Pullman ArtWalk set for May 17-19

This year’s ArtWalk in Pullman will celebrate the city’s 130th birthday with more than 35 artists at 27 participating merchant locations, food and entertainment over a three-day period May 17-19.

The event is organized by the Pullman Arts Commission and Neill Public Library. In the days leading up to ArtWalk, artists and vendors are being featured on the art’scommission’s Facebook page to tease upcoming attractions.

Artist exhibits and receptions will be going on all three days at merchant locations.

“The merchant locations are throughout Pullman, but the majority are in the downtown area,” stated Lori Lewis, administrative assistant at Neill Public Library. “There will be a map available on our Facebook page, and in the Official ArtWalk Guide, which is printed by the Daily News/Lewiston Tribune and distributed to their circulation this coming weekend. There will be several thousand additional copies of the Guide available throughout the City of Pullman the week of ArtWalk.”

On May 17 an art workshop will be at Gladish Center at 3 p.m., an unveiling of Pullman’s newest utility box public art at the Pine Street Plaza at 5:45 p.m. and a community meet and greet with artists at the Regional Theater of the Palouse at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday things kick into high gear with a street fair on Olsen Street in front of Neill Pubic Library from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with entertainment at the Main Stage throughout the whole day with a variety of music, a Native American storyteller and the Mayor’s Art Award presentation at 7 p.m. A cornucopia of culinary choices will be available from vendors including Fork in the Road, Popcorn Cove, J.P. Pies, Mela and Main Street Squeeze Juice and Smoothie.

Inside the library will be the Kid’s Art Studio from 1 to 4 p.m. with hands-on workshops for all ages of youth up to middle school. The library will also have an area to paint a kindness rock from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Up at Gladish, the Community Band of the Palouse will play at 11 a.m. and Graham Ballet Theater will perform at 7 p.m. (tickets required for the ballet).

The event is capped with the presentation of the Mayor’s Art Award which will be given to Gail Siegel this year at 7 p.m. Saturday. Siegel has a long history as an advocate of the arts through development, coordination and implementation of community and state-wide outreach programs. She became the coordinator for the visual, performing and literary arts committee at WSU in 2003 and became director of WSU Performing Arts in 2011.