Town Hall Seattle Arts & Culture Series

Looking back through history, it is obvious that the presence of music has had a profound impact on the daily lives of humans, our cultural rituals, and the evolution of civilization as a whole.Yet in public discourse, we still tend to separate conversations about music from those about civics or politics. We frame music as a product for entertainment when in reality the practice of music is deeply tied to the way our communities are structured and function.

Shain Shapiro is the director of the global nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems, and author ofThis Must Be The Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better. In his book, Shapiro examines the way music affects the building, managing, and governing of a city.

Told through personal stories from cities around the world — including London, Melbourne, Nashville, Austin, and Zurich — This Must Be the Placedemonstrates how integral music is to everyday life, yet how consistently music is ignored in public policy. Specifically, Shapiro references the transformative role that artists and musicians played in revitalizing elements of our post-pandemic world.

In addition to spotlighting the connection between music and building cities,This Must be the Placeserves as a guide and toolkit for music enthusiasts, artists, and activists who seek to utilize music as a tool for reinventing their community.

Join Shain Shapiro at Town Hall, for an examination of the way music informs the building of a city, and how we can use music to strengthen our communities going forward.

Shain Shapiro, Ph.D. is one of the world’s leading music and cultural policy thinkers. He is the founder and chairman of economics consultancy Sound Diplomacy, founder and director of the global nonprofit Center for Music Ecosystems and author ofThis Must Be The Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better. Shain has pioneered the work of music cities and music ecosystem policy, where music is written into how cities and places plan and invest in their future.

Gregory Scruggs is a Seattle-based journalist. He is a correspondent for leading international cultural magazineMonocleand also works on the features desk at The Seattle Times. His reporting on how public policy impacts music scenes have been published in outlets such asThe New York Times,Bloomberg CityLab, VICE,Next City,Seattle Weekly, andThe Stranger.

This Must Be the Place: How Music Can Make Your City Better

Third Place Books

What do we learn when an anthropologist and a historian talk about food? Across endless eras, landscapes, and civilizations, humanity’s relationship with food has played the part of one of the landmark features of culture and community. We feel this on both the micro and macro scale — from learning a recipe passed down through generations of one’s own family to the excitement of exploring an unfamiliar local market in a city far from home.

Culinary curiosity invites us all to the table, and through their new book,Ways of Eating, authors and storytellers Benjamin Wurgaft and Merry White are here to serve.

Wurgaft and White aim to introduce readers to the interwoven worlds of global food history and food anthropology, exploring how we’re not just what we eat, but where, why, and how we came to eat it in the first place. Throughout their collaborative work, Wurgaft and White embark on a world tour of anthropological accounts and vivid storytelling, paying visits to Panamanian coffee growers, Japanese knife forgers, and the medieval age of women brewing beer.

Ways of Eatingexplores the influence of migration and politics in shaping both group identity and global culinary practices, from the Venetian spice trade to the Columbian Exchange to the parallels between ancient Romangarumand contemporary Vietnamesenớc chấm.There are as many dynamics at play across the world of food anthropology as spices in a well-stocked pantry, andWays of Eatingseeks to understand and follow them from the plate back to the kitchen, the farm, and the field.

Co-authorsBenjamin A. Wurgaft and Merry I. Whiteare a son and mother duo with backgrounds in history, philosophy, anthropology, and the social study of food. Merry White is a Professor of Anthropology at Boston University, with a specialization in Japanese social and food culture. Their previous publications include White’sCoffee Life in Japanand Wurgaft’sMeat Planet: Artificial Flesh and the Future of Food.This is their first book written together.

Born in New England,Peter Milleris a graduate of Williams College and Harvard Graduate School of Education. He moved to Seattle in November 1970, a time when one could rent a home from a nearby phone booth with the instructions, “the key is under the mat, I will come meet you this week.” In 1975, Miller opened a bookshop in Wallingford, with its first lecture series featuring Tom Robbins and Alan Furst. In 1980, he opened an architecture bookshop in Pioneer Square, relocating it to the market in 1983. Thirty years later, he moved again to Belltown, in association with George Suyama Architects. The shop is now situated in Pioneer Square between First Avenue and the water. Additionally, Miller served as a member of the Seattle Design Commission from 1998 to 2001. Peter has authored three books:Lunch at the Shop,Five Ways to Cook Asparagus, andHow to Wash the Dishes, with a fourth book set to be released in May, titledShopkeeping.

Ways of Eating: Exploring Food through History and Culture

Third Place Books

TheVillage Voiceaimed to show readers something that mainstream publications wouldn’t:live theater productions climbing through the scaffolding of off-Broadway venues; moments in music from hip-hop to jazz to punk; New York City civil issues, like corrupt landlords; and global issues, like the AIDS crisis. Through decades of independent reporting and first-hand accounts within the myriad subcultures of New York, theVillage Voicebuilt a journalistic legacy of lived experience, bold critique, and political activism. One can’t help but wonder, what it must have been like to be one of the writers, editors, or photographers who was in on the action.

In her debut book,The Freaks Came Out to Write, Tricia Romano shares her journey from intern to contributor at theVillage Voice,and the multi-generational significance of the weekly paper that reached far beyond the neighborhoods of New York City.

Romano’s accounts include over 200 interviews that span decades and feature influential figures such as Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead, feminist writers Vivian Gornick and Susan Brownmiller, the post-punk band Blondie, and many other acclaimed individuals in the realms of art, politics, and society. Romano ties it all together in an expansive oral history that tells the story of journalism, New York City and American culture — and the most famous alt-weekly of all time.

Tricia Romanois a writer, columnist, and editor whose work has been published in theNew York Times, Rolling Stone, Elle, theLos Angeles Times, and of course theVillage Voice,among others. Her column, Fly Life, dug into the underbelly of New York nightlife and she has penned award-winning stories on music and culture. She has served as a fellow at MacDowell, Millay, and UCross, a staff writer at theSeattle Times, and as editor-in-chief of theStranger,Seattle’s own alternative newsweekly.

Dan Savageis a sex-advice columnist, a podcaster, an author, and has appeared on numerous television shows. Formerly the editor of the Stranger, Dan’s sex-advice column “Savage Love,” is syndicated worldwide. He has published seven books and his weekly sex advice podcastSavage Lovecast.

Jane Levineworked for more than 30 years at alternative weeklies. She started as an intern atChicago Readerin 1973 and returned to serve as publisher from 1994 to 2004. In between, she held business-side positions atLos Angeles Reader, North Carolina Independent,andSeattle Weekly.

The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of the Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture

Third Place Books

What does it mean to be a proudly queer Indigenous woman in the United States today?

Sasha LaPointe, winner of the 2023 Pacific Northwest Book Award for her memoir,Red Paint,shares a new collection of essays that navigate the complexities of indigenous identity, challenge stereotypes, and address cultural displacement and environmental concerns.Thunder Song draws inspiration from her family’s rich archive and the work of her late great-grandmother and weaves together stories that demonstrate the profound intersections of community, commitment, and conscientious honesty.

Described as “unapologetically punk,” the essays inThunder Songsegue from the miraculous to the mundane, from the spiritual to the physical, as they examine the role of art — in particular, music — and community in helping a new generation of indigenous people claim the strength of their heritage while defining their own path in the contemporary world.

Celebrate cultural diversity as LaPointe explores how we shape our understanding of the world, hoping to inspire a new era of conscientious living.

Sasha taqʷšəblu LaPointeis a Coast Salish author from the Nooksack and Upper Skagit Indian tribes. She is the author ofRed Paint: The Ancestral Autobiography of a Coast Salish Punk, winner of a Pacific Northwest Book Award, the Washington State Book Award for Creative Nonfiction/Memoir, and an NPR Best Book of the Year, and the poetry collectionRose Quartz. She received a double MFA in creative nonfiction and poetry from the Institute of American Indian Arts. She lives in Tacoma, Washington.

Dawn Pichón Barron of Chowanoke/Choctaw/Mexican-Chihuahua/European heritage,is the Academic Director of the Native Pathways Program and Creative Writing Faculty at the Evergreen State College. She founded and curated the Gray Skies Reading Series 2009-2019. Her chapbook, ESCAPE GIRL BLUES, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2018.

Thunder Song

The Elliott Bay Book Company

If you’re a part of the Seattle arts scene, chances are you’ve come across Tessa Hulls.She has a hand in many local creative communities, including Seattle Arts & Lectures (where you might have spotted her illustrations on the 2021 Summer Book Bingo Card!), the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, and the Henry Art Museum. She’s also the lead artist in the Wing Luke Museum exhibit “Nobody Lives Here,” which explores the impacts of how the I-5 construction ran right through the Chinatown International District in the 1960s.

It’s no surprise then that Hulls is passionate about mixing art and historical research, looking at how past events echo throughout daily relationships today. She explores these themes in her debut book,Feeding Ghosts, a graphic novel memoir that tells the story of three generations of women in her family: her Chinese grandmother Sun Yi; her mother, Rose; and herself. Sun Yi, who fled Communist China for Hong Kong, published a celebrated memoir about her persecution and survival, but then later succumbed to mental illness.

Determined to face the history that shaped her family, Tessa exposes the wounds that haunt generations and the love that holds them together. Hulls is a self-proclaimed “compulsive genre-hopper,” mixing personal and political histories with travel writing and visual art. This might explain why she’s so well-intertwined in Seattle’s art scene, using her creativity to build community and create conversations about the impacts of our shared history.

Tessa Hullsis an artist, a writer, and an adventurer. Her essays have appeared inThe Washington Post, Atlas Obscura,andAdventure Journal, and her comics have been published inThe Rumpus, City Arts,andSPARK.She has received grants from the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture and 4Culture, and she is a fellowship recipient from the Washington Artist Trust.Feeding Ghostsis her first book.

Putsata Reang is a Cambodian-born author and a journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times,Politico,The Guardian,Ms.,The San Jose Mercury News, andThe Seattle Times, among other publications. She is an alumna of residencies at Hedgebrook, the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts, and Mineral School, and she has received fellowships from the Alicia Patterson Foundation and Jack Straw Cultural Center.

Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic Memoir

Third Place Books

Have you ever lost something or someone dear to you?Though it ranges in severity and impact, loss is a shared human experience – an inevitable, inescapable part of life.

Praised for her humor and sharp wit, essayist and novelist Sloane Crosley delivers her first memoirGrief is for People, exploring how loss can take many forms. After the pain and confusion of losing her closest friend Russell to suicide – which occurred only a month after also losing prized possessions and her sense of safety following a burglary – Crosley looks for answers, even where they may be elusive. She seeks solace not only in those close to her but in art and philosophy as well, hoping for a useful framework outside the oft-cited five stages of grief. Crosley’s readership may not have seen this side of the author, but will nevertheless recognize those observations and examinations of the human condition interlaced with levity that popularized her earlier writings.

Grief Is for Peopleseeks to upend the traditional grief memoir and offer both consolation and challenge to standard conceptions of mourning. Crosley’s talk is for anyone in a current time of sorrow or who has experienced a loss and might welcome a discussion beyond platitudes.

Sloane Crosleyis the author of the novelsCult ClassicandThe Claspand three essay collections:Look Alive Out Thereand theNew York TimesbestsellersI Was Told There’d Be CakeandHow Did You Get This Number.

Benjamin Gibbard is a multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of Death Cab for Cutie, formed in 1997, and one half of the electronic duo The Postal Service. Gibbard released his debut solo album “Former Lives” in 2012, and he has scored two films. Gibbard is an avid ultra-marathon runner and a longtime resident of Seattle.

Grief Is for People: A Memoir

The Elliott Bay Book Company

You’d be hard-pressed to find a person whose life went unchanged in 2020, arguably one of the most consequential years in human history. It marked an unprecedented time, left indelible memories in our minds, and set off ripple effects we still feel even today. Disruption of normal life was nearly universal; however, theways in which we experienced disruption were varied.

Acclaimed sociologist and bestselling author Eric Klinenberg’s latest work2020: One City, Seven People, and the Year Everything Changed offers an account of a single year in modern history told through the stories of seven New Yorkers. From an elementary school principal to a bar manager, a subway custodian to a political aide, the book sheds light on the human experience of that fateful time four years ago, illuminating both individual and collective uncertainty, fear, loss, and hope.

Although the book is centered on New York City, 2020 also explores the political spheres of the nation’s capital and beyond, as well as epidemiological battles, policies, and movements worldwide. Set against the backdrop of a tense presidential election and social unrest, Klinenberg offers a window into a recent time of reckoning and an invitation to examine ourselves and our experiences.

Eric Klinenbergis the Helen Gould Shepard Professor in the Social Sciences and director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University. He is the co-author of the #1New York TimesbestsellerModern Romanceand author ofPalaces for the People,Going Solo,Heat Wave, andFighting for Air. He has contributed toThe New Yorker,The New York Times Magazine,Rolling Stone,Wired,andThis American Life. He lives in New York City.

2020: One City, Seven People, and the Year Everything Changed

The Elliott Bay Book Company

Three expert guests discuss the implications of AI and the fine arts in a conversation moderated by Steve Scher.

Scientist and founder of the Artists and Machine Intelligence program at Google,Blaise Agüera y Arcas, will offer his “news from the front” about the latest developments in AI capabilities, and what he foresees ahead.Alex Alben, technology executive, author, and law professor, will review the implications of AI to the artist from the point of view of intellectual property: is anything on the internet up for grabs, or is compensation for image “borrowing” a possibility?Finally, painterJason Puccinelli, who uses AI as one of his tools in image creation, will talk about what he finds exciting and useful, and what he finds problematic, about this new resource.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Gage Academy of Art.

Hip-hop education is more than just music; it’s a dynamic tool for fostering student success and intellectual growth.

James Miles, known as the Fresh Professor, is renowned for his engaging teaching style. By infusing lessons with content that’s inspirational, intellectually engaging, and relevant to students’ lives, Miles demonstrates how teachers can use hip-hop education to help students better retain information and think critically about concepts inside and outside the classroom.

Miles will be joined by a panel of experts with backgrounds ranging from educators to artists who will talk about ways to ignite curiosity, ensure comprehension, and provide differentiation options for all kinds of learners. Weaving performance into their discussion, they will talk about the impact of hip-hop on their lives, how it shows up in current events, and the implications for education. At the program break, DJ Topspin will play music, followed by a discussion of James’s book,Gotta Stay Fresh.

James Miles, aka Fresh Professor, is a New York City artist and educator with 20 years of experience, now based in Seattle. He’s an Assistant Professor at Seattle University and serves as the Creative Economy Manager at Seattle’s Office of Economic Development. James has a rich history, including leadership roles at Third Stone, MENTOR Washington, and Arts Corps. His innovative Fresh Education program, using hip-hop and theater for academic success, has influenced educators worldwide. A graduate of Morehouse College and Brandeis University, James empowers teachers globally through professional development. His mission is to reduce educational inequities using the arts.

DJTopspinaka Blendiana Jonesis established as a musical pillar in the Northwest and across the world. He (seemingly) easily weaves a complex blend of hits and unearthed genre-spanning gems from both past & present eras, creating a musical tapestry all his own. Born from a Jamaican father and Panamanian mother, the pulse of the diaspora in the form of dancehall/reggae/soca/afrobeat is always present in his musical displays. He’s recently showcased them DJing in The Kingdom of Bahrain for the 2nd time in as many years, and has previously produced a weekly countdown show broadcasted throughout Tanzania (where he’s spun 3x so far) and to other African nations.

Moses Sunis an afro-abstractionist working in assemblage, painting, video, animation, and public art that explores the intersection of Pan-Africanism and the world’s diasporas. Moses Sun fuses hip-hop, jazz, afro-futurism, and the black southern diaspora of his childhood into a mix of visuals that blurs the lines between digital and analog art. His interdisciplinary practice comes from the hip-hop ethos of grinding in the studio, creating multiple tracks (series of works) that he remixes into new works. His search for common ground between diasporas has led to collaborations with Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum, SAM, Frye Art Museum, Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle Hebrew Academy, and Africatown Plaza.

Idris Goodwin is a multi-award-winning storyteller of stage, audio, screen, and page. Currently serving as Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theater, Idris writes, directs, programs, and /or produces relevant content for intergenerational audiences. Goodwin is the author of over 75 dynamic and diverse original plays. Committed to access and impact, Goodwin’s work is widely produced across the country by professional, community, and academic institutions alike.

Olisa Enricois an artist, educator and administrator who engages the unique power of art to cultivate community and culture. Olisa spent her childhood writing music and performing, traversing genres and rooted in hip hop as her primary form of expression. She branched out to theater and found passion for the power of story to reveal and heal. Olisa provides performances, professional development, curriculum development, consultations and workshops through her business,Praxis Essentials.

Many of us talk to our pets daily, but what would you do if your pet could talk back? What do you think they would say?

When Bunny, a fluffy, black-and-white sheepadoodle, was eight weeks old, her guardian Alexis presented her with an odd gift: a button programmed to say “outside” when pressed. Within a few weeks, Bunny was using it all the time, and Alexis, encouraged by Bunny’s progress, continued to introduce more buttons and more words.

Three years later, Bunny can now communicate using over one hundred buttons, stringing together important, relatable, philosophical phrases such as “Love you Mom,” “Dad went poop,” and “Ugh why?” InI Am Bunny, Alexis chronicles not only how Bunny learned to “talk,” but also the profound impact their journey has had on her life.

Caring for Bunny revealed to Alexis a path to self-acceptance if not complete self-love, and as their relationship developed their ability to communicate deepened. Through charming anecdotes about day-to-day life with Bunny, explorations into prior animal language studies, and plenty of irreverent humor, daring, and heart, Alexis tells the story of how she and Bunny have become so inspiringly close and explores the ancient and unique bond between dog and guardian that so many of us know leads to a deeper, more meaningful life.

Alexis Devineis an artist and entrepreneur hailing from Seattle, Washington. She was a longtime creator of wearable art before her sheepadoodle, Bunny, known as “What About Bunny” on social media, became an internet sensation in the fall of 2020. Bunny is part of an ongoing canine cognition research study at the Comparative Cognition Lab at UCSD. Alexis is a Licensed Family Dog Mediator, Fear Free Certified Professional, and Certified Canine Enrichment Tech­nician. Her goal is to further our understanding of the power of connection and the importance of empathy, meeting her dogs where they are and understanding them on their terms first to facilitate trust and promote an environment that supports them as the incredible creatures they are.

Sarah Stremming(she/her) is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants who hosts the popular podcast Cog Dog Radio. She consults on challenging dog behavior cases, lectures other professionals worldwide, and runs a dynamic membership out of her home office in Redmond, Washington. Known for popularizing “decompression walks” she believes what is best for dogs is usually best for their human companions, too. Sarah competes in the dog sports of Agility and Obedience and can often be found deep in the woods beside her Icelandic sheepdog and three border collies.