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What we’re reading this week

Our weekly round-up of arts and culture news in the greater Seattle area.

A_P_cover-570The Stranger
Finalists for the 11th Annual Genius Awards!
Stranger Staff, June 5, 2013

For years, Genius Award winners were chosen in a secret, elaborate ritual involving The Stranger’s arts editors, a cave, yelling, mud, and whiskey. We’d announce the winners after we emerged—giving $5,000 each to five artists, in literature, performance, visual art, music and film, and throwing them a huge citywide party…

Seattle Times
Brink Award goes to Seattle artist Anne Fenton
Melissa Davis, June 6, 2013

A couple of noteworthy arts awards:
—The Henry announces Seattle artist Anne Fenton is the winner of the 2013 Brink Award. Fenton receives $12,500 and will have a solo exhibition at the Henry, accompanied by a publication next spring. The Henry will also add a Fenton work to its permanent collection. Fenton, the founder of Crawl Space Gallery (2003-09), received a BFA in photography from the University of Washington and attended the Mountain School of Arts in Los Angeles. After a break of a few years from the public art scene, she re-emerged in “[Moment Magnitude],” the recent big multimedia/live performance exhibition at the Frye.

Free tickets to Spectrum Dance performances
Michael Upchurch, June 5, 2013

In a highly unusual turn, an anonymous donor has bought out all the remaining tickets to Spectrum Dance Theater’s revival of “A CRUEL NEW WORLD/the new normal” and is making them available for free (while tickets last). “CRUEL” is the first work choreographer Donald Byrd set on the company when he became artistic director there 10 years ago. An intense evening-length work, it reflected Byrd’s take on the 9/11 attacks at the time and, in the time elapsing since then,  has acquired some gritty Gitmo atmosphere as well. 8 p.m. June 5-9, Emerald City Trapeze Arts Building,  Seattle; click here for reservations — they’re strongly recommended, as space is limited and likely to become more so when word gets out.

Thalia Symphony announces new conductor
Melissa Davis, June 3, 2013

Michael Miropolsky, assistant principal second violin with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, has been named conductor/music director of the Thalia Symphony Orchestra. He follows Stephen Rogers Radcliffe, music director since 2010. Miropolsky is a familiar figure locally, as he is also founder/artistic director of the Seattle Violin Virtuosi and the Seattle Chamber Orchestra, and is music director of the Cascade Symphony Orchestra. He begins his new post in the fall.

Theater Schmeater hunting for new space
Misha Berson, May 31

After 21 years presenting plays in a cozy basement venue on Capitol Hill, Theater Schmeater is house-hunting. The long-running, well-attended fringe theater company has been at 1500 Summit Ave., under Brocklind’s Costume Shop, since 1992.  But the now-closed costume shop is being replaced by a restaurant, and Schmeater artistic director Doug Staley says it is time to move on to a new stage.

Capitol Hill Times

ARTISTTRUST-SBC_02_2013FellowArtist Trust makes it possible for artists to stay on the Hill
Kimball Allen, June 6

There has been much recent talk about the Hill losing its eclectic, bohemian-esque, creative soul to overpriced new developments. Painters, sculptors, dancers, writers, musicians and actors contribute to making Capitol Hill a neighborhood rich in art, but are also a major group struggling to reside and work in the area due to being out-priced. In May, the Capitol Hill Community Council held an arts forum around the topic of keeping the arts and artists vibrant in a neighborhood landscape that is experiencing rapid growth and many changes in its demographics.

IMAGES: Top: Seattle A&P cover. Bottom: SuttonBeresCuller, Ties That Bind, custom-made red ratchet straps, houses, 2011, located in Capitol Hill.