SLU Spring Arts Preview

South Lake Union’s upcoming arts season boasts an impressive lineup of fresh exhibits, performances, and events, from collaborative concerts to artistic invention, plus plenty of outdoor installations, festivals, and art exhibits for enjoying the neighborhood in all its springtime splendor.

Through March 9 – Hear We Are (Winston Watcher Fine Art)
The gallery kicks off the 2016 season with a second solo exhibition by internationally renowned, Seattle-based artist Trimpin. The kinetic sculptor, sound artist, engineer, and inventor utilizes technology and natural elements to explore concepts of sound, vision, and movement.
http://seattle.winstonwachter.com/exhibitions/hear/

April 2016 MadArt
Sculptors Amie McNeel and Mark Zirpel transform the MadArt studio into an art laboratory while they explore the relationship between oceanic and celestial phenomena. With an open-door policy, you can observe the creative process first-hand through huge street-level windows, as well as access into the space itself, before the final exhibit is completed this August.
http://madartseattle.com

April 7–July 10 Imagined Futures: Science Fiction, Art, and Artifacts from the Paul G. Allen Family Collection (Pivot Art + Culture)
Inspired by Vulcan founder Paul Allen’s childhood fascination with science fiction and space exploration, this new exhibition will feature Allen’s personal collection of over 60 objects and works of contemporary and modern art in a convergence of science, art, and space.
https://www.pivotartandculture.org

April 22 and 23 Cornish Dance Theater Spring 2016 Concert (Cornish College of the Arts)
This collaborative dance concert will feature techniques ranging from ballet to jazz to modern, choreographed by renowned performers including Cornish College’s Wade Madsen, Deborah Wolf, and Jason Ohlberg. The diverse production is bound to be one of finesse and intrigue.
http://www.cornish.edu/calendar/event/1100/cornish_dance_theater_spring_2016_concert/

June 10–12 Photofest (Glazer’s Camera)
Celebrate the grand opening of Glazer’s Camera’s newly renovated store (811 Republican St), sporting a new classroom and interactive spaces for trying out gear. The free event will include classes, demos, contests, sales, and workshops during three days of celebrating all things photography. The new location will also feature a state-of-the-art classroom, a hands-on interactive lighting showroom, and photography-themed installations.
http://www.glazerscamera.com/about/events

June 10–26 Seattle International Dance Festival (Various locations in SLU)
This free, 16-day dance extravaganza brings together artists from across the globe to showcase the most innovative work in contemporary dance. The festival will also host free dance classes, an artisan craft fair, along with the Inter|National Series, presenting performers around the world, and The Spotlight Series, which hones in on Seattle’s own thriving dance scene.
http://www.seattleidf.org

Ongoing
 
Cascade Second Sunday Stroll
Explore what the Cascade Neighborhood has to offer the second Sunday of the month, when local businesses, galleries, shops, and restaurants open their doors for an afternoon of sales and specials aplenty, plus live entertainment.
https://www.facebook.com/secondsundaystroll/

Free First Thursday (MOHAI)
The Museum of History and Industry offers free admission the first Thursday of every month, along with extended hours. March third, watch the premiere of the Seattle Channel’s Community Stories, a documentary profiling local 90s group the Massive Monkees dance crew. Check out the museum website for upcoming Free First Thursday special programs and events.
http://www.mohai.org/visit-us/mohai-calendar/eventdetail/1272/-/free-first-thursday

Maker Days (MOHAI)
Experimenters of all ages can try their hand at tinkering at the Bezos Center for Innovation the last Saturday of the month (free with museum admission). This April 30, learn how to turn a smartphone into a microscope using household materials–the homemade microscopes will allow a smartphone camera to view objects at 175x their actual size!
http://www.mohai.org/learn/youth-and-family-programs/740-makerdays

Paint Nite (Art Marble 21)
Sip cocktails in a laid-back bar setting while producing your own piece of art–start with a blank canvas and let a local artist help you create a unique work, from a San Juan sunset to a coastal landscape. Held Wednesday evenings at 7pm.
https://www.paintnite.com/venues/127563.html