour prior to an event. Call 360-753-8585 to schedule an appointment. Works of art are available for purchase, with 25% of the proceeds supporting the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Please contact [email protected] for more information on the Center Gallery.
Public Art Calls for Artists + March 2026
Each month we send out artist calls managed by 4Culture, as well as a selection of calls submitted to us by organizations around the world. Visit our website to see all open calls, grants, jobs, and other opportunities.
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Olympia Historical Society
If you have an interest in local history, please consider becoming a volunteer with the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. We have a variety of roles to fill, including tour guides for the museum's Sunday afternoon open hours (1:00pm-4:00pm), groundskeeping at monthly Saturday morning work parties, and committee work for our Education, Bigelow House Operations, and Events (annual historic homes tour and spring fundraiser) committees.
To learn more, please email us at [email protected].
Looking for Volunteers for 2026 Olympia Juneteenth Celebration
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Saturday, June 20, 2026
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Volunteer hours: 9am-6pm (split shifts are available). Set up and take down positions available as well.
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Contact Shawna Hawk at [email protected]. You can also call 360.352.8526 and leave a message with your contact information.
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Learn more
Museum & Visitor Center Front Desk Docent
The Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance is seeking volunteers to support the OlyAHA! Museum & Visitor Center. Volunteering at the Olympia AHA Museum is a chance to learn and share Olympia's stories, to build connections in the community, to gain museum and customer service experience, and to be a part of something local, vital and lasting. Our volunteers are the face of the Olympia AHA Museum. They greet guests, share stories, and connect visitors to the best of Olympia.
As a volunteer you will:
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Welcome and assist visitors
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Interpret exhibitions
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Sell merchandise
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Help visitors to discover Olympia's arts, heritage, and cultures
We're looking for committed volunteers who are enthusiastic about Olympia's arts, cultures and history.
Our volunteer team is:
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Friendly, welcoming, and professional
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Comfortable learning point-of-sale and scheduling tools
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Reliable, cooperative, and ready to assist visitors
Volunteer Experience
Volunteers work in pairs at our front desk for three- or four-hour shifts. Volunteers can expect seasonal appreciation events and ongoing learning opportunities!
Olympia Family Theater
Front of House Volunteers needed. No experience necessary!
Shifts available for ushering, selling concessions, and selling raffle tickets during performances.
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March 5-29, 2026 and/or May 14-June 7, 2026
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Time commitment is usually under 4 hours.
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Thursday/Friday at 6pm, Saturday/Sunday at 2pm
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Must pass a background check.
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Please contact Tracy at [email protected].
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The ARCH Digest is a summary of Arts, Culture and History happenings in the greater Olympia area, submitted by the community. Please turn in ArCH Digest listings to [email protected].
Deadline Monday morning, 8 a.m.
If you know of anyone who would like to receive the City of Olympia Arts & Culture news, which includes a weekly ArCH Digest, direct them here and have them mark the Arts & Culture box.
Disclaimer: Information in the Arts Digest is not vetted through the City, nor is it endorsed by the City. The reader is solely responsible for checking background on any opportunity listed above.
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Contact
Stephanie Johnson, Arts Program Manager
Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation
360.709.2678
[email protected]
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