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Creative State

Creative State is the official podcast of ArtsWA, the Washington State Arts Commission. Episodes feature interviews with voices from arts, culture, and heritage from across the state.

Each episode features:

For more information about Creative State, contact ArtsWA Communications Manager Michael Wallenfels at: michael.wallenfels@arts.wa.gov

In this special episode, we sit down with Eric Ballentine, regional coordinator for the Washington Department of Veteran’s Affairs (WDVA) Vet Corps. Eric sheds light on how the Vet Corps works, what makes Veterans such powerful storytellers, the Minority Veterans organization, and his plans for a podcast of his own.

In this special episode, we sit down with Gabrielle Trautmann of Gabi’s Olympic Cards and Comics to learn about how her shop – which she bought at 18 years old – creates community in Olympia, Washington. Gabi, whose father served in the military, holds regular events for Veterans to gather and build human connections (she even lifts the “no swearing” rule).

Learn more about Gabi’s Olympic Cards and Comics here.

Episode 6: Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards | In this episode, we speak with Stage Left Theater Artistic & Managing Director Jeremy Whittington, Veteran artist Geoffrey Bowton, and listen to the 2022 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards.

Jeremy Whittington: Jeremy is a 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Luminary Award honoree based in Spokane, Washington. He is the Artistic and Managing Director of Stage Left Theater. Click below to:

The 2022 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards: The 2022 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards were held on November 1, 2022. Click below to:

Geoffrey Bowton: Geoffrey is a Veteran artist who works in “Pate de Verre”, a French term meaning “Paste of Glass”. Click here to learn more about Geoffrey.

Music: Icelandic Arpeggios – DivKid / Beyond – Patrick Patrikios

Episode 5: Circle of Light | In this episode, we speak with Asia Pacific Cultural Center Executive Director Faaluaina (Lua) Pritchard, Art in Public Places Collections Manager Janae Huber, and documentary filmmaker Dru Holley.

Faaluaina (Lua) Pritchard, Executive Director of Asia Pacific Cultural Center: Asia Pacific Cultural Center is a 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Luminary Award honoree based in Tacoma. Click here to learn more about Asia Pacific Cultural Center.

Janae Huber: Janae is the Collections Manager for the Art in Public Places program at ArtsWA. Click here to learn more about Art in Public Places, and click here to learn more about Circle of Light. Watch a video:

Jane Orleman: Jane is an artist and the widow of Circle of Light artist Dick Elliott. Click here to learn more about Jane.

Xavier Cavazos: Xavier is a poet and educator. Click here to learn more about Xavier.

Dru Holley: Dru the documentary filmmaker behind Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts. Click here to learn more about the film.

Music: Icelandic Arpeggios – DivKid / Beyond – Patrick Patrikios

Episode 4: Back to School | In this episode, we speak with Path With Art CEO Holly Jacobson, ArtsWA Arts in Education Program Manager Tamar Krames, Teaching Artist Carina Del Rosario, and ArtsWA Wellness, Arts, and the Military Program Manager Bryan Bales.

Holly Jacobson, CEO of Path With Art: Path With Art is a 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Luminary Award honoree based in Seattle. Click here to learn more about Path With Art.

Tamar Krames: Tamar is the Program Manager for Arts in Education at ArtsWA. Click here to learn more about Arts in Education. Watch their videos:

Carina Del Rosario: Carina is a Teaching Artist, visual artist, and cultural worker. Click here to learn more about Carina.

Bryan Bales: Bryan is the Program Manager for Wellness, Arts, and the Military at ArtsWA. Click here to learn more about Wellness, Arts, and the Military.

Music: Icelandic Arpeggios – DivKid / Beyond – Patrick Patrikios

Episode 3: Arts, Community, and Wellbeing | In this episode, we speak with Akuyea Karen Vargas and incoming CWCT Director Thomas Richardson. For the final segment, Gabriella Smith speaks with MusicWorks4Veterans’ John Selzler.

Note on content: in our conversation with Akuyea, she shares a story in which she quotes a racial slur that was directed at a member of her family.

Akuyea Karen Vargas: Akuyea Karen Vargas is a 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage Luminary Award honoree based on Bainbridge Island. Click here to learn about ERACE (and here to learn about the Kitsap ERACE Coalition) and click here to learn about the Living Arts Cultural Heritage project. Contact Kitsap ERACE at KitsapERACEcoalition@gmail.com.

Thomas Richardson: Thomas is the incoming director of the Center for Washington Cultural Traditions (CWCT). Click here to learn more about the CWCT.

John Selzler: John is an Army and Air Force Veteran, a musician and songwriter, and the founder of MusicWorks4Veterans. Click here to learn more about MusicWorks4Veterans.

Music: Icelandic Arpeggios – DivKid / Beyond – Patrick Patrikios

Episode 2: Community Development in the Arts | How can the arts support communities and the economy? We speak with Spokane Valley Summer Theatre Director of Development Marnie Rorholm, ArtsWA Community Development Manager Annette Roth, and Tenino Mayor Wayne Fournier. For the final segment, you’ll hear Gabriella Smith, our Vet Corps Navigator for the Wellness, Arts, and the Military Program, speak with author and U.S. Army Veteran Michelle Murray.

Spokane Valley Summer Theatre: Spokane Valley Summer Theatre is a nonprofit theatre in Spokane Valley, Washington, producing musical theatre and an educational summer camp program. Learn more about their work at their website.

Spokane Valley Summer Theatre received a Governor’s Arts & Heritage Award in 2021. Click here to watch the 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage presentation.

Annette Roth: Annette is the Community Development Manager for ArtsWA, where she manages the award-winning Creative Districts program. Click here to learn more.

Mayor Wayne Fournier: Wayne Fournier is the Mayor of Tenino, Washington. Tenino became a Certified Creative District in May, 2020. Click here to learn more about Tenino.

Michelle Murray: Michelle is a published author, spoken word poet, and U.S. Army Veteran. Michelle speaks at length about her work with Path With Art. Learn more about Path With Art at pathwithart.org.

Music: Icelandic Arpeggios – DivKid / Beyond – Patrick Patrikios

Episode 1: National Poetry Month | In the inaugural Creative State, we speak with Gallery One Executive Director Monica Miller, ArtsWA’s Poetry Out Loud Manager Judy Cullen, and Washington State Poet Laureate Rena Priest. For the final segment, you’ll hear Gabriella Smith, our Vet Corps Navigator for the Wellness, Arts, and the Military Program, speak with Olympia Poet Laureate Ashly McBunch.

Gallery One: Gallery One Visual Arts Center is a nonprofit organization in Ellensburg, Washington. They offer a variety of quarterly classes, an art after school program, a gift store featuring regional artisans, a full ceramics studio available for rent and classes, inexpensive studio spaces for artists, and facility rentals for the community. Click here to visit Gallery One’s website.

Gallery One received a Governor’s Arts & Heritage Award in 2021. Click here to watch the 2021 Governor’s Arts & Heritage presentation.

Judy Cullen: Judy is the Program Manager for Washington’s Poetry Out Loud program. Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students. Click here to watch the 2022 Washington State Poetry Out Loud Final Competition.

Rena Priest: Rena became the sixth Washington State Poet Laureate on April 14, 2021, and her term will run until March 31, 2023. A member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation, Priest will be the first Indigenous poet to be the state’s Poet Laureate.

Ashly McBunch: Ashly is Olympia, Washington’s current Poet Laureate. Click here to read a profile of Ashly.

Music: Icelandic Arpeggios – DivKid / Beyond – Patrick Patrikios