New Year, New Art

From adventurous storytelling on screen to deeply personal exhibitions and a technicolor journey through Oz, South Lake Union’s arts calendar is packed with reasons to get out and explore this January. Whether you’re looking to connect with community, reflect quietly in a gallery, or settle in for a weekend of film, these neighborhood events offer something for every kind of culture seeker.

Process
Gage Academy of Art, January 8–March 6
2107 Westlake Ave.
Free

Process at Gage Academy of Art offers an inside look at how art is made. Finished works by students and teaching artists are displayed alongside sketches, studies, photographs, and digital mockups that reveal the creative journey behind each piece.

Presented salon-style, the exhibition celebrates experimentation, revision, and creative momentum—highlighting that every completed artwork begins with curiosity, exploration, and a whole lot of process.

Landscapes
Winston Wächter Fine Art, January 15–February 28
203 Dexter Ave. N.
Free

Landscapes is Winston Wächter’s January group exhibition, bringing together artists who reimagine the natural world through distinct lenses. Works by Ethan Murrow and Barry Johnson examine the relationship between figures and their environments, while Terri Loewenthal and David Benjamin Sherry explore how color transforms our experience of place. Philip Govedare, Adam Sorensen, and Hiro Yokose present imagined landscapes that offer moments of peace, hope, and interpretation.

Navigating the Thin Veil
Winston Wächter Fine Art, January 15–February 28
203 Dexter Ave. N.
Free

Opening the same afternoon, Navigating the Thin Veil is a solo exhibition by artist Kandis Susol that explores love, loss, healing, and connection through the medium of handmade paper. Drawing from decades of life on Orcas Island and the deeply personal experience of accompanying her husband through the end of his life, Susol’s work reflects on grief as well as transformation.

Each piece is titled only after completion, allowing meaning to emerge through reflection. Together, the works form a moving meditation on presence, memory, and enduring connection.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road: An Oz Film Festival
MOPOP, January 17–18
325 5th Ave. N.
$37.50–$85

MOPOP invites audiences to follow the Yellow Brick Road for a two-day film festival celebrating The Wizard of Oz and the many worlds it inspired. Begin with the original 1939 classic, then customize your weekend with a lineup that spans generations, genres, and interpretations of Oz.

In addition to screenings, the festival features immersive activations, Oz-themed activities, a gaming room, fan gathering spaces with themed food and drinks, and a Sunday panel with filmmaker Alexandre Philippe exploring Oz’s influence on David Lynch.

Film highlights include:

• The Wizard of Oz, Return to Oz, Wicked, Wild at Heart (Saturday)
• The Muppets Wizard of Oz, Mulholland Drive, The Wiz, Lynch/Oz (Sunday)

Members and VIP ticketholders receive priority seating, with exclusive access to original Wizard of Oz artifacts on Saturday.

No Man’s Land Film Festival
REI, January 17
222 Yale Ave. N.
$15

The No Man’s Land Film Festival (NMLFF) arrives in South Lake Union with a powerful lineup of adventure films celebrating women and genderqueer athletes, explorers, and creators. Hosted by Women’s Outdoor Connection, this event is more than a film screening—it’s a community gathering designed to foster connection, inspiration, and inclusion in the outdoors.

Expect stories that challenge stereotypes and expand ideas of who belongs outside, along with opportunities to connect with local outdoor groups and fellow adventurers. All ages, genders, and communities are welcome, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and AAPI participants. Whether you’re a seasoned explorer or just starting out, this is a chance to learn, meet new people, and plan your next adventure.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram (@southlakeunion) and check out our events calendar for more great happenings in SLU.