This past September, the Central District launched its first art walk, joining the ranks of long-spanning monthly walks in other major Seattle neighborhoods like Pioneer Square, Belltown, and Capitol Hill. Stephanie Morales, our neighbor at Made Space, connected with Seattle Art Commissioner and painter Rodney H. King and Belltown Art Walk organizer Amy Tipton to jumpstart the initiative of bringing the arts community to the CD, and we are so grateful for their forethought!
Held the First Friday of each month, the walk runs north to south along the Central District, from the Kaio Wilker Salon to Simply Soulful on South Jackson Street. To help walkers cover more ground, Morales brought in a complimentary party bus for February's walk and promises that it will be available for the March walk as well.
If February was any indication that things were heating up (see the recap from our Style Showcase with Justin Leggett and Avery Tien), then know that the CD will be on FIRE once again this coming March 7th. At ARTE NOIR, our business hours will be extended to 9 PM so that walkers can enjoy our Youth Art Showcase on view in the gallery. We are also partnering with our dear friends from Wa Na Wari and the Seattle Public Library to host the Seattle Black Spatial Histories Institute for a celebration of community stories and Black memory. Stop by, sit, listen, remember, imagine.
The CD Art Walk has been expanding each month,and currently has over a dozen stops on the map, including traditional art spaces as well as cafés, restaurants, and shops. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m., starting in Midtown Square with musical performances (and, eventually, a seasonal market). While all are welcome, the focus of the art walk is to center Black artists and Black businesses within the historically Black neighborhood.
As Stephanie Morales told South Seattle Emerald, “One of Made Space’s values is cooperative economics, so [the CD Art Walk] is completely in alignment with that,” she said. “Anybody that has that same mindset, just being in the Central District is being part of the cooperative economics of [the neighborhood]. You’re bringing your energy, you’re bringing your money, you’re bringing your support, you’re sharing, you’re taking pictures. That’s the bigger picture.”
Comments