Join us at Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation for some great classes!
To register or for more information, please click the link after each class, call 360-753-8380 or stop by to see us at The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia Street NW, Olympia.
Performing Arts & Dance
RakasaFit Core Fitness Belly Dance, May 4-Jun 29
Intermediate/Advanced Belly Dance, May 4-Jun 29
Hawaiian Dance, May 6-Jun 24
Advanced Hawaiian Dance, May 6-Jun 24
Guitar II, May 14-28
All About Guitar Chords, Jun 4
Ukulele Summer Songs, Jun 10-Jul 8
Yes, You Can Play the Ukulele! Part 1, Jun 20-Jul 25
K-pop Dance, Jun 20
Adult Beginning Violin/Fiddle, Jun 22-Jul 20
Visual Arts, & Crafts
Design Principles: An Introduction, May 7-28
Dotting (Dot Painting), May 9
Nature Photography Workshop, May 9
Life Drawing, May 13-27
Color Your Canvas Painting - Dragonfly, May 14
Mixed Media Monotype, May 16
Intermediate Watercolor, Jun 2-Jul 7
Life Drawing, Jun 3-17
Beginning Watercolor, Jun 4-Jul 19
Beginning Drawing, Jun 4-Jul 19
Travel Sketching with Watercolor/Pencil, Jun 6
Beginning Oil Painting, Jun 6-Jul 18
Large Flower Power Workshop, Jun 8-Jun 29
Color Your Canvas Painting - Hometown America, Jun 11
Shibori, Jun 13
Glass Flowers Cast in Glass, Jun 13
Summer Solstice Mandala, Jun 20
Starscapes, Jun 27
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Governor's Mansion - Power of Place Artist Meet & Greet Reception
The Governor's Mansion Foundation invites you for an evening with the artists of Power of Place, part of the America 250 celebration on June 4. 5:30-7 PM.
You're invited inside the Washington State Governor's Mansion for an evening with the artists behind Power of Place-the America 250 exhibition celebrating the landscapes, communities, and stories that shape our state.
This is a rare chance to meet the artists in a relaxed setting-ask questions you might not ask in a gallery, and hear what inspired the work. From farm fields to city streets, Indigenous heritage to the quiet and bustling corners of Washington, the exhibition reflects a wide range of experiences-and the artists who bring them to life.
Enjoy Washington wine and light appetizers as you explore the space, connect with the artists, and meet fellow guests.
Featured Artists
Carla Paine · Andy Eccleshall · Melanie Thompson · Louie Gong (Nooksack) · Dan Friday (Lummi) · Michael Stasinos · James Kroner · Nancy Romanovsky
Ballet Northwest Presents Swan Lake
Mother's Day Weekend, May 8-10, 2026
Ballet Northwest (BNW), Olympia's Dance Company, brings Swan Lake back to the Washington Center stage over Mother's Day weekend. One of the most famous and beautiful classical ballets of all time, Swan Lake includes the famous scenes featuring the swans, such as the precision of the corps de ballet of eighteen swans, the cygnets (four little swans), White Swan pas de deux and Black Swan pas de deux. For these scenes, Artistic Directors Ken and Josie Johnson based the choreography on the original choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. Act one includes lively dances by the people of the town in the village square, and act three is a ballroom scene featuring guests from far away lands.
Swan Lake begins in a forest where the beautiful Odette spurns the advances of the sorcerer von Rothbart. He delivers a curse that transforms her into a swan whenever the sun rises. Prince Siegfried goes hunting and spies Odette as a lovely swan. He discovers her secret and they fall in love, but von Rothbart has other plans. Will love conquer all?
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Friday May 8 at 7pm, Saturday May 9 at 5pm, and Sunday May 10 at 2pm
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The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St SE Olympia, WA 98501
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Ticket Office - 360-753-8586 or order online at www.washingtoncenter.org.
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Tickets are $24-$47, which includes Washington Center service fee. Student, senior, and youth discounts available. Student Rush tickets go on sale one hour before curtain.
SPSCC Theatre Collective Presents Anastasia: The Musical
The South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Theatre Collective presents Anastasia: The Musical, with book by Terrence McNally, music by Stephen Flaherty, and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Performances will take place from May 22 to 31, 2026, at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Main Stage.
Anastasia: The Musical follows Anya, a brave young woman determined to uncover the truth about her past. As she is pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer, Anya joins forces with a charming con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat, embarking on a journey of self-discovery filled with adventure, romance, and the enduring search for home and family.
The cast includes Sophie Bustetter, Jackie Edwards, Brett Hartman, Zachary Clark, Mike Gregory, Nadine Bozeman, Olive Beardsley, and Declan Mingay, alongside ten ensemble performers, including Jewelz Boling, an SPSCC alumni, and Chloe Swanson, a current SPSCC student.
Supporting the production is a collaborative team of current and former SPSCC students, including Lighting Designer Elijah Bellis (alumni), Stage Manager Marisol Steltzner (alumni), and Wardrobe Assistant Ivan Vazquez. The production crew is composed entirely of current SPSCC students: Trinity Beckham, Alexis Barrera, Marilyn Barrera, Rose Enriquez, Tyler Fuller, Sabrina Jerome, Finn Johnston, Natalie Kissel, JayCee Rehse, Kinsley Satterfield, Joelle Standley, and Rory Hannah.
"Musicals are always exciting for us to produce because so many extraordinarily talented people collaborate to create a vibrant, dynamic world," said Dr. Lauren Love, SPSCC Drama Professor and Director of Anastasia: The Musical. "For this production, we are working with our largest ensemble cast to date, a great crew, and, of course, our Music Department and team of designers, to bring Anastasia's journey to the stage."
Admission is a suggested $15 donation at the door. SPSCC students, staff, and faculty are free. More information, including performance dates and times, is available on the college's Arts & Entertainment Calendar.
Songs and Stories with Gretchen Christopher
At the Olympia Timberland Library
Free Music Olympia is excited to bring Gretchen to the Olympia Timberland Library to perform some of her most beloved songs across her career, share the stories behind them, talk about growing up in Olympia in the 1940s and 1950s, and play some new songs. Gretchen Christopher is one of Olympia's first major pop stars of the 20th century. Fans of pop music and local history will learn about the roots of our city's arts landscape!
Free Music Olympia is a nonprofit that works with community partners to present free, all ages and accessible concert experiences for everybody.
This program is sponsored by Friends of the Olympia Library.
SPSCC Music Department Presents Three Concerts This June
The South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Music Department will be performing three concerts featuring SPSCC students this June at the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts Main Stage: Spring Jazz, Voices of Light, and Visions in Sound.
First, come share in the celebration of the end of the spring season with the SPSCC Jazz Band and Jazz Combo on Tuesday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m.
Next, the SPSCC Choirs join forces on Friday, June 12 at 7:30 p.m. to perform Richard Einhorn's unforgettable masterpiece Voices of Light as a live soundtrack to the 1928 classic film The Passion of Joan of Arc, with chamber orchestra and soloists. The film is not recommended for children under the age of 13.
Then, the SPSCC Symphony Orchestra presents a concert titled Visions in Sound on Saturday, June 13, at 7:30 p.m. The orchestra will play music from various films and video games, including The Magnificent Seven, Up, How to Train Your Dragon, Halo, Kingdom Hearts, and more.
Admission for each concert is a suggested $15 donation at the door. Entrance is free to SPSCC students, staff, and faculty. The Music Department concerts are sponsored in part by R.L. Ray Violin Shop. More information is available on the college's Arts & Entertainment page.
Circus Summer Camps are back!
Do your kiddos still need summer plans? This year Sparrow Studios is offering two, week-long, full-day camps, 9am - 3:30pm, with a unique focus on creation and collaboration. All your favorite activities are included: clowning, tumbling, juggling, aerial silk and trapeze, and more!
On Friday of each week, parents and friends are invited to an in-camp performance at the studio to see what their students have learned that week. Students need to bring their own lunch and we will walk two blocks to Percival Landing to enjoy lunchtime in the sun! Camps are capped at 10 students in the interest of safety and individual attention.
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June 22-26 (ages 7-10), 9am-3:30pm
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June 29-July 3 (ages 10-14), 9am-3:30pm
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Cost per camp: $500
Newsletter Roundup
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Public Art Opportunity at Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls
Tumwater, Wash. - Olympia Tumwater Foundation (OTF) is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a new public art installation at Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls.
This exciting opportunity invites local artists or artist teams to design and create a unique, free-standing welcome structure that will serve as a visual and symbolic entry point to one of the region's most cherished public spaces.
The selected artist will receive a total project budget of $25,000, inclusive of design, fabrication, installation, and applicable taxes.
The artwork will be installed outdoors and is intended to enhance the visitor experience year-round. The Foundation envisions a piece that reflects the spirit of the park and the broader community, welcoming guests while honoring the site's natural beauty and cultural significance.
Project Vision & Themes
Artists are encouraged to explore themes such as:
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The natural beauty of Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls
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A sense of belonging and inclusivity
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A place of rest and respite
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A gateway or "portal" into history
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Recognition of the Squaxin Island Tribe's presence since time immemorial
The structure may take the form of an archway, sculpture, or other creative interpretation of a welcoming feature.
Music in the Park Looking for Roving Performers
Jugglers, clowns, non-musical entertainers? Apply at the link below.
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Olympia Historical Society
If you have an interest in local history, please consider becoming a volunteer with the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. We have a variety of roles to fill, including tour guides for the museum's Sunday afternoon open hours (1:00pm-4:00pm), groundskeeping at monthly Saturday morning work parties, and committee work for our Education, Bigelow House Operations, and Events (annual historic homes tour and spring fundraiser) committees.
To learn more, please email us at [email protected].
Looking for Volunteers for 2026 Olympia Juneteenth Celebration
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Saturday, June 20, 2026
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Volunteer hours: 9am-6pm (split shifts are available). Set up and take down positions available as well.
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Contact Shawna Hawk at [email protected]. You can also call 360.352.8526 and leave a message with your contact information.
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Learn more
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Museum & Visitor Center Front Desk Docent
The Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance is seeking volunteers to support the OlyAHA! Museum & Visitor Center. Volunteering at the Olympia AHA Museum is a chance to learn and share Olympia's stories, to build connections in the community, to gain museum and customer service experience, and to be a part of something local, vital and lasting. Our volunteers are the face of the Olympia AHA Museum. They greet guests, share stories, and connect visitors to the best of Olympia.
As a volunteer you will:
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Welcome and assist visitors
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Interpret exhibitions
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Sell merchandise
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Help visitors to discover Olympia's arts, heritage, and cultures
We're looking for committed volunteers who are enthusiastic about Olympia's arts, cultures and history.
Our volunteer team is:
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Friendly, welcoming, and professional
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Comfortable learning point-of-sale and scheduling tools
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Reliable, cooperative, and ready to assist visitors
Volunteer Experience
Volunteers work in pairs at our front desk for three- or four-hour shifts. Volunteers can expect seasonal appreciation events and ongoing learning opportunities!
Olympia Family Theater
Front of House Volunteers needed. No experience necessary!
Shifts available for ushering, selling concessions, and selling raffle tickets during performances.
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March 5-29, 2026 and/or May 14-June 7, 2026
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Time commitment is usually under 4 hours.
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Thursday/Friday at 6pm, Saturday/Sunday at 2pm
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Must pass a background check.
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Please contact Tracy at [email protected].
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The ARCH Digest is a summary of Arts, Culture and History happenings in the greater Olympia area, submitted by the community. Please turn in ArCH Digest listings to [email protected].
Deadline Monday morning, 8 a.m.
If you know of anyone who would like to receive the City of Olympia Arts & Culture news, which includes a weekly ArCH Digest, direct them here and have them mark the Arts & Culture box.
Disclaimer: Information in the Arts Digest is not vetted through the City, nor is it endorsed by the City. The reader is solely responsible for checking background on any opportunity listed above.
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Contact
Stephanie Johnson, Arts Program Manager
Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation
360.709.2678
[email protected]
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