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INNOVATION AWARDS

About the Innovation Awards

Purpose
The Arts Walk Innovation Awards recognize, honor, and encourage Arts Walk innovation and community engagement through the arts. The awards give the City the opportunity to share the stories and intent behind recognized Arts Walk projects, with the goal of inspiring others and broadening the Arts Walk experience. Up to five Innovation Awards at each Arts Walk are selected by selected by affiliates of the Arts Walk community and at least one member of the Olympia Arts Commission using event information submitted during Arts Walk registration. Awardees are highlighted in event publications to better help us share the Arts Walk story and receive complimentary registration for the following Olympia Arts Walk.

Eligibility

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.

Here are five standout events, chosen from over 125 registered for Spring Arts Walk 2026, recognized for their inspiring and engaging art projects that contribute to the community.
Art and Dance at the Abigail Stuart House Art and Dance at the Abigail Stuart House Offering an engaging mix of visual art and dance along with lessons and art demos.
Presented by Abigail Stuart House and their many contributing artists. Offering an engaging mix of visual art and dance along with lessons and art demos.
Presented by Abigail Stuart House and their many contributing artists.
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Black Innocence Art by Travis Johnson Black Innocence Art by Travis Johnson Black Innocence brings an important conversation to Arts Walk that is thoughtful and hopeful.
Presented by Ossa Skinworks and featured artist, Travis Johnson. Black Innocence brings an important conversation to Arts Walk that is thoughtful and hopeful.
Presented by Ossa Skinworks and featured artist, Travis Johnson.
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Urban Poetics Urban Poetics The collaboration of poetry and dance brings an immersive experience to the event. Presented by Ocean, Olympia Poet Laureate, in partnership with Feral Butoh Collective and FemMetal Arts Collective. The collaboration of poetry and dance brings an immersive experience to the event. Presented by Ocean, Olympia Poet Laureate, in partnership with Feral Butoh Collective and FemMetal Arts Collective.
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Joyful Practice: Analog Play in a Digital World Joyful Practice: Analog Play in a Digital World Innovative mix of gallery show plus interactive stations encourages viewer engagement. Presented by Studio Golden + Heart of the Deernicorn with their featured guest artists, Jenn Berney + Sarah Tavis. Innovative mix of gallery show plus interactive stations encourages viewer engagement. Presented by Studio Golden + Heart of the Deernicorn with their featured guest artists, Jenn Berney + Sarah Tavis.
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OSD Student Art OSD Student Art Highlighting youth art and the opportunity for visitors to make their own screen pressed creations.
Presented by Three Magnets Brewery featuring artwork of Olympia School District Students, and artist and activity host, Edgar Martinez, and OSD4All. Highlighting youth art and the opportunity for visitors to make their own screen pressed creations.
Presented by Three Magnets Brewery featuring artwork of Olympia School District Students, and artist and activity host, Edgar Martinez, and OSD4All.
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PAST RECIPIENTS

Fall 2025

#91a - At The Olympia Center: The Unknown ~ Unhoused Artists in Olympia #91a - At The Olympia Center: The Unknown ~ Unhoused Artists in Olympia
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#51- at Sylvester Park: Tree Hugging Fest #51- at Sylvester Park: Tree Hugging Fest
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#33 - Solidarity Art Collective (1 of 2) #33 - Solidarity Art Collective (1 of 2)
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#33 - HAKI Farmers (2 of 2) #33 - HAKI Farmers (2 of 2)
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#30 - Artist With Ecology - Mural Project (1 of 2 ) #30 - Artist With Ecology - Mural Project (1 of 2 )
TJ Potter Alley
#30 - Artist With Ecology - Live Mural Contest (2 of 2) #30 - Artist With Ecology - Live Mural Contest (2 of 2)
@The Oly Center

A.W.E. interview links

Spring 2025 Recipients

Underhill Plants (#60) Underhill Plants (#60)
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DECAY (#107) DECAY (#107)
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Childhood's End Gallery (#43) Childhood's End Gallery (#43)
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FREQUENSEERS at The Mortuary (#83) FREQUENSEERS at The Mortuary (#83)
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Tiffany Nickel: Tiffany Nickel: "Unbound" at Studio Hanson (#23)
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Innovation Award Spotlight - Series Spring 2025

Fall 2024

Washington Center for the Performing Arts Washington Center for the Performing Arts
Watch the Reel
Event Page
Cup of Swords Tavern Cup of Swords Tavern
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Event Page
Last Word Books Last Word Books
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Event Page
Death Dancer Death Dancer
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Event Page
Rhythms Coffee Rhythms Coffee
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Spring 2024

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.
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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
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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
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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

Fall 2023

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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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

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....
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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...
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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....
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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....
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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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