Arts and Culture

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Davina Cole Drones participates in an Alaska Native dance during the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council’s 50th anniversary celebration Thursday at Sealaska Heritage Plaza.

JAHC’s golden anniversary highlights present talent and big plans

Arts and culture organization celebrates 50th birthday with party and awards

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Davina Cole Drones participates in an Alaska Native dance during the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council’s 50th anniversary celebration Thursday at Sealaska Heritage Plaza.
Flags fly outside the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on Tuesday. The Juneau Arts and Humanities Council, which operates the center, is celebrating its 50 anniversary Thursday with music, food and other events from 4:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

JAHC celebrates 50th birthday with performances, food and awards Thursday

Council’s role in local arts and culture has expanded in imaginative ways over five decades

Flags fly outside the Juneau Arts and Culture Center on Tuesday. The Juneau Arts and Humanities Council, which operates the center, is celebrating its 50 anniversary Thursday with music, food and other events from 4:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Sealaska Heritage Arts Campus. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Image from the exhibition “For Our Children: Chilkat Regalia Woven in the Lineage of Jennie Thulnaut and Clarissa Rizal,” on display at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum this month. (Photo courtesy of the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council)

Here’s what’s happening for First Friday

Plenty of colorful displays and activities will still be available to Juneau residents after the last of the July 4 fireworks fade, with more than… Continue reading

Image from the exhibition “For Our Children: Chilkat Regalia Woven in the Lineage of Jennie Thulnaut and Clarissa Rizal,” on display at the Juneau-Douglas City Museum this month. (Photo courtesy of the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council)
Michael Ruppert inspects percussion instrumentation that’s part of the setup for the 1928 Kimball Theatre Pipe Organ in the State Office Building. Ruppert, co-owner of Rose City Organ Builders in Oregon, spent two days this with with fellow co-owner Christopher Nordwall tuning and restoring the organ to playable condition. The instrument has not been played since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but local officials and musicians are hoping to schedule a lunchtime concert during the next couple of weeks. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Clearing the old pipes in the Kimball organ at the State Office Building

Tuners revive 1928 organ that’s been idle for three years; lunchtime concerts may resume next week

Michael Ruppert inspects percussion instrumentation that’s part of the setup for the 1928 Kimball Theatre Pipe Organ in the State Office Building. Ruppert, co-owner of Rose City Organ Builders in Oregon, spent two days this with with fellow co-owner Christopher Nordwall tuning and restoring the organ to playable condition. The instrument has not been played since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, but local officials and musicians are hoping to schedule a lunchtime concert during the next couple of weeks. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
TMHS student Lelehua Fujimoto Vertido in her watercolor workshop for which she received an award at this year’s Alaska Student Activities Association’s Region V Art Fest in Yakutat. (Courtesy Photo / Heather Ridgway)

Southeast student-artists shine at Region V Art Fest

Students from JDHS and TMHS competed in Yakutat art show.

TMHS student Lelehua Fujimoto Vertido in her watercolor workshop for which she received an award at this year’s Alaska Student Activities Association’s Region V Art Fest in Yakutat. (Courtesy Photo / Heather Ridgway)
This image shows the cover of Kate Troll’s new book, “All In Due Time: A Memoir of Siblings, Genealogy, Secrets and Love.” (Cirque Press)

New book tells story of growing family and admiration

Kate Troll’s memoir details discovery of siblings and new appreciation of her mother.

This image shows the cover of Kate Troll’s new book, “All In Due Time: A Memoir of Siblings, Genealogy, Secrets and Love.” (Cirque Press)
Courtesy Photo / Alaska Airlines Juneau artist Crystal Kaakeeyáa Worl, who is Tlingit and Athabascan, poses with an Alaska Airlines 737-800 aircraft decorated with Worl’s latest work, Xáat Kwáani (Salmon People). Alaska Airlines held a unveiling ceremony on Friday, May 12 to welcome the plane into service.

Formline meets airline: Crystal Worl’s salmon-inspired design takes to the skies

Xáat Kwáani makes its inaugural flight.

Courtesy Photo / Alaska Airlines Juneau artist Crystal Kaakeeyáa Worl, who is Tlingit and Athabascan, poses with an Alaska Airlines 737-800 aircraft decorated with Worl’s latest work, Xáat Kwáani (Salmon People). Alaska Airlines held a unveiling ceremony on Friday, May 12 to welcome the plane into service.
Spruce tip, Fireweed blend jelly. (Vivian Faith Prescott / For the Capital City Weekly)

Planet Alaska: Postcards from the Rainforest

If your hometown could talk, they asked, what would it say?

Spruce tip, Fireweed blend jelly. (Vivian Faith Prescott / For the Capital City Weekly)
Sven Haakanson Jr. (center) helps unwind the small intestine of a Kodiak brown bear with the help of Peter Otsea (right) while Haakanson leads a bear gut processing workshop Saturday afternoon at the Alaska State Museum. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

This art form takes guts: Residents invited to participate in bear gut processing workshop

“Ingenious” Indigenous art creates a Gore-Tex like material for raincoats and more.

Sven Haakanson Jr. (center) helps unwind the small intestine of a Kodiak brown bear with the help of Peter Otsea (right) while Haakanson leads a bear gut processing workshop Saturday afternoon at the Alaska State Museum. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Annie Bartholomew’s debut album, Sisters of White Chapel, only at Kindred Post during May First Friday. Annie will be at the shop with her banjo playing songs from the release and selling early copies of the CD featuring of songs inspired by women who came to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. (Courtesy Photo / Juneau Arts and Humanities Council)

Here’s what’s happening for First Friday

Musicians, authors and artists, oh my!

Annie Bartholomew’s debut album, Sisters of White Chapel, only at Kindred Post during May First Friday. Annie will be at the shop with her banjo playing songs from the release and selling early copies of the CD featuring of songs inspired by women who came to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. (Courtesy Photo / Juneau Arts and Humanities Council)
Courtesy of the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band Julia Keefe, a Native American singer who has gained national acclaim performing with a wide range of musicians and settings during the past 15 years, is headlining this spring’s Juneau Jazz Classics festival with concerts by her Indigenous Big Band and a Native jazz quintet.

A huge Indigenous ‘family’ reunion at Jazz Classics

Musicians with tribal roots from Canada to South America converge for Indigenous Big Band concerts

Courtesy of the Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band Julia Keefe, a Native American singer who has gained national acclaim performing with a wide range of musicians and settings during the past 15 years, is headlining this spring’s Juneau Jazz Classics festival with concerts by her Indigenous Big Band and a Native jazz quintet.
From left to right, Megan Peirce, Ava Grimes, Kyra Wood and Johnathan Gee-Miles star in Juneau high school’s collaborative production of the classic “The Wizard of Oz” at JDHS auditorium. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Are you off to see the wizard?

Play wraps up run with shows this weekend.

From left to right, Megan Peirce, Ava Grimes, Kyra Wood and Johnathan Gee-Miles star in Juneau high school’s collaborative production of the classic “The Wizard of Oz” at JDHS auditorium. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Children sit in a dugout canoe Wednesday in the Southeast Alaska village of Angoon. The dugout was dedicated to mark the 140th anniversary of the bombardment of Angoon. In 1882, the U.S. Navy opened fire on Angoon, burning the village and destroying all but one in its fleet of canoes. The new dugout was carved by Tlingit master carver Wayne Price and students in the Chatham School District. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

‘Once again, Angoon has a dugout’: Village residents welcome dugout canoe 140 years after bombardment

It’s the first dugout canoe in Angoon since the U.S. destroyed the village’s fleet in 1882.

Children sit in a dugout canoe Wednesday in the Southeast Alaska village of Angoon. The dugout was dedicated to mark the 140th anniversary of the bombardment of Angoon. In 1882, the U.S. Navy opened fire on Angoon, burning the village and destroying all but one in its fleet of canoes. The new dugout was carved by Tlingit master carver Wayne Price and students in the Chatham School District. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Frank Hughes pulls a tote filled with Alaska Native artifacts at the Juneau International Airport Thursday afternoon. Hughes is apart of the repatriation effort to retrieve the artifacts back to the Organized Village of Kake from George Fox University in Oregon.

Kake to welcome artifacts — some over 200 years old — back home

‘When I looked at them it was like looking at my past and my elders’

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Frank Hughes pulls a tote filled with Alaska Native artifacts at the Juneau International Airport Thursday afternoon. Hughes is apart of the repatriation effort to retrieve the artifacts back to the Organized Village of Kake from George Fox University in Oregon.
University of Alaska Southeast freshman Micheal Bethel paints a piece titled “Parents” on Friday while at an art gallery hosted Friday evening at UAS that showcased students’ work from the UAS Northwest Coast Art program. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Art showcase: Student work featured from UAS Northwest Coast Arts program

Dozens of pieces were on display at the gallery Friday night.

University of Alaska Southeast freshman Micheal Bethel paints a piece titled “Parents” on Friday while at an art gallery hosted Friday evening at UAS that showcased students’ work from the UAS Northwest Coast Art program. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Students from the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy program at Harborview Elementary dance during the procession of the dedication ceremony of the Kootéeyaa Deiyí, Totem Pole Trail, held Saturday in downtown Juneau at Heritage Plaza. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Hundreds in Juneau celebrate the dedication of Kootéeyaa Deiyí

The 12 totem poles line the waterfront of downtown Juneau.

Students from the Tlingit Culture, Language and Literacy program at Harborview Elementary dance during the procession of the dedication ceremony of the Kootéeyaa Deiyí, Totem Pole Trail, held Saturday in downtown Juneau at Heritage Plaza. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Alan Cleveland shares his experiences as a Juneau taxi driver to a packed house at Ḵunéix̱ Hídi Northern Light United Church as part of Mudrooms final showcase of the season on Tuesday night. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)

Mudrooms wraps up another successful season

Application period now open for nonprofit beneficiaries.

Alan Cleveland shares his experiences as a Juneau taxi driver to a packed house at Ḵunéix̱ Hídi Northern Light United Church as part of Mudrooms final showcase of the season on Tuesday night. (Jonson Kuhn / Juneau Empire)
Jo March (Ema Zivkovic) reacts to an overture from one-time playmate Theodore "Laurie" Laurence (Jack Scholz) during rehearsal for Perseverance Theatre and University of Alaska Anchorage's Department of Theatre and Dance's upcoming production of "Little Women."

Get ready for Marches in April

It’s almost the big day for “Little Women.”

Jo March (Ema Zivkovic) reacts to an overture from one-time playmate Theodore "Laurie" Laurence (Jack Scholz) during rehearsal for Perseverance Theatre and University of Alaska Anchorage's Department of Theatre and Dance's upcoming production of "Little Women."
Watch Little Women at the Perseverance Theatre from April 7 - 23. Tickets are $45, and the show is also available via video on demand. submitted

With a modern refresh, Little Women comes to Juneau this April

When Perseverance Theatre mounts its production of Little Women this April, it might look a little different from the beloved 1994 film. This version from… Continue reading

Watch Little Women at the Perseverance Theatre from April 7 - 23. Tickets are $45, and the show is also available via video on demand. submitted
Expert skateboarder Di’Orr Greenwood, an artist born and raised in the Navajo Nation in Arizona and whose work is featured on the new U.S. stamps, rides her skateboard next to her artworks in the Venice Beach neighborhood in Los Angeles Monday, March 20, 2023. On Friday, March 24, the U.S. Postal Service is debuting the “Art of the Skateboard,” four stamps that will be the first to pay tribute to skateboarding. The stamps underscore how prevalent skateboarding has become, especially in Indian Country, where the demand for designated skate spots has only grown in recent years. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Indigenous artists help skateboarding earn stamp of approval

Years ago, skateboarding was branded as a hobby for rebels or stoners in city streets, schoolyards and back alleys. Those days are long gone. Skateboarding,… Continue reading

Expert skateboarder Di’Orr Greenwood, an artist born and raised in the Navajo Nation in Arizona and whose work is featured on the new U.S. stamps, rides her skateboard next to her artworks in the Venice Beach neighborhood in Los Angeles Monday, March 20, 2023. On Friday, March 24, the U.S. Postal Service is debuting the “Art of the Skateboard,” four stamps that will be the first to pay tribute to skateboarding. The stamps underscore how prevalent skateboarding has become, especially in Indian Country, where the demand for designated skate spots has only grown in recent years. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)