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INNOVATION AWARDS

Purpose

The Arts Walk Innovation Awards are a way to recognize, honor, and encourage Arts Walk innovation and community engagement through the arts. The awards provide the City with the opportunity to share the stories and intention behind recognized Arts Walk projects in the hopes of inspiring others and broaden the Arts Walk experience.

Up to five Innovation Awards each Arts Walk are selected by City staff and a member of the Olympia Arts Commission based on the event information submitted during Arts Walk registration. Awardees are highlighted in event publications to better help us share the Arts Walk story and receive complementary registration for the following Olympia Arts Walk.



For Fall Arts Walk 2024

Eligibility
  • Applicant opts in to being considered for the award through the Arts Walk registration application process.
  • Applicant has not received the Arts Walk Innovation Award within the last three years.
  • Recognized events should be free to participate in.
Selection Criteria
  • ART: Applies a thoughtful approach to how components of the overall exhibition come together.
  • EXPERIENCE: Uses an Innovative approach that engages the viewer in an unexpected way.
  • COMMUNITY: Contributes extra effort to build connections and foster growth in the community.

Spring 2024 Innovation Awardees

Here are five standout participants, chosen from over 100 registered for the Spring Arts Walk 2024, recognized for their inspiring and engaging art projects that contribute to the community.
POWER (Parents Organizing Welfare and Economic Rights) POWER (Parents Organizing Welfare and Economic Rights) This organization artistically thrives because of strength
found through community. This organization artistically thrives because of strength
found through community.
Watch the Reel
Event Page
Stellar Juices + Pressing On Fitness Stellar Juices + Pressing On Fitness Providing encouraging
opportunities for enterprises
of emerging artists & musicians
of Olympia Providing encouraging
opportunities for enterprises
of emerging artists & musicians
of Olympia
Watch the Reel
Event Page
CaTMA (Contemporary and Transmodern Arts) CaTMA (Contemporary and Transmodern Arts) A collaboration of artists combining immersive sound with performance and visual fiber arts to create a unique textured experience for the senses A collaboration of artists combining immersive sound with performance and visual fiber arts to create a unique textured experience for the senses
Watch the Reel
Event Page
Olympia Knitting Mills Olympia Knitting Mills A group of artists dedicated
to growth in the artist
community A group of artists dedicated
to growth in the artist
community
Watch the Reel
Event Page
Olympia Family Theater Olympia Family Theater Driven to provide artful experiences
for youth and community, that are
meaningful, grand, and accessible
for all Driven to provide artful experiences
for youth and community, that are
meaningful, grand, and accessible
for all
Watch the Reel
Event Page

Past Honorees

Fall 2023 Innovation Awardees

Community Print Community Print Community Print is a volunteer-run letterpress shop that has been operating out of downtown Olympia for over 25 years.
Join us for a display of postcards and interactive letterpress activity with guest artist Hope Amico's Keep Writing Project. Community Print is a volunteer-run letterpress shop that has been operating out of downtown Olympia for over 25 years.
Join us for a display of postcards and interactive letterpress activity with guest artist Hope Amico's Keep Writing Project.
More
Olympia Artspace Alliance - Art In Storefronts Olympia Artspace Alliance - Art In Storefronts Art in Storefronts presents "Our Fragile Planet - Climate Change through the Artists Lens". OAA invited artists to respond to the Climate Crisis by creating artwork that galvanizes our community towards resilience, adaptability and making a difference. Art in Storefronts presents "Our Fragile Planet - Climate Change through the Artists Lens". OAA invited artists to respond to the Climate Crisis by creating artwork that galvanizes our community towards resilience, adaptability and making a difference.
More
Our Local Yarn Shop Our Local Yarn Shop Get your fiber fun fix! Friday - a display of yarn bowls created by local artists/artisans. Saturday - OLY’s 3rd Annual Heavy Metal Knitting & Crocheting Competition! Featuring Primordial Atrocity, Hangmans Park and 5 performative knitters & crocheters. Get your fiber fun fix! Friday - a display of yarn bowls created by local artists/artisans. Saturday - OLY’s 3rd Annual Heavy Metal Knitting & Crocheting Competition! Featuring Primordial Atrocity, Hangmans Park and 5 performative knitters & crocheters.
More
Sparrow Studios Sparrow Studios Sparrow Studios provides adults and children with high-quality aerial, acrobatics, and circus arts instruction in a safe and supportive atmosphere in downtown Olympia. We invite you to try it out on the Saturday of Arts Walk. Sparrow Studios provides adults and children with high-quality aerial, acrobatics, and circus arts instruction in a safe and supportive atmosphere in downtown Olympia. We invite you to try it out on the Saturday of Arts Walk.
More
YMCA YMCA Join in celebrating muralist and painter Elisa Del Guidice. Elisa is the creator behind the Plum St YMCA Mural, whose design elements include images unique to our region. The work is also part of a larger, national project - You Are Not Alone Murals. Join in celebrating muralist and painter Elisa Del Guidice. Elisa is the creator behind the Plum St YMCA Mural, whose design elements include images unique to our region. The work is also part of a larger, national project - You Are Not Alone Murals.
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Spring 2023 Innovation Awardees

Window Seat Media Window Seat Media Experience an immersive exhibit of Window Seat Media’s community oral history archive. Share stories at the "Listening and Playback" station, where artists from Brave Practice Playback Theatre Collective listen to your stories and.... Experience an immersive exhibit of Window Seat Media’s community oral history archive. Share stories at the "Listening and Playback" station, where artists from Brave Practice Playback Theatre Collective listen to your stories and....
More
Arbutus Folk School Arbutus Folk School Join Arbutus Folk School and fiber artists Wendy Clark & Liz Frey to follow wool from sheep to shawl! Attendees will be invited to touch and feel real fleece from a sheep, and then observe Wendy as she cards the wool to untangle the many fine fibers... Join Arbutus Folk School and fiber artists Wendy Clark & Liz Frey to follow wool from sheep to shawl! Attendees will be invited to touch and feel real fleece from a sheep, and then observe Wendy as she cards the wool to untangle the many fine fibers...
More
OlyFilm & OlyActing at The Olympia Ballroom Lounge OlyFilm & OlyActing at The Olympia Ballroom Lounge Come see real life local filmmakers shoot a 10-minute film in 10 hours (the duration of Arts Walk)! Join filmmakers from OlyFilm and youth actors from OlyActing to witness the magic of cinema. Between takes, visit The Olympia Ballroom's lounge to view.... Come see real life local filmmakers shoot a 10-minute film in 10 hours (the duration of Arts Walk)! Join filmmakers from OlyFilm and youth actors from OlyActing to witness the magic of cinema. Between takes, visit The Olympia Ballroom's lounge to view....
More
Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts The Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts (TCMoFA) is back! Thurston County’s ephemeral pop-up museum returns with a fresh team of hyper-local artists working across a variety of mediums. This iteration of the museum will feature a new collection of.... The Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts (TCMoFA) is back! Thurston County’s ephemeral pop-up museum returns with a fresh team of hyper-local artists working across a variety of mediums. This iteration of the museum will feature a new collection of....
More
The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace & Justice (RCF) The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace & Justice (RCF) RCF in partnership with Art Forces marks the 20th anniversary of RCF and Rachel Corrie's stand in Gaza. Over the weekend of this spring's Arts Walk, the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project (ORSMP) will add several new leaves to the mural and.... RCF in partnership with Art Forces marks the 20th anniversary of RCF and Rachel Corrie's stand in Gaza. Over the weekend of this spring's Arts Walk, the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project (ORSMP) will add several new leaves to the mural and....
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