From Executive Director, Kate Nagle-Caraluzzo

Town Hall has been a part of Seattle’s history for the last quarter-century, and I’m so grateful to be a part of what this place means to this city. Our 25th anniversary season ended in June with more than 85,000 patrons having come through our doors, and we unofficially kicked off our 26th season in July with a sold-out crowd to welcome Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to the Great Hall stage. I can think of no better way to begin a season than with a full Great Hall, brimming with energy and curiosity about what is possible. 

Our 2024-25 season will ground us in our deep commitment to affordable tickets and rental rates, and we’ve made thoughtful shifts to help support our current operating model. Our sliding scale starts at $10 for most Town Hall-produced events, and we’ll soon relaunch a fine-tuned Membership program with attractive new benefits that bring patrons more of what they want. Access is still at the core of what we do — we remain committed to free tickets for anyone aged 22 & Under, and our doors are always open to anyone who wants to join us for an event, no questions asked.  

Our official season launch is just days away, and we’re so excited to announce new events with authors including novelist Jesmyn Ward with Ijeoma Oluo; neuroscientist and musician Daniel Levitin; food writer Khushbu Shah with J. Kenji López-Alt; and science artist Tyler Thrasher with Terry Mudge. We’ll see the return of our favorite music events like the Global Rhythms series, the new Crowdsource Choir, and a little later in the season, Town Music. Plus, rental partners like Solstice Symphony Orchestra, Candlelight Concerts, UW Office of Public Lectures, and many more will fill our calendar with unforgettable concerts and fascinating talks. Tickets to most fall events go on sale Tuesday, 8/6, so bookmark our homepage and watch your inbox for the big announcement.  

Here on the cusp of a new season (and our next 25 years), I think about the magic of possibility – that feeling we shared at Governor Whitmer’s event in July. Possibility is hope-filled and tangible. It keeps us going, and it’s what keeps us curious and questioning. This year we’ll dig into Town Hall’s own possibilities as we develop a new strategic plan. I’m excited and honored to be a part of envisioning Town Hall’s future and I know we’ll emerge with an even truer vision of ourselves and our role in Seattle. I look forward to sharing more with you in spring of 2025. 

I’m grateful to each of you, and I thank you for being curious about new voices; for supporting your favorite writers, artists, and musicians; and for coming together at Town Hall. The next time you’re in the building, look around at the people in the room and thank them, too, for believing that shared experiences have the possibility to transform us and our relationships with each other.  

With gratitude,  

Kate Nagle-Caraluzzo