From August 26 through September 5, Created Commons partnered with Lelavision to host Created Commons @ Westcrest, a dynamic activation of West Seattle’s Westcrest Park. Throughout the seven-day festival, Westcrest Park was animated with free BIPOC-centered performances, eco-art installations, kinetic musical sculptures, workshops, and science panels to foster resiliency in our community.
ABOUT THE CURATOR:
Lelavision co-founders, Ela Lamblin and Leah Mann, began their collaborative efforts in 1992 in Atlanta, GA, using original kinetic sculpture, live music, and dance simultaneously in performance. In 1996 in Seattle, WA, they founded Lelavision, a professional touring company that has coined and perfected its own genre of performance, Physical Music. They present original performance works that cross all boundaries of appeal: race, education, language, religion, economic background, gender, and age.
Take a look at some of the highlights from the festivities:
Interspecies Communication, the centerpiece sculpture for the event, was designed and fabricated by Lelavision co-founder and co-director, Ela Lamblin. Festival attendees were offered to animate the sculpture by “flapping the bird.”
DAY 1
Created Commons @ Westcrest Park kicked off with an Indigenous-centered opening. Orca Annie & Odin Lonning — UW Tacoma Students from the Pacific Islander Student Association — share stories, music, and tales of their activism on behalf of the resident Orcas in the Salish Sea.
We were honored to have Duwamish Tribe representatives Ken Workman, Nancy Sackman, and Billie Jane Lakey were present for the welcoming. Attendees were also able to make donations to Real Rent Duwamish throughout the event to honor the Duwamish Tribe and acknowledge the unceded land the event took place upon.
DAY 2
Saturday’s celebration featured Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association’s (DNDA) Arts in Nature Festival Showcase, a condensed version of the well-loved annual Arts in Nature Festival that has offered an eclectic experience of art and performance in a local park for 22 years.
The park was full of art on the paths, fun in the field, sound bath, roving dancers, and more.
Featured performers included:
- Danza Symbiosis
- Seattle Capoeira
- Noelle Price with cellist Gretchen Yanover
- Troy Osaki
- Jennifer Moore
- Holy Pistola
DAY 3
Day 3 featured performances curated by artist and activist dani tirrell alongside a science panel on healthcare access.
Science panelists included:
- Candace Jackson, African American Health Board of Seattle
- Dr. Sinead Younge, Director of the Social Justice Inquiry and Praxis Institute in the Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership at Morehouse College
Featured performers included:
- Dandy (David Rue & Randy Ford)
- Northwest Tap Connection
- Majinn (Michael O’Neal)
- J Mase III
- Kutt’N’Up
- Malicious Vixens
DAY 4
The festival honored International Overdose Awareness Day in collaboration with artist and counselor, Alexia Jones, the Executive Director of R2ise, and Dr. Seema Clifasefi of UW’s Harm Reduction Research and Treatment (HaRRT) Center.
You can learn more about the day’s program on West Seattle Blog.
DAY 5
Friday’s program featured drumming, percussion, and chanting as we celebrated the rhythms of the African Diaspora with artist Sumayya E. Diop.
DAY 6 & 7
The weekend of Created Commons @ Westcrest featured curated performances by both Jack Straw Cultural Center and Lelavision.
Saturday:
- Hula Halau O’keala’Akua Naniloa Mana’oakamai
- Jack Straw Writers, hosted by Anastacia-Renee
- Music by JR Rhodes
Sunday:
- Community Bon Odori
- Music by Nic Masangkay
- Trio Guandalevin
- Seattle Kokon Taiko
- Uuhai Band
- Jack Straw Writers, hosted by E.J. Koh
“It was one of the most well organized, loving, unique and meaningful performances we’ve had. So happy to meet you and your staff, the UUHai Band, and the odori dancing community! The flying metal bird sculpture was so unique and fun. There was so much kindness and thoughtfulness in the air.“
Seattle Kokon Taiko/Marinda
“I am so grateful to have worked with such a kind, brilliant, creative cast of collaborators. That is the intrinsic nature of Created Commons @ Westcrest.
Lelavision is so very grateful to Levi Fuller (Jack Straw), Erika Bell (DNDA), dani tirrell, Christian Olson, Tariq Sahali, Lucius Williams, The Duwamish Tribe, Jenny Ku (ARTS), and every single person that joined on that common ground. It was such a meaningful group effort in service to the community.”
– Leah Mann of Lelavision
“Created commons was a big ol’ dose of love and good vibes brought home like a hug from inspiration and talent.”
– Ela Lamblin of Lelavision
Share Your Feedback
Calling all artists, performers, booth vendors, and community members who participated in this event:
Please take this brief survey about the impact of Created Commons! Your feedback will allow us to assess our programs and improve future programming with the community’s needs and suggestions in mind. Thank you!
Created Commons @ Westcrest is a part of Created Commons: Neighborhood Edition, a new ARTS initiative that transforms outdoor spaces across Seattle into venues for spectacular temporary arts and cultural extravaganzas. This program is created by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) in partnership with the Seattle Public Utilities, and Seattle Parks and Recreation, and community curators.
All photos courtesy of Ela Lamblin and Lucius Williams IV
