Arts and Culture

Alan Young leads the Juneau Symphony through a Tuesday night rehearsal inside St. Paul's Catholic Church. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Together again: Juneau Symphony returns to live, in-person performances

First live performance in almost two years ushers in 59th season

Alan Young leads the Juneau Symphony through a Tuesday night rehearsal inside St. Paul's Catholic Church. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Alaska Native artists Lily Hope, left, and Stephen Qacung Blanchett, right, were selected as two of the fifteen Indigenous artists to receive $100,000 grants for upcoming projects by the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation. (Photo credit: @SydneyAkagiPhoto for Hope and Joy Denmert for Blanchett)

Foundation awards $100k to Indigenous artists and partnering organizations

Two artists living in Juneau were named as awardees.

Alaska Native artists Lily Hope, left, and Stephen Qacung Blanchett, right, were selected as two of the fifteen Indigenous artists to receive $100,000 grants for upcoming projects by the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation. (Photo credit: @SydneyAkagiPhoto for Hope and Joy Denmert for Blanchett)
Judy Carmichael, of the Judy Carmichael Trio, greeted well-wishers and autographed merchandise at the Heritage Coffee shop’s downtown location on Oct. 1. She visited Juneau to perform as part of the Juneau Jazz & Classics Fall Festival. (Instagram)

Jazz trio finds adventure in Juneau

A storm, a glacier and sold-out shows

Judy Carmichael, of the Judy Carmichael Trio, greeted well-wishers and autographed merchandise at the Heritage Coffee shop’s downtown location on Oct. 1. She visited Juneau to perform as part of the Juneau Jazz & Classics Fall Festival. (Instagram)
This combination photo shows Sydney Akagi, Ishmael Angaluuk Hope and Xʼunei Lance Twitchell, all of Juneau, who are winners of Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Awards. (Courtesy Photos, Juneau Empire File)

Local artists use grants to pursue dreams

Rasmuson awards will support Lingít-language projects, traditional weaving.

This combination photo shows Sydney Akagi, Ishmael Angaluuk Hope and Xʼunei Lance Twitchell, all of Juneau, who are winners of Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Awards. (Courtesy Photos, Juneau Empire File)
Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire Grammy-award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey performed all six Bach suites as people filed in April 3 for a second COVID-19 vaccine dose at Centennial Hall.

Juneau Jazz & Classics announces Fall Festival line up

In-person events require a vaccination card

Dana Zigmund / Juneau Empire Grammy-award-winning cellist Zuill Bailey performed all six Bach suites as people filed in April 3 for a second COVID-19 vaccine dose at Centennial Hall.
Tucked along the side of the Juneau-Douglas City Museum, passers-by will find Juneau’s newest art gallery—the museum’s Free Little Art Gallery or FLAG for short. Anyone is free to add to the collection or take a pocket-sized treasure home. The gallery is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

Free Little Art Gallery opens downtown

Juneau joins growing list of cities hosting FLAGs

Tucked along the side of the Juneau-Douglas City Museum, passers-by will find Juneau’s newest art gallery—the museum’s Free Little Art Gallery or FLAG for short. Anyone is free to add to the collection or take a pocket-sized treasure home. The gallery is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
With the sun shining brightly on Monday, Aug. 30, Tlingit and Athabascan artist, designer, and activist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl and her team of apprentices started installing a new mural on the south wall of the Marine Parking garage, the structure on which the downtown branch of Juneau's public library sits. The mural depicts Elizabeth Kaaxgal.aat Peratrovich, a Tlingit civil rights icon. (Peter Segall/Juneau Empire)

Sun (finally) shines on mural project

Juneau’s news public art piece takes shape

With the sun shining brightly on Monday, Aug. 30, Tlingit and Athabascan artist, designer, and activist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl and her team of apprentices started installing a new mural on the south wall of the Marine Parking garage, the structure on which the downtown branch of Juneau's public library sits. The mural depicts Elizabeth Kaaxgal.aat Peratrovich, a Tlingit civil rights icon. (Peter Segall/Juneau Empire)
Hank Shaw holds coho salmon caught on the Taku River. Shaw, a hunter, angler, gardener, chef and award-winning writer, is in town this week to promote his new book "Hook, Line and Supper." (Courtesy Photo / Holly A. Heyser)

Stuffed to the gills with recipes: Award-winning writer talks new fish cookbook

Angler, hunter, cook and award-winning writer talks new book while in town.

Hank Shaw holds coho salmon caught on the Taku River. Shaw, a hunter, angler, gardener, chef and award-winning writer, is in town this week to promote his new book "Hook, Line and Supper." (Courtesy Photo / Holly A. Heyser)
A new course through the University of Alaska Fairbanks hopes to train new crops of Alaska Native filmmakers in a drive toward greater narrative soverignty. (Jakob Owens / Unsplash)

Filmmaking course hopes to create ‘narrative sovereignty’ for Alaska Natives

‘Our stories from our own perspective.’

A new course through the University of Alaska Fairbanks hopes to train new crops of Alaska Native filmmakers in a drive toward greater narrative soverignty. (Jakob Owens / Unsplash)
Tlingit and Athabascan artist, designer, and activist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl places a portion of what will become the 60-by 20-foot public mural depicting Elizabeth Kaaxgal.aat Peratrovich, a Tlingit civil rights icon, into place at Centennial Hall on Aug. 13. Once complete, the mural will appear on the currently blank south wall of the Marine Parking garage, the structure on which the downtown branch of Juneau’s public library sits. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)

A mural comes to life

Team of artists assemble pieces

Tlingit and Athabascan artist, designer, and activist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl places a portion of what will become the 60-by 20-foot public mural depicting Elizabeth Kaaxgal.aat Peratrovich, a Tlingit civil rights icon, into place at Centennial Hall on Aug. 13. Once complete, the mural will appear on the currently blank south wall of the Marine Parking garage, the structure on which the downtown branch of Juneau’s public library sits. (Dana Zigmund/Juneau Empire)
Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire Participants burn an example of a commercial garment that led to a now-settled intellectual property lawsuit in a ceremony commemorating the settlement with the fashion company on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021.

Saga over garment design copyright infringement ends with ceremonial fire

The case was settled in March.

Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire Participants burn an example of a commercial garment that led to a now-settled intellectual property lawsuit in a ceremony commemorating the settlement with the fashion company on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021.
Dana Zigmund / Capital City Weekly Shara Kay Diamond, left, of Anchorage and Chelsea Bighorn, right, of Sante Fe, apply paint to a section of a mural that will depict Elizabeth Kaaxgal.aat Peratrovich, a Tlingit civil rights icon. The mural is the work of Tlingit and Athabascan artist, designer, and activist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl. Kay Diamond and Bighorn are apprentices on the project. Right, local artist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl, center, and her apprentices, Shara Kay Diamond, left, and Chelsea Bighorn, right, assemble sections of the mural to apply paint in Worl’s downtown studio on Aug. 10.

A mural is born

Local artist works to prepare pieces

Dana Zigmund / Capital City Weekly Shara Kay Diamond, left, of Anchorage and Chelsea Bighorn, right, of Sante Fe, apply paint to a section of a mural that will depict Elizabeth Kaaxgal.aat Peratrovich, a Tlingit civil rights icon. The mural is the work of Tlingit and Athabascan artist, designer, and activist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl. Kay Diamond and Bighorn are apprentices on the project. Right, local artist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl, center, and her apprentices, Shara Kay Diamond, left, and Chelsea Bighorn, right, assemble sections of the mural to apply paint in Worl’s downtown studio on Aug. 10.
Ibn Bailey and Natalia Spengler and for "Six Bears Fell out of the Sky This Morning" by Alister Emerson. "Six Bears Fell out of the Sky This Morning" is directed by Christina Apathy and will be performed on Saturday, Aug. 14, 3-5 p.m., as a part of Climate Fair for a Cool Planet at Overstreet Park. The event is a joint effort between 350Juneau and Theater Alaska. (Courtesy Photo/ Theater Alaska)

Live theater meets climate catastrophe-focused message in new event

Event combines live performances with climate catastrophe-thwarting message.

Ibn Bailey and Natalia Spengler and for "Six Bears Fell out of the Sky This Morning" by Alister Emerson. "Six Bears Fell out of the Sky This Morning" is directed by Christina Apathy and will be performed on Saturday, Aug. 14, 3-5 p.m., as a part of Climate Fair for a Cool Planet at Overstreet Park. The event is a joint effort between 350Juneau and Theater Alaska. (Courtesy Photo/ Theater Alaska)
Members of the Nude Rude Revue will perform burlesque at the Skagway Expose, which takes place Aug. 12-15. The Better Than Boobs band will provide the music. The burlesque show is one of many types of live entertainment on tap for the long weekend. (Courtesy Photo / Courtesy photo / Kaley McGoey)

Set sail for the Skagway Expose

Four days of live entertainment on tap next weekend

Members of the Nude Rude Revue will perform burlesque at the Skagway Expose, which takes place Aug. 12-15. The Better Than Boobs band will provide the music. The burlesque show is one of many types of live entertainment on tap for the long weekend. (Courtesy Photo / Courtesy photo / Kaley McGoey)
Sketches for a new 60 -by- 25-foot mural depicting Elizabeth Kaax̱gal.aat Peratrovich, a Tlingit civil rights activist who worked for equality for Alaska Natives in the 1940s, are laid out for sorting in the studio of Tlingit and Athabascan artist, designer, and activist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl. (Courtesy photo / Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl)

New mural to honor Alaskan civil rights leader

The 60-by-25-foot mural will greet visitors.

Sketches for a new 60 -by- 25-foot mural depicting Elizabeth Kaax̱gal.aat Peratrovich, a Tlingit civil rights activist who worked for equality for Alaska Natives in the 1940s, are laid out for sorting in the studio of Tlingit and Athabascan artist, designer, and activist Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl. (Courtesy photo / Crystal Kaakeeyaa Worl)
This composite image shows the covers of McKie Campbell's first two novels as well as the author. (Courtesy Images)

Writing what he knows: Former city and state official takes inspiration from Southeast Alaska

It took him years to write, will you take a look?

This composite image shows the covers of McKie Campbell's first two novels as well as the author. (Courtesy Images)
Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire Officials, artists and key Southeast Alaska figures alongside U.S. Postal Service leadership unveil the Raven Story stamp as part of the official release ceremony in front of the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Walter Soboleff Building on Friday, July 30, 2021.

Northwest Coast to post: Stamp featuring Raven, designed by Tlingit artist gets release

It marks the first time a Tlingit design has been featured on a stamp, according to SHI.

Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire Officials, artists and key Southeast Alaska figures alongside U.S. Postal Service leadership unveil the Raven Story stamp as part of the official release ceremony in front of the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Walter Soboleff Building on Friday, July 30, 2021.
Veterans and active duty servicemembers carry the totem pole on July 24, 2021 as hundreds gathered in Hoonah for its raising. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)

Hoonah honors veterans with totem pole, future memorial park

From the Alaska Territorial Guard to today’s servicemembers, the Southeast has a legacy of service.

Veterans and active duty servicemembers carry the totem pole on July 24, 2021 as hundreds gathered in Hoonah for its raising. (Michael S. Lockett / Juneau Empire)
Mollie Walsh, seen here in “cabinet card” photograph from 1894 at age 25 in Butte, Montana, is the subject of a biography by Art Petersen who said Walsh’s life is the story of the Klondike Gold Rush. But, Petersen said, there was quite a lot of fact to be sorted from the fictions recorded about Walsh’s life. (James Schultz / Courtesy of Richard Gibson via Art Petersen)

Biography tries to sort fact from fiction in life of Skagway frontierswoman

‘History is a living thing.’

Mollie Walsh, seen here in “cabinet card” photograph from 1894 at age 25 in Butte, Montana, is the subject of a biography by Art Petersen who said Walsh’s life is the story of the Klondike Gold Rush. But, Petersen said, there was quite a lot of fact to be sorted from the fictions recorded about Walsh’s life. (James Schultz / Courtesy of Richard Gibson via Art Petersen)
Miranda (Natalia Spengler) covertly stares at recent arrivals to the remote island on which she resides during rehearsal for Theatre in the Rough's upcoming production of "The Tempest." (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

‘O, wonder’: Theatre in the Rough puts on ‘The Tempest’

Prospero and Ferdinand, here on Caliban’s isle.

Miranda (Natalia Spengler) covertly stares at recent arrivals to the remote island on which she resides during rehearsal for Theatre in the Rough's upcoming production of "The Tempest." (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)