IN THE SPIRIT Northwest Native Festival Returns to Tacoma Museum District on Saturday August 10

Published August 8, 2019

Enjoy Tacoma’s largest Native arts festival with outdoor programming and free admission to Washington State History Museum, Tacoma Art Museum and Museum of Glass

TACOMA, Wash. — The Washington State History Museum (WSHM), Tacoma Art Museum (TAM), and Museum of Glass (MOG) invite you to join in the fun at the 14^th annual IN THE SPIRIT Northwest Native Festival, a celebration of Native cultures on Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma on Saturday, August 10 from 12:00-7:00 PM. The city’s largest Native arts festival, IN THE SPIRIT includesrepresentation from more than 20 tribes. Festival attendees can explore diverseIndigenous cultures and art through programming at all three museums, an arts market, a fashion show and more, with a special closing celebration in the WSHM amphitheater.

“We are honored to collaboratively host this celebration of Indigenous cultures. It is a summertime tradition for our community,” said Julianna Verboort, marketing and communications director at WSHM. “Visitors enjoy watching artists create and trying their own hands at art-making, along with the opportunity to see world-class museum exhibits. Native dance, flute and the fashion show are also among the favorites. The festival is a joyful, dynamic day of cultural sharing, and fun for all ages.”

The day will begin with a blessing from Connie McCloud, culture director of the Puyallup Tribe, on whose ancestral lands downtown Tacoma now resides. All three museums, which have native art exhibitions on view and are located just blocks apart, will offer free admission for the day and access to programs, including:

·         Family Weaving Activity: Artist Kathey Ervin will demonstrate basketry and weaving while guiding families in their own hands-on projects at WSHM.

·         Native Arts Market: Artist’s booths featuring hand-crafted items in all price ranges.

Awards, left to right: Best in Show: Predator Cannibal, Robin Lovelace. Spirit of the Northwest: Full Circle Totem, Dan Friday. Honoring Tradition: Little People, Carol Emarthle Douglas. Honoring Innovation: Coastal Mjolnir, Earl Davis.

·         Art Making: Participate in hands-on art making in the TAM and MOG studios. Native arts demonstrations will take place at all three museums.

·         Native Designer Fashion Show accompanied by Drumming Circle: Taking place at TAM, models will walk the runway in clothing by multiple Native designers.

·         Artist Panel Discussion: Glass artists Preston Singletary, Dan Friday, Raven Skyriver, and Haila Old Peter will participate in a discussion about contemporary Native art at MOG. Ryan! Feddersen, a mixed-media installation artist, will also be doing demos at MOG.

·         People’s Choice Awards: WSHM will announce the People’s Choice awards for the IN THE SPIRIT Contemporary Native Arts exhibit currently on view at the museum.

·         Closing Celebration:  See and hear the band Khu.éex’, featuring Preston Singletary. Khu.éex’ mixes Native American song and spoken word with atmospheric, visionary jazz improvisation.

For the full schedule and artist line-up, visit: InTheSpiritArts.org.