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
RakasaFit Core Fitness Belly Dance, Mar 9-Apr 27
Intermediate/Advanced Belly Dance, Mar 9-Apr 27
Hawaiian Dance, Mar 11-Apr 22
Advanced Hawaiian Dance, Mar 11-Apr 22
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
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
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New Exhibition at TCMoFA
The Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts (TCMoFA) is proud to announce the opening of its 4th annual Spring group art show, "Chrysalis," on March 13th. This free to enter public art exhibit invites visitors to explore themes of change and metamorphosis through the works of 21 talented Washington-based contemporary artists.
As all things transit from one state to another, it can be helpful to throw up a shield, to mask ourselves or our charges in the face of danger, much like how insects protect themselves with a golden sheath during metamorphosis. The chrysalid stage represents a moment of respite and transition, private and contemplative, and ultimately metamorphic. "Chrysalis" peels back the layers of protection we wrap around ourselves as the time for emergence has inevitably come.
This exhibition features a stunning variety of artworks, including paintings, sculptures, photographs, installations, and video art, each providing a unique interpretation of what it means to embrace change in the face of a sometimes brutal and predatory world.
Join us at TCMoFA, located at 120 Olympia Ave NE, Olympia, WA 98501, to experience this incredible show, which runs from March 13th through April 25th. The opening reception will take place on March 13th from 6 PM to 9 PM, featuring opportunities to talk with the artists, drinks, and light bites. Members of the media are encouraged to attend, with interview opportunities available. For more information, visit our website: https://www.tcmofa.org/upcoming
I Play, Therefore I Am: Video Games & Philosophy with Ian Schnee
At the Lacey Library
The global video game industry is larger than the TV, movie, streaming, and music industries combined. Yet despite their wild popularity, video games are rarely taken seriously as an art form or object of deep reflection.
Join us for a journey through the morality, meaning, and art of video games. What can video games tell us about the human experience? Do video games ruin our minds, or make us smarter? How can we interact with them as art? In a time when technology is rapidly transforming politics, society, and education, get a new perspective on how the largest entertainment medium can change-and even improve-our lives.
Made possible by the Friends of Lacey Library and Humanities Washington.
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Friday, March 13, 2026 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
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Lacey Timberland Library, 500 College Street SE, Lacey WA 98503
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Learn more
Tree Painting Course
Want to paint better trees? Join this 6-week in-person painting course-learn about tree structure and improve your painting skills while creating your own series of tree studies and paintings.
The course is divided into six weekly sessions, each lasting two hours, plus weekly assignments and video demos.
Each week, we'll focus on a different aspect of tree painting, combining art history, demonstrations, and hands-on practice. You'll learn both classical and contemporary approaches to painting trees, while building confidence in observation, structure, brushwork, and color.
Nancy will be painting in oil but other opaque painting media such as acrylic or gouache are okay. Supply list will be sent to students upon registration.
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Tuesdays 5 - 7 PM, April 7 - May 12, 2026
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Westminster Presbyterian Church, Room 12, 1925 Boulevard Rd SE
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6 Weeks · In Person · Small class size · 2 hours per week + weekly assignments
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Learn more
Drop-In Zine Workshop at the Olympia Timberland Library
Drop in to this open zine workshop for all ages and create your own zine for the 11th Annual Washington State Zine Contest! Children younger than 8 must be accompanied by a participating adult. Finish your zine or start something new using provided materials.
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Saturday, March 21st, 1:00-3:00pm
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Olympia Timberland Library - 313 8th Ave SE
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Free
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Learn more
Coming to the Washington Center
Tilt! A Circus Thrill Ride
Sat, March 14 at 7:00 PM
Journey back to the 1980s and experience a high-flying homage to America's iconic amusement parks. Bursting with acrobatics, aerial feats, juggling, and a dose of nostalgic charm, this theatrical circus adventure brings the sights, sounds, and spirit of the era to life. At the heart of the spectacle is a marvel of man-powered engineering: a giant Ferris Wheel, surrounded by incredible mechanical creations that reimagine classic rides and games of the time. The story follows a weary amusement park worker, worn down by the grind and long disconnected from the joy around him. When he confiscates a guest's boom box, a playful chase erupts-an exhilarating whirlwind of stunts, surprises, and laughter. By the end, the pursuit transforms into a touching moment of connection, proving that even in the unlikeliest of places, shared joy can bring us together. Recommended for ages 6+.
An Evening with Fran Lebowitz
Sun, March 15 at 7:00 PM
In a cultural landscape filled with endless pundits and talking heads, Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of our most insightful social commentators.
Her essays and interviews offer her acerbic views on current events and the media - as well as pet peeves including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. The New York Times Book Review calls Lebowitz an "important humorist in the classic tradition." Purveyor of urban cool, Lebowitz is a cultural satirist whom many call the heir to Dorothy Parker.
Ladies of Laughter
Fri, March 20 at 7:30 PM
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+.
Chiyo Sanada at Northwind Art School
Here's a wonderful opportunity to learn the basic tools and fundamental brush strokes of Japanese calligraphy. In this class, you will get to practice writing the character 「馬」 (uma, horse) -the zodiac animal of 2026- while exploring the meaning and movement behind each stroke.
Through dynamic brushwork, students will express the kanji 「馬」, capturing the energy and motion of a running horse. No prior experience is needed; expert teaching artist Chiyo Sanada is your guide.
Olympia Poetry Network
March featured poet and open mic. Featured poet: Derek Sheffield
Derek Sheffield is the 8th poet laureate of Washington State. His books include Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry, winner of a 2024 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, Not for Luck, selected by Mark Doty for the Wheelbarrow Books Poetry Prize, Through the Second Skin, runner-up for the Emily Dickinson First Book Award, and Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy. A two-time finalist for the Washington State Book Award, his other awards include the Foreword Reviews Indies Book of the Year in Nature Writing and the James Hearst Poetry Prize judged by Li-Young Lee. He teaches at Wenatchee Valley College, edits poetry for Terrain.org, and can often be found in the woods along the eastern slopes of the Cascade near Leavenworth, Washington.
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Wednesday, March 18, 2026 6:00-7:30 pm
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Traditions, the Gathering Place, 5th & Water Street, downtown Olympia
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Open mic signup starts 5:30
OPN Poetry Workshop with Derek Sheffield
Poet Laureate of Washington State
About the Workshop: Many of us have cultivated the practice of deep reading as a way to enter the making space of poetry. In this workshop, we will turn from critical readings of select poems to making our own poems.
Derek Shefheld is the 8th Poet Laureate of Washington State. He received a 2024 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award for Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry.
His other collections include Not for Luck, winner of the Wheelbarrow Books Poetry Prize, Through the Second Skin, and Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance and Democracy. A professor of English at Wenatchee Valley College, he can often be found in the woods along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Range near Leavenworth, Washington.
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To Register: Free event for OPN subscribers, $20 for others. Maximum 15 participants.
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Pre-registration required. Send an e-mail to [email protected] asking us to add you to the list!
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Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 1:00-3:00 pm
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Olympia Community Center, 222 Columbia Street NW, room 103
Poetry Open Mic with the Olympia Poetry Network
Just for fun we are going to silently vote on our favorite poem of the evening and the winner gets a FREE BOTTLE OF WINE!
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Saturday, March 14th 6:45pm - 8:45pm
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At Endless Sound Cellars in the 222 MARKET
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FREE Wine Tasting!!
Monday at the Eagles -- Smoocho Gusto Quartet
The popular duo of Steve Luceno on guitar and Lorree Gardener on string bass is expanding to a quartet by the addition of Ken Schneider on drums and Barry Caldwell on trumpet and flugelhorn. They'll be performing two sets of original Steve Luceno tunes. The inspiration for these tunes is a love for (any) dance rhythms, (all) blues, and lyricism. The music imbibes tropical sounds, funky beats, and swing. Smoocho Gusto is the kiss you want to hear; you can dance your dance to this. If you're not an Eagles member, you're welcome to join us as our guest.
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Monday, March 9th, 7:00 - 9:30pm
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The Eagles Social Room, 4th and Plum
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$15 - $35 suggested
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All ages are welcome until 9pm
Newsletter Roundup
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March LAW Starts 2/16
Legal Advice Week starts March 16th. Join this monthly opportunity for artists and arts organizations in WA State to get free advice on specific legal issues. Sign up today for a 30-minute consultation with an attorney.
WLA LAW is open to artists and arts organizations throughout Washington State. LAW Clinics address and support legal issues* related to an artistic discipline and can cover a wide range of areas, such as: Copyright, Trademark, Publicity Rights, Licensing, Fair Use, Business Formation, Contract Review. *Legal issues involving patent, employment, criminal, tax, & family law are not apt for WLA LAW.
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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].
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!
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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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