NW Folklife produces, co-produces, and supports a wide variety of programming and events year-round. We're proud to be able to work with and in community to showcase the rich panoply of arts that our region has to offer.
Central to the values of NW Folklife is for communities to have voice and agency in the representation of their cultural expressions. More than 100 Community Coordinators--including prominent artists, educators, culture bearers, and leaders throughout the region--work closely with NW Folklife to co-create and co-curate programs including the NW Folklife Festival and Our Big Neighborhood.
Throughout the year, Community Coordinators work in partnership to co-curate programs that are by the people, for the people that present the diversity of cultures and traditions within the region.
Winter Global Gatherings presented by NW Folklife
Join us every Tuesday evening as NW Folklife showcases various global traditions of the Winter season through music and dance. Over the course of this 4-week event, we’ll explore regions of the Middle East, the African Diaspora, East/Southeast Asia, and the Americas, as we celebrate through our series, Winter Global Gatherings.
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NOV 28th (RESCHEDULED, DEC 2nd), 2023
George Sadak and Mithat Yavuzarslan
A duo of Egyptian drummer and Turkish Oud player performing melodies of the Middle East with a modern twist.
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DEC 5th, 2023
Gansango Dance
Gansango Music & Dance presents traditional and contemporary dance and music from West Africa – drawing on the stunning talent of multicultural dancers and musicians. Gansango is directed by Etienne Cakpo, originally from Benin and now a choreographer and teacher based in Seattle, Washington. Gansango company collaborating artists perform regularly in the Seattle area, nationally and internationally for audiences of all ages. The company performances fuse music and movement from across the African continent, drawing heavily from the dance and music traditions of Benin, Ghana and Togo, among other countries.
Mahonyera Mbira Ensemble
Mahonyera has been performing in the NW for over 20 years. The group focuses on traditional and contemporary mbira music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe. The performers sharing music this evening are Dr. Claire Jones, founder, Sheree Seretse and Phillip page.
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DEC 12th, 2023
Japanese Koto Club
Japanese Koto Club was founded by Mirei Zaborac. She's been performing at local events, schools, nursing homes, and private parties. She is offering free lessons too.
Morning Star
Morning Star Cultural Center is committed to enriching lives through artistic expression, educational opportunities, and cultural appreciation.
We proudly serve a global community to promote awareness and encourage positive cultural exchange.
Zje
ZJE, founded in Seattle, USA on January 1, 2020, is dedicated to the global promotion of Mongolian national music, nomadic culture, and art. Since 2020, the ensemble forged collaborations with renowned organizations like the Seattle Chinese Orchestra, Seattle Jazzed, North Folk Festival, Crossroad Bellevue, and VeraTV Wintergrass Music Festival many more. Their mission extends to preserving and celebrating Mongolian rich folk art. Mastery of Morin khuur, Khuumii (Throat singing), Tsuur, and Mongolian flute (circular breathing) has been recognized as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
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DEC 19th, 2023
Peter Ali (3-4pm)
Peter is a self-taught, Native American Fluteist. He play a variety of flutes that represent drives from the planes to the Southwest, to the Southeast, and to Mesoamerica.
Cafecito (4-5pm)
La Familie Léger (5-6pm)
Born of a time when family and friends would gather in the warmth of winter kitchens of Québec and New Brunswick to play and dance time-honoured tunes together, La Famille Léger keeps that rich tradition vitally alive. The Légers play the dancing music of French Canada - the music handed down through generations in the New World, the music of back porches and kitchen parties. Patriarch Louis Léger leads the band on the one-row melodeon (a type of button accordion), son Devon plays fiddle, and his wife, Dejah is on piano. This proudly "old school" family band will have your own family dancing and joining in on the fun.
http://www.lafamilleleger.com/
Dingolay (7-8pm)
Dingolay plays calypso, soca and other Caribbean dance music, featuring the infectious sound of the steel pan.
Oct 14th: SuperFolk - The Cypher, Celebrating the Folk of Hip Hop
NW Folklife is proud to announce SuperFolk: The Cypher, an afternoon celebrating the culture, community and 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop. On October 14, 2023, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the iconic Judkins Park in Seattle, NW Folklife pays homage to Hip-Hop as an American art form deeply rooted in folk traditions. This event is made possible through funding from the City of Seattle, Parks and Recreation, and the Office of Arts & Culture.
Beyond the festivities, SuperFolk: The Cypher also provides an opportunity to delve deep into Hip-Hop culture's philosophies, practices, and rich history. Located in Judkins Park within Seattle's Central District, a historically Black community with a profound legacy of Black culture and history, this event offers a special backdrop to celebrate the intersections of Hip-Hop and Folk.
The cypher, an integral part of Hip-Hop culture, traces its origins back to African oral and cultural traditions, emphasizing communication, knowledge, and truth. This event bridges the gap between Hip-Hop and folk, making it a one-of-a-kind celebration that brings together the past and present of these vital cultural expressions.
GENERAL EVENT INFO:
Event: SuperFolk: The Cypher, presented by NW Folklife
Where: Judkins Park | 2150 S Norman St, Seattle, WA 98144
When: Saturday, October 14th, 1 - 4 pm
Full Schedule: Visit nwfolklife.org for the schedule
Tickets: Free | Committed to Access for All
CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Facebook: Facebook.com/NWFolklife
Twitter: @NWFolklife
Instagram: @NWFolklife
Hashtag: #NWFolklife
Past Events
United Communities of Laos 2023 Summer Festival
Saturday, July 15th
11:00-6:00pm
Saltwater State Park
25205 8th Pl S
Des Moines, WA 98198
This will be our second year supporting this festival! NW Folklife and Washington State Parks offer production support to this incredible festival of music, dancing, and food!
The Journey of Culture, Part One: The Silk Road
Friday, July 28th
City of Bothell
Free
In partnership with the City of Bothell, NW Folklife is presenting a Cultural Nights series, showcasing multidisciplinary folk arts practice from around the world. We would like to invite you to participate in our July 28th event, which emphasizes the expansion of culture through the transnational trade route, The Silk Road.
Incorporating the tenets of our 2023 Cultural Focus, Lagom, NW Folklife presents “The Journey of Culture”. Lagom, a Scandinavian term, specific to Swedish culture, signifies balance. Not too much, not too little, just right. To find that balance requires adjustment and acclimatization to your surroundings and the people you encounter along the way. That balance is a journey.
The global evolution and expansion of cultural ideas and expressions are, in no small part, a by-product of commerce, trade routes and people’s capacity and energies to swap, barter, and exchange goods and services. These transactions weren’t limited to commodities, but necessarily included a dialogue in music, language, art, and dance.
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Live Performances by:
Inochi Taiko (Japan)
Zje (Mongolia)
Alefba Choir (Iran)
George Sadak & Friends (Egypt)
Bulgarian Women's Choir (Bulgaria)
Espacio de Arte (Spain)
The Rhapsody Project's Summer Block Party
Saturday, July 29, 2023
Judkins Park, 4-8pm
Free
The Journey of Culture, Part Two: American Routes (Roots)
Friday, August 18th
City of Bothell
Free
In partnership with the City of Bothell, NW Folklife is presenting a Cultural Nights series, showcasing multidisciplinary folk arts practice from around the world. We would like to invite you to participate in our August 18th event, which emphasizes the expansion of culture through the Americas, entitled, American Routes (Roots).
Incorporating the tenets of our 2023 Cultural Focus, Lagom, NW Folklife presents “The Journey of Culture”. Lagom, a Scandinavian term, specific to Swedish culture, signifies balance. Not too much, not too little, just right. To find that balance requires adjustment and acclimatization to your surroundings and the people you encounter along the way. That balance is a journey.
The global evolution and expansion of cultural ideas and expressions are, in no small part, a by-product of commerce, trade routes and people’s capacity and energies to swap, barter, and exchange goods and services. These transactions weren’t limited to commodities, but necessarily included a dialogue in music, language, art, and dance.
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Live Performances By:
Instruments of Praise (Gospel)
Calpulli Mitotilistli Centeotl (Aztec)
Trio Guadalevín (Mexican/Mediterranean Fusion)
Podorhythmie (Quebecois)