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Happy New Year from the Kent Arts Commission! Get your tickets now for upcoming Spotlight Series performances:
-Jazz at Lincoln Center's "Songs We Love" on Fri., Jan. 20
-International Guitar Night on Fri., Feb. 3
We hope you'll join us to kick off 2023 with some great live music.
Tickets at KentWA.gov/SpotlightSeries
Looking for a fun stocking stuffer for the music lover in your life? May we suggest tickets to Jazz at Lincoln Center's "Songs We Love?" This show comes to Kent's Spotlight Series on Friday, January 20 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at KentWA.gov/SpotlightSeries
An all-star band and vocalists will play and sing their way through four decades of music, beginning with the early blues and jazz of the 1920s and ending in the early 1950s. Iconic singers that will be explored include Ma Rainey, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Judy Garland.
https://vimeo.com/609763824
This is "Jazz at Lincoln Center PRESENTS: Songs We Love" by IMG Artists on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.
Are you interested in Serving the Kent Community? Do you have a love of arts and culture? Applications are now being accepted for the Kent Arts Commission. Visit https://www.kentwa.gov/government/boards-commissions to apply.
Laurel was one of our earliest Arts Commissioners. Her hard work and dedication set the tone for Kent’s strong art program. We appreciate and honor her contributions!
The Kent Parks team is saddened to learn of the passing of Mary Laurel Whitehurst. Throughout her life, Laurel was drawn to art and was a major driving force in the creation of the Arts Commission here at the City of Kent, as well as the Kent Farmers Market and an Arts Commission in Clark County, WA 🎨
We owe so much to Laurel and her desire to bring art to her community. She will be sorely missed ❤️
With temperatures dropping and calendars having flipped to November, it's starting to feel like the holidays. (Or at least time to start planning for the holidays!) We are proud to present our annual Magical Strings Celtic Yuletide Concert on Sunday, December 4 at 3 p.m. at Kent-Meridian PAC. Tickets are selling quickly, so don't delay - KentWa.gov/SpotlightSeries
We had the pleasure of dedicating new public art by Scott Trimble at Chestnut Ridge Park on Tuesday, October 25. Scott spoke about the design process behind his functional art pieces that were installed as part of the park renovation. If you haven't experienced the artwork or renovations yet, drop by Chestnut Ridge Park, located at 9901 S 203rd ST, to check them out!
The City of Kent Arts Commission will continue to make funding available to support area arts programming through its Community Arts Support Program in 2023. The program is designed to encourage, develop, and support high quality community arts programming that serves the public in the Kent area.
Eligible applicants include arts and cultural organizations of all sizes, independent artists, and community groups involved in arts activities. Proposed projects must take place in Kent or the Kent School District service area and must serve and be accessible to the residents of Kent.
The 2023 guidelines and application are available online at https://www.kentwa.gov/departments/kent-parks/arts/community-arts-support-grant
Applications must be submitted online by Friday, October 21, 2022 at 5 p.m.
(Image credit: Rainier Youth Choirs - 2019 Summer Camp)
We are disappointed to announce that Catapult's Spotlight Series performance scheduled for October 13 has been cancelled. (See below.)
We are disappointed to announce that Catapult's Spotlight Series performance scheduled for October 13 has been cancelled 💔 Unfortunately, several other presenters on the tour withdrew from their engagements, forcing Catapult to cancel their remaining show dates - including ours. If you have purchased tickets to "Magic Shadows," we are currently processing full refunds. Although we're sad that we cannot bring Catapult to the Kent Parks stage this year, we are so excited for the rest of our line-up! 🎭
Check it out and buy your tickets today 👉 KentWA.Gov/SpotlightSeries
Check out this beautiful music video created by, and featuring dancers from, Allegro Performing Arts Academy. Who knew our City Hall campus would make such a cool setting for a music video!? Allegro Performing Arts Academy
Summer fun at Allegro includes music video shoots!Allegro dancers learned the choreography quickly from a video, rehearsed in an hour and then filmed on loca...
Rainier Youth Choirs is looking for youth - grades 2 to 12 - to join them for a season of music and fun. We love this organization and can't say enough good things about their work with young people and performing arts. If you've got any young singers or aspiring singers in your life, be sure to check give Rainier Youth Choirs a look. More information at www.RainierYouthChoirs.org.
Tickets for the 2022-2023 Spotlight Series are on sale now at KentWA.gov/SpotlightSeries. The series includes seven shows, kicking off on October 13 and running through March 25. From a dance company that uses their bodies to create unbelievable shadow images to the music of the legendary Ray Charles, Spotlight Series offers something for everyone!
Check out Grammy Award winning artist Joanie Leeds entertaining the kids at last week’s “Wednesday Picnic Performance.” Don’t miss the last show this week on 8/10 at noon at Morrill Meadows Park. The Not-Its! will put on a rockin’ show.
Please join us in congratulating the winners of the "Here Comes the Sun" exhibit on KentCreates.com: Mark Ryan, Naoko Morisawa, Greta Nehrenberg, and Andrea Meld. Visit www.kentcreates.com to see all of the artwork that was submitted.
We're loving the vibrant colors in this acrylic painting by Andrea Meld. Check out all of the submissions to our "Here Comes the Sun" exhibit on KentCreates.com and submit some work of your own. Deadline is June 30.
More details about Springtime at Butchard Gardens BC from Andrea Meld, an entry at Kent Creates.
Please join us in congratulating the winners of our "Inspired by Greatness" exhibit on KentCreates.com - Kristie Essary, Greta Nehrenberg, Erica Peto, Ken Morris, and John Armstrong! See more of the great submissions online.
Acclaimed concert pianist Alpin Hong was one of the many wonderful artists that performed as part of the 21-22 Spotlight Series. We have been lucky to host Alpin in Kent several times over the years and are especially grateful for his educational outreach work as part of our Spotlight on Arts program. Check out this inspiration video about his latest round of work with local students.
It's time for a new KentCreates.com exhibit... "Here Comes the Sun." For this exhibit, we encourage artists to submit artwork and creative projects using the sun as inspiration. Top five submissions, as judged the the Art Commission, will receive $200 honorariums. Deadline: June 30. Visit http://www.kentcreates.com
Image credit: Shay Anderson, “The Sun Always Rises,” acrylic and mixed media painting
Who needs a little aloha to transport us to a sunnier state of mind? We've got just the thing! George Kahumoku Jr.'s Masters of Hawaiian Music plays this Friday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian PAC. Get your tickets now! www.kentarts.com
What a fantastic, whirlwind week we had with phenomenal pianist and human being Alpin Hong! Alpin performed for and rehearsed with approximately 500 Kent middle and high school students, and capped it all off with an amazing public performance last Friday night. Thanks to all who pitched in to make it happen.
We've been counting the days until Alpin Hong arrives in Kent and tomorrow is the day! This phenomenal pianist and all-around fantastic human being will be working with Kent School District students on Thursday and Friday, and performing a not-to-be-missed public concert on Friday evening (3/18) at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian PAC. Tickets at https://kentarts.com
We're feeling inspired by Ken Morris' submission to the KentCreates.com "Inspired by Greatness" exhibit. This sculpture is located in Nagasaki Peace Park in Japan. Morris shares that "the statue's right hand points to the threat of nuclear weapons, while the extended left hand symbolizes eternal peace."
Deadline for submissions is March 31 - submit your artwork!
More details about Greater Peace in Mind from Ken Morris, an entry at Kent Creates.
Attention artists! We are pleased to announce that we are accepting applications from artists to design one of our traffic signal control cabinet art wraps. Check it out and pass it along! The deadline is April 18.
Find opportunities to get funding or show your work. Apply for an artist grant or a chance to exhibit your artwork onsite.
March brings two stellar performances to Kent's Spotlight Series - Classical pianist Alpin Hong on Fri., Mar. 18 and Masters of Hawaiian Music on Fri., Mar. 25. Both performances take place at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian PAC. Tickets at www.kentarts.com
Alpin Hong is a rare blend among contemporary classic musicians. His daring mashup of autobiographical storytelling and dazzling piano performance is at turns hilarious, tragic, and beautifully poignant.
Hawaiian slack key guitarists George Kahumoku Jr., Jeff Peterson, and Sonny Lim will share beautiful music, good humor, Hawaiian cultural knowledge, and the down-home spirit of the islands.
We are so excited for tonight's sold out concert by The Drifters. If you have tickets, PLEASE NOTE that this performance will be held at Kent-Meridian High School PAC (10020 SE 256th Street.) It is NOT at Kentwood PAC as originally planned and advertised.
Limited tickets remain for our next Spotlight Series performance - The Drifters on Fri., Feb. 25. Get yours now at https://kentarts.com You won't want to miss these rock and roll legends, revisiting hits like "Under the Boardwalk," "This Magic Moment," "Spanish Harlem," and more! The show is at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian Performing Arts Center.
Emerging Artists take note... Gallery 110 is offering their Emerging Artist Scholarship Competition (EASC). They have expanded this funding opportunity for King County emerging artists, with more scholarships and opportunities to exhibit. This year the program has a specific focus on emerging artists who are Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC). Deadline for submissions is Feb 28, 2022. Please, see https://www.gallery110.com/emerging-artist-program/ for more details.
Don't miss our next Spotlight Series show - Live From Laurel Canyon: Songs & Stories of American Folk Rock on Sat., Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian PAC. Tickets are selling fast and available at www.kentarts.com
We are LOVING these black and white photos that John Armstrong submitted to the current KentCreates.com exhibit. The theme of the exhibit is "Inspired by Greatness," and Armstrong definitely understood the assignment! Check out the captions of each photo to see a description of his inspiration for each photo.
Our next Spotlight Series concert on Saturday, February 5 features Mariachi Herencia de Mexico. Don't miss this GRAMMY nominated group of young Mexican American performers who have been called the future of Mariachi music! Tickets at https://KentArts.com
✅ Subscribe http://bit.ly/MariachiHerMexYouTubeFollow Us:👉 Website https://www.mariachiherenciademexico.com👉 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MariachiHerM...
Photographer Greta Nehrenberg is channeling her "inner Ansel Adams" in this photo from a trip to Grand Teton National Park. Check out all the work in the "Inspired By Greatness" exhibit and submit your own creative works at KentCreates.com. Deadline is March 31.
More details about Majestic Grand Tetons, as seen from Snake River overlook from Greta Nehrenberg, an entry at Kent Creates.
Join us in congratulating the winners of the "December Delights" exhibit on KentCreates.com... Jill Erickson, Erica Peto, and Renee Hazen. Check out all the wonderful artwork online.
Guitar lovers rejoice! The next Spotlight Series show is International Guitar Night on Friday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian Performing Arts Center. This year's show will feature four stellar guitarists - Acoustic rock sensation Luca Stricagnoli (Italy); progressive classical guitarist, Thu Le (Vietnam); Slack Key master Jim Kimo West (Hawaii); and Latin Swing pioneer Lulo Reinhardt (Germany). Tickets at www.kentart.com
We're pleased to announce a new online KentCreates.com exhibit - "Inspired by Greatness." Deadline for submission is March 31. Five winners will receive $200 honorariums
Who are the artists and creative thinkers that inspire you? Does Mozart move you? Are you awed by Picasso? Do you swoon for Shakespeare’s sonnets? Perhaps you draw inspiration from a great teacher or mentor? We encourage artists and creative minds to be inspired by great art and artists. Let’s see your odes to those who ignite your imagination.
Image Credit: © Sheldon Ickes, “Frozen Creek,” acrylic painting
Looking for a stocking stuffer for the music lover in your life? International Guitar Night never disappoints and will be back as part of Spotlight Series on January 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian PAC. Get your tickets now at www.kentarts.com
International Guitar Night brings together the world’s foremost acoustic guitarists. This tour features acoustic rock sensation Luca Stricagnoli (Italy), progressive classical guitarist, Thu Le (Vietnam), Slack Key master Jim Kimo West (Hawaii), and Latin Swing pioneer Lulo Reinhardt (Germany).
Kent, WA
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Check out Grammy Award winning artist Joanie Leeds entertaining the kids at last week’s “Wednesday Picnic Performance.” Don’t miss the last show this week on 8/10 at noon at Morrill Meadows Park. The Not-Its! will put on a rockin’ show.
Don't miss our next Spotlight Series show - Live From Laurel Canyon: Songs & Stories of American Folk Rock on Sat., Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Kent-Meridian PAC. Tickets are selling fast and available at www.kentarts.com
We had a blast kicking off the 2021 Summer Concert Series with The Not-It's! at Morrill Meadows Park this afternoon. Thanks to everyone who came out and rocked out! If you missed it, there are lots more concert to enjoy this summer. Check out the full schedule at www.kentarts.com
Just three days until our next streaming show - We Banjo 3: Live From Ireland on Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m.* (*Your ticket grants you access to both the real-time, live event, AND streaming the concert for seven days after the show so you can watch at your convenience.) For this special show all four WB3 band members will be together and performing live on stage for the first time since the pandemic shut down concerts exactly one year ago. Tune in for this very special show , streaming live, in real time, from the stunning Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin, Ireland. Visit https://shop.webanjo3.com/kent for tickets and info. A portion of all tickets sold via this link benefit Kent Spotlight Series.
Jimmy Carter of the Blind Boys of Alabama wants to remind you to join them for their special streaming Christmas Concert tonight at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at: https://boxoffice.mandolin.com/collections/blind-boys-of-alabama?oid=6&affid=87
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