Humanities Washington

10/05/2026

“For me, a way to know the present is to understand what has come before." – Teresa André
Humanities Washington speaker Teresa André Storytellernw brings the stories of the 1920s to life in this fascinating look at Washington’s first highway, the Yellowstone Trail, and the “plucky girls” who traveled it. Take a look at this conversation with Teresa from the Redmond Historical Society.

By Richard Hao, Youth Director At LargeEdited by Laura Lee Bennett, Executive Vice President Photos by Cheryl Magnuson and Teresa AndréOn September 12, 2026, the Redmond Historical Society welcomed storyteller and Humanities Washington speaker Teresa André, who traveled across Washington State sha...

10/02/2026

Our October e-news is here! Meet the new Heritage Arts Apprenticeship Program cohort, listen to the Humanities Washington episode of By the People, learn how you can support Prime Time Family Reading, and find upcoming humanities events around the state!

Read the October e-news → https://tinyurl.com/3745vwfh

WA Cultures Washington State Arts Commission

10/01/2026

Announcing the new Heritage Arts Apprenticeship Program pairs! Now in its ninth year, the WA Cultures program brings a Master Artist to work with an Apprentice for 100 hours to impart artistic and cultural knowledge, techniques, repertoire, and history.

The 10 projects include traditions such as Palestinian embroidery, Persian and Filipino folk dance, Native weaving traditions, and – in a first for the program – a traditional game. These projects were selected from over 50 applications representing the diversity of community-based traditions across the state.

WA Cultures is co-presented by Humanities Washington and Washington State Arts Commission.

WACultures, in partnership with Humanities Washington and ArtsWA, is excited to announce the 2026-2027 cohort of Heritage Arts Apprenticeship projects. The 10 projects include traditions such as Palestinian embroidery, Persian...

09/28/2026

October 14, 1 pm at the Highline Heritage Museum

Details:

Explore Native resilience through the personal journey of John Halliday (Coyote), a Muckleshoot artist, speaker, and former tribal leader. After surviving a near-death experience and losing much of his sight, Halliday turned to traditional Native values of endurance and adaptation to remake his life through art, music, and storytelling.
Blending drumming, flute music, painting, and lived history, he shares how Native communities have survived beyond the signing of treaties. Audiences will gain a deeper understanding of Indigenous history, strength, and creativity today.

09/28/2026

📣Open now: The Washington State Poet Laureate program is accepting indications of interest from September 1 – October 15 for the 2027-29 Washington State Poet Laureate position. Full guidelines at the link below.

📆Deadline: October 15, 2026
👉🏽Learn more: https://www.arts.wa.gov/washington-state-poet-laureate/

ID: Could you be Washington’s next State Poet Laureate? Info same as above, including link and logos for Humanities Washington, Washington State Poet Laureate, and ArtsWA.

The Washington State Poet Laureate program is a collaboration between The Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) and Humanities WA.

Washington State Poet Laureate Humanities Washington

09/28/2026

📣Join Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield at these upcoming events around Washington State. Free and open to the public.
👉🏽Learn more: https://www.arts.wa.gov/washington-state-poet-laureate/

WVC Speaks
Reading and music recital at Wenatchee Valley College with Jack Johnson and Michael Choman
📆Sept 30, 2026 ⏰7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
🌎 Grove Recital Hall at Wenatchee Valley College, 1300 5th St, Wenatchee

Poet Laureate Reading and Workshop
📆Oct 1, 2026 ⏰6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
🌎 Yakima Valley Museum Centennial Hall, 2105 Tieton Drive, Yakima
Community members attending this event will listen to a small collection of poems written by the Washington State Poet Laureate Derek Sheffield. They will learn more about poetry, especially poems about nature and the environment, before receiving a chance to write poems of their own.

MusicBox
📆Oct 2, 2026 ⏰6:15 – 6:45 p.m.
🌎 NCW Arts, 218 S Columbia St, Wenatchee
Poetry reading mixed with rock n' roll

Arts and Humanities Month
📆Oct 5, 2026 ⏰7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
🌎 North Academic Commons, CWU Campus, Ellensburg
Arts and Humanities Month is a celebration of the role of creativity in human culture and society.

ID: Portrait of Derek Sheffield with trees and water behind him.

Washington State Poet Laureate Humanities Washington

09/25/2026

We’re so excited to share this upcoming event with Claudia Castro Luna on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at the The Seattle Public Library!

A beloved Speakers Bureau presenter and former Washington State Poet Laureate, Claudia will talk about her newest book, "The Flowers Along the Way."

We’re looking forward to an evening filled with poetry, stories, and conversation!

RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/claudia-castro-luna-discusses-the-flowers-along-the-way-tickets-1991016914187?aff=oddtdtcreator

Washington State Arts Commission

09/25/2026

Our Humanities Washington team had a wonderful time last week celebrating America’s 250th anniversary at the Washington State Fair! Staff members spent the day quizzing fairgoers on history trivia, talking about our work, and connecting with the people who make this work possible – including our hosts and partners at Washington State: America's 250th and the Washington State Historical Society. And, of course, there was time to enjoy a little of the fair, too! Here are a few photos from the day...

09/24/2026

The Washington episode of the By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 podcast is live today – and we’re proud that Humanities Washington is the very first state humanities council featured in the series!

Earlier this year, Humanities Washington and WA Cultures held three programs to commemorate America 250 in Wenatchee, Tacoma, and Seattle. Each event featured traditional artists from the Heritage Arts Apprenticeship Program who shared about Son Jarocho and mariachi, Mongolian folk music, and Indigenous Pacific Northwest weaving.

After the events, the artists came together to talk about what these traditions mean to their lives and communities, and to reflect on America 250. Those conversations are now part of this new podcast series highlighting humanities work happening across the country.

Listen to the Washington episode: https://www.statehumanities.org/bythepeoplepodcast-washington/

And be sure to check out the next two episodes, featuring our friends at Wyoming Humanities in “Before Wyoming: The West in 1776” and Georgia Humanities in “Blues and Community in Small-Town Georgia.”

You can find "By the People: Conversations Beyond 250" wherever you listen to podcasts, including Spotify.

09/24/2026