Meet artist Stokley Towles at a reception following his performance Stormwater: Life in the Gutter, Sat. Nov. 12 at Washington Park Arboretum’s Graham Visitors Center. The performance is noon to 1 p.m.; the reception is 1 to 2 p.m. Both the performance and reception are free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Towles traces the flow of sewage and stormwater by weaving interviews, observations and historical research together with humor. The nearly one-hour piece entertains and gives a gutter’s eye view of Seattle’s drainage and sewer system and the SPU employees who guide, monitor and maintain stormwater flow in the city.

Parking is limited. The site is accessible by the 43 bus or bike.

Or catch the performance at 6:30, Thurs., Nov. 10, at the 2100 Building. We’ve also added a performance at noon, Friday, Nov. 25 at Carkeek Park Environmental Learning Center as part of a celebration marking the annual salmon run in Pipers Creek at the park. Salmon stewards will be on hand to answer questions, and there will be crafts and snacks.

Read about Towles’ performance on the KCTS 9 website, in the West Seattle Herald and Real Change, and listen to radio reports on KPLU and KIRO.

Stormwater: Life in the Gutter is the third in a series of performance pieces Towles has created in partnership with SPU. In 2010, he investigated garbage and its role in the lives of those who generate and collect it in Trash Talk. In 2009, he traced the flow of the city’s water supply in Waterlines.

Commissioned by the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, the performance is intended to address environmental stewardship, especially in relation to SPU’s work. The project was made possible with SPU 1% for Art funds and support from 4Culture.