Seattle Culture

Still Time to Catch Camano’s Studio Tour
The long-running island art event returns for its encore weekend May 17-18
If you’re up for a scenic drive and love discovering art where it’s made, the Camano Island Studio Tour is worth the trip. Now in its 26th year, what began as a 14-venue event listed on a single sheet of paper has evolved into one of the North Puget Sound’s most beloved art experiences. If…

Reading the Economic Fault Lines
Washington’s recession anxiety leads the nation
Washington residents are Googling recession-related terms more than anyone else in the country. A new study from Techr, an online HR platform, ranked states based on Google searches like “Trump recession 2025,” “are we in a recession 2025,” and “layoffs 2025.” Washington tops the list with 56.33 searches per 100,000 residents — more than 200%…

Trailblazing Women
Resilience. Determination. Self belief.
These 10 women embrace challenges as opportunities, demonstrate courage in the face of adversity, and stay true to their values while breaking barriers. These are their stories of persistence and progress. Arts Dr. Joan Sung – Author, speaker Johnaye Kendrick – Grammy Award-winning professor of music at Cornish College of the Arts Tariqa Waters –…

Trailblazing Women: Melinda French Gates
Founder of Pivotal, co-founder of the Gates Foundation, and author of The Moment of Lift and The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward
Shortly after my first book came out in 2019, an interviewer asked me: “Who or what is the greatest love of your life?” I answered in a heartbeat. “It’s an unbreakable tie between the foundation we started, the man I started it with, and the three children we have together.” The version of me who…

BECU Scores Naming Rights For Storm Performance Center
The $64 million practice facility will be known as the BECU Center for Basketball Performance
Credit union BECU has secured the naming rights for the Seattle Storm’s basketball facility. The $64 million facility in Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood will now be known as the BECU Storm Center for Basketball Performance. The center opened in April 2024. The Storm says the deal is the first for an independently owned WNBA team. The…

Editor’s Note: Male Allyship is More Important Than Ever
Men have a responsibility to use positions of influence to challenge gender biases
On the left side of my work desk in my home office is a small red plaque with the words “The Future is Female.” My son’s teenage friends sometimes ask him why his father has that, and what the saying means. “I’m not sure,” he says. One day he’ll know. With the ongoing systemic destruction…

A Quiet Force: Tasha the Sloth Bear Remembered
The Woodland Park Zoo loses a beloved matriarch
Woodland Park Zoo has said goodbye to a very important grandma. Tasha, a 20-year-old sloth bear known for her beautiful coat, hazel eyes, and love of cinnamon, was humanely euthanized after being diagnosed with advanced cancer. She had recently shown signs of rapidly declining health, including lethargy and loss of appetite, prompting an urgent exam….

Funko’s WNBA Deal Showcases Top Stars
Collectibles company creates Pop! figures of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, others
I love the Seattle Storm, and all things WNBA. My passion for women’s basketball even predates Caitlin Clark. My wife and I recently bought a partial season-ticket package, and my basketball-obsessed son closely analyzes games to help him improve. Now comes news that Everett pop culture collectibles company Funko has signed a deal with the…

206 Forever
Seattle’s longtime area code is getting a new number
If you’ve got a 206 number, go ahead and brag a little. It’s about to get exclusive. Starting June 10, the 564 area code will begin overlaying 206 in Seattle. Blame the cell phones, tablets, watches. Everything wants a number now. Area codes often run out eventually, but this speeds things up. And since we…

The Numbers Are In: Seattle Tourism Is Back
Visit Seattle numbers reveal uptick, optimism for future
Forty-one percent of visitors to the greater Seattle area last year came to visit friends or relatives. Almost one-third came from other cities in Washington. Fifteen percent came from California. Visit Seattle’s annual tourism report, released yesterday, contains information on “visitor profiles” for the first time. Many of the numbers — which pertain to domestic…

Must List: Six Fun Things to Do This Week
May 08 - May 14
Books, beer, and bonsai
The May/June magazine is hot off the press! It’s all about Trailblazing Women and would make a great gift if you’re still looking. As our publisher says, the women featured in this issue are “living proof that what happens in Seattle matters to the rest of the world.” Here’s what to do this week: Seattle…

Selling A Home? You’ll Have To Be Patient.
Listings are up significantly, but buyers remain wary
Home sales across Washington state are off to a slow start during a typically active spring season. The Northwest Multiple Listing Service says homes for sale in 26 of the 39 counties in Washington state it monitors rose 47.4% year over year, but buyers remain wary because of high interest rates. Interest rates were 6.76%…

Publisher’s Note: Trailblazing Women – The Power of Courage and Vision
Thought leaders share diverse perspectives, challenge gender norms
Women should run the world. I believe the world would simply be better if there were more female CEOs, board members, founders, and yes, presidents. In this “Trailblazing Women” issue — on stands now and available by subscription — we are privileged to feature extraordinary women whose contributions across technology, health care, social justice, and…
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