Art Chowder November | December, Issue 18 | Page 66

Dispatch From
SPOKANE ARTS
2018 Year in Review
Melissa Huggins
SPOKANE ARTS COMMISSION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
LEARN MORE:
www.vytalmovement.org
www.spokanefilmfestival.org
www.50hourslam.com
www.spokanetheaterfest.com
www.spokanearts.org/saturate
www.spokanearts.org
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ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE
I
t has been an exciting, eventful year in the arts! Individuals and organizations
across the city continue to dream big, engage multiple communities, and work
collaboratively. 2018 saw tremendous growth from groups like Power 2 The Poetry
and Vytal Movement Modern Dance, as well as innovative programming offered
by established institutions like the Spokane Civic Theater, Spokane Symphony and
the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. Both the Spokane International Film
Festival (SpIFF) and the Get Lit! Festival celebrated their twentieth anniversaries,
and the local live music scene continues to grow. Crowds keep flocking to First
Friday events promoted by the Downtown Spokane Partnership, where local
venues showcase visual artists and musicians, and those evenings are just one
option among many each month, with a wide array of galleries citywide presenting
regular exhibits and events. Pottery Place Plus, the oldest continuously running
artist’s cooperative in the Northwest, celebrated its 40th anniversary. 2018 also had
certain challenges, such as bidding farewell to Elkfest, the beloved neighborhood
music festival. But despite setbacks or obstacles, artists in Spokane continue to
push boundaries, explore new technologies, and create innovative work.