Join us for an afternoon with local journalist and activist Ron Chew to celebrate the audiobook launch of his memoir, My Unforgotten Seattle. Ron will share excerpts from his book while giving us a glimpse into the vibrant, living history of Seattle and its long-established Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. In his book, Chew […]
Joy Harjo is an internationally renowned performer and writer of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2019-2022, the first Native American to receive the honor, and she is the winner of Yale’s 2023 Bollingen Prize for American Poetry.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a person whose life went unchanged in 2020, arguably one of the most consequential years in human history. It marked an unprecedented time, left indelible memories in our minds, and set off ripple effects we still feel even today. Disruption of normal life was nearly universal; however, the ways in which […]
This lecture will explore the rise and fall of American democracy in the context of historical thinking about what makes democracies flourish. It will draw from historical examples to suggest ways of fixing America’s democracy.
Five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves is the pre-eminent jazz vocalist in the world. As a result of her breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B stylings, Reeves received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings – a Grammy first in any vocal category.
Hailed as one of the most prodigious guitarists of his generation and “highest category of improvising musicians” (New Yorker), Julian Lage has spent more than a decade searching through the myriad strains of American musical history via impeccable technique, free association, and a spirit of infinite possibility.
Prepare for an unforgettable journey across continents and genres as the virtuosic musicians Justin Adams and Mauro Durante come together with a special opening performance by Ganesh Rajagopalan to create a truly unique experience. Justin Adams, a masterful guitarist known for his work with Robert Plant, and Mauro Durante, the charismatic leader of Canzoniere Grecanico […]
Have you ever lost something or someone dear to you? Though it ranges in severity and impact, loss is a shared human experience – an inevitable, inescapable part of life. Praised for her humor and sharp wit, essayist and novelist Sloane Crosley delivers her first memoir Grief is for People, exploring how loss can take many forms. […]
Night of Ideas, Villa Albertine’s flagship nocturnal marathon of philosophical debates, performances, readings, and more is returning to more than 20 cities in the US, from February 25 through March 3, 2024. This multidisciplinary event was introduced in the United States in 2015 by the French Embassy. Today, Night of Ideas is a nationwide phenomenon, drawing tens […]
With the proliferation of AI, upcoming elections, and ongoing conflicts throughout the world, 2024 holds many uncertainties that can make it difficult to feel optimistic about the future. Puget Sound Symphony Orchestra's Winter Concert offers a respite from our tumultuous world with an uplifting program infused with hope and joy. Moncayo - Huapango Copland - […]
The subject of disinformation is a well-known part of political rhetoric, but it has implications even outside of the sphere of democracy. From the electoral system to schools; from the workplace to hospitals, the consequences of it are far-reaching and dire. A legal analyst at MSNBC and former U.S. Attorney, Barbara McQuade’s decades of experience in […]
Ever wondered how a leader orchestrates large-scale change on a global scale? In his new book, Big Bets: How Large-Scale Change Really Happens, Rajiv J. Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation and former administrator of USAID unveils his model for driving large-scale change. Drawing on his experiences, from vaccinating 900 million children with the Bill & Melinda […]
Marc Bamuthi Joseph is an artist. His job is social impact. He doesn’t have time to *not* be hopeful…he is an artist…culture is rare air in the lungs of the body politic…he works to remember those who can’t breathe… Collectively, we are exploring the deployment of artistic intelligence as an agent of public healing. We […]
Get an inside look at the multifaceted history of the tech industry, its key players, and the evolving impact of technology on society. In her latest work, Burn Book, Award-winning journalist Kara Swisher presents a witty and fair examination of the tech industry and its founders who aspired to change the world but inadvertently disrupted it. […]
If you’re a part of the Seattle arts scene, chances are you’ve come across Tessa Hulls. She has a hand in many local creative communities, including Seattle Arts & Lectures (where you might have spotted her illustrations on the 2021 Summer Book Bingo Card!), the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, and the Henry Art Museum. […]
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Seattle. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Joe Hisaishi at Town Hall Seattle under the gentle glow of candlelight.
Embark on a musical adventure at Crowdsource Choir’s inaugural event at Town Hall Seattle! Since its formation in 2017, Crowdsource Choir has revolutionized the choral experience, ensuring accessibility and enjoyment for all. Thousands have already discovered the joy of singing with the choir, and now it’s an opportunity for others to join in the harmonious […]
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Seattle. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Joe Hisaishi at Town Hall Seattle under the gentle glow of candlelight.
Meet two remarkable young women from Israel and Palestine as they travel together to share stories of war, collaboration, bravery, and transformation. Noga Bar Oz is an Israeli musician and conducts an orchestra for Arab and Jewish children. Lana Ikelan, a Palestinian journalist, believes in the power of words and stories to create change and justice. These […]
Have you ever made coins float in water? Or created a geode from an egg? If not, Emmy-nominated science TV host Emily Calandrelli can show you how. Calandrelli, MIT-trained engineer turned internet STEAM star, demonstrates science experiments you can do at home with common household products as the host of Netflix’s Emily’s Wonder Lab and through her […]
“Bach’s music is very often mesmerizing. It’s very rarely this fun.” – Neil Fisher, The Times Mahan Esfahani has made his life’s mission to return the harpsichord to the mainstream of concert instruments, and to that end his creative programming and commissioning of new works have drawn the attention of critics and audiences across Europe, Asia, and North America. He will play an intriguing program of music spanning five […]
Journey into the rainforest with the Seattle Festival Orchestra and explore themes of fate, magic and mimicry at their winter concert, Our Place in This World. Music Director Bobby Collins continues this year’s theme of featuring new music and young soloists with Parrot in the Rainforest by Korean composer SiHyun Uhm and Seattle soloist Bhavani […]
Town Hall’s beloved literary series, curated by Jane Kaplan, returns for another afternoon of readings brought to life by local actors. Whether a single chance encounter or an unexpected moment in a long relationship, sometimes you see yourself most clearly through someone else’s eyes. Stellar performers Aishé Keita, Julie Briskman, and Nathaniel Tenenbaum read stories […]
What does it mean to be a proudly queer Indigenous woman in the United States today? Sasha LaPointe, winner of the 2023 Pacific Northwest Book Award for her memoir, Red Paint, shares a new collection of essays that navigate the complexities of indigenous identity, challenge stereotypes, and address cultural displacement and environmental concerns. Thunder Song draws inspiration from her […]
Anyone who has fallen off the conveyor belt of mainstream health care and into the shadowy corners of illness knows what a dark place it is to land. Where is the infrastructure, the information, the guidance? What should you do next? In her new book, Rebel Health, Susannah Fox draws on twenty years of tracking the […]
Town Hall’s new Replay Matinee series invites you to come together in our building to enjoy screenings of our greatest hits – during the day! This community program is free to all participants. Note: this is a screening of a previous in-person event. The speakers will not be in attendance. This Replay Matinee features Roxanne […]
The Village Voice aimed to show readers something that mainstream publications wouldn’t: live theater productions climbing through the scaffolding of off-Broadway venues; moments in music from hip-hop to jazz to punk; New York City civil issues, like corrupt landlords; and global issues, like the AIDS crisis. Through decades of independent reporting and first-hand accounts within the myriad subcultures […]
Join J. Kenji López-Alt and New York Times staff writer and essayist, Eric Kim. Kim is the author of the instant New York Times bestseller Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home, and he has amassed a devoted following with his NYT Cooking videos and Food52 column. New York Times staff writer Eric Kim grew up in Atlanta, the son of two Korean […]
What do we learn when an anthropologist and a historian talk about food? Across endless eras, landscapes, and civilizations, humanity’s relationship with food has played the part of one of the landmark features of culture and community. We feel this on both the micro and macro scale — from learning a recipe passed down through […]
KUOW is excited to bring you Text Me Back Live! Join Hosts Lindy West and Meagan Hatcher-Mays in-person for a delightful and laugh-filled evening. They’ll talk about their favorite animals and least favorite people. They’ll give tidings and take questions from the audience. And they’ll play a game or two, and maybe even bring some songs and […]
In their 35th season, Seattle Children’s Chorus presents three vibrant concerts that celebrate the role of storytelling in our lives. For this concert, “Heroes” at Town Hall, they will sing about the people who inspire us to become great. They sing of legendary feats, overcoming struggles, and changing the world. They are delighted that you […]
Town Hall is proud to partner with The Bushwick Book Club Seattle presenting concerts of original music inspired by literature. Each event showcases a lineup of local, professional musicians and artists each offering a fresh response to that evening’s source text, plus extras like an audience quiz, short film, or scholarly introduction. Book choices range […]
Featuring Prep Choir, Fresca, and Amabile About the Event: When people are forced to leave their homelands, they take many things with them, including cultural treasures such as art, song, or instruments. Music continues to arise from people in diaspora; new musical fusions mark their journeys. Join us for a concert of music that follows […]
Featuring Prep Choir, Fresca, and Amabile About the Event: When people are forced to leave their homelands, they take many things with them, including cultural treasures such as art, song, or instruments. Music continues to arise from people in diaspora; new musical fusions mark their journeys. Join us for a concert of music that follows […]
Drawing from his extensive experience, Clarence Moriwaki, the past president of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community and the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association, brings a timeless and timely narrative about the loss of liberty during periods of fear, prejudice, and political leadership failures. With a remarkable track record, including being recognized as the […]
Every day, about 38-million people nationwide perform a great labor of love as a family caregiver: caring for parents, spouses, adult children with disabilities, friends and other loved ones. Caring for a family member or close friend is one of the most important roles we are likely to play in our lifetime. However, the emotional and […]
Going into the 1980’s, keen observers in the New York City subway system might run across swaths of unused ad space embellished with ephemeral chalk drawings of a signature crawling baby, done by a young artist tapping into the era’s experimental street art scene. By the end of the decade, Keith Haring’s work would become […]
Join Landesa for their signature annual fundraising event, Seed the Change. Gather and grow a community of supporters to advance land rights and climate justice for millions of people across the globe. Landesa is honored to welcome renowned human rights lawyer, writer, front-line defender, and activist Steven Donziger as the keynote speaker for the evening. […]
Ignite Seattle is the largest open submission public speaking event in the Pacific Northwest. Three to four times a year, one of the greatest audiences in the world gathers to hear interesting people tell interesting stories. Each speaker gets 20 slides, for 15 seconds each, to share a passion for 5 minutes – it’s an […]
Disinformation has been used throughout history as a tool to intentionally deceive or manipulate the enemy. In our present age of information, where fabricated news stories, photos, or posts of any kind can be spread in an instant, we find ourselves especially vulnerable to the potentially devasting effects of weaponized disinformation. Lee McIntyre is an author […]
The ultimate storytelling competition, The Moth GrandSLAM invites winners from our open-mic StorySLAMs back to the stage for the Seattle storytelling championship.
Experience the joy of music at Town Hall Seattle’s Saturday Family Concerts, where captivating performances and interactive musical adventures create cherished memories for all ages! Get ready for some terrific toe-tapping tunes with Neon Brass Party, the spirited street band hailing from Seattle, WA!
Looking back through history, it is obvious that the presence of music has had a profound impact on the daily lives of humans, our cultural rituals, and the evolution of civilization as a whole. Yet in public discourse, we still tend to separate conversations about music from those about civics or politics. We frame music as […]
Delve into the complex tapestry of American politics with Juliet Hooker, the Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence in Political Science at Brown University. Hooker, known for her expertise in racial justice, democracy theories, and Black political thought, will unpack the themes of her latest book, Black Grief / White Grievance and offer a critical examination of white […]
As we head into another presidential election year, few issues feel as pressing as the spread of political misinformation. How can political campaigns fight back against the barrage of lies and disinformation? As time, tension, and technology all progress in our world, we’re not always prepared for the acceleration and its impact on the political […]
Explore the life cycle of Seattle artists in a dynamic round table discussion hosted by Sarah Traver, director of Traver Gallery. Join the conversation on transforming artistic practice into a flourishing and creative career within the vibrant artistic landscape of Seattle. Esteemed artists Esther Ervin, Henry Jackson-Spieker, Steve Jensen, Pohlman Knowles, and Jeanne Marie Ferraro all connected […]
In his landmark book, Poverty, By America, acclaimed sociologist Matthew Desmond draws on history, research, and original reporting to show how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly keep poor people poor. Elegantly written and fiercely argued, this compassionate book gives us new ways of thinking about a morally urgent problem—and also helps us imagine solutions. In his follow-up […]
Live Wire Radio is an independently produced radio show and non-profit based in Portland, Oregon. Hosted by Luke Burbank and announced by Elena Passarello, the show artfully blends unpredictable conversation, live music, and original comedy featuring all kinds of cultural talent and creative minds, from emerging artists to established acts. Live Wire champions discovery by producing […]
While public education has become a hot-button topic in headlines, including Seattle Public Schools, there’s an even bigger story that journalist Benjamin Herold wants to tell. Public schools are a cornerstone of the American suburbs; they are the assumed status symbols for upwardly mobile families. Yet Herold argues that the very infrastructures of America, including […]
Want to watch 80 middle-schoolers knock out words like psammophile, zwitterion, and schistorrhachis? So do we! The regional spelling bee brings together students from schools across King and Snohomish Counties who have already proven themselves to be fantastic spellers. This year’s bee will be moderated by Seattle Radio Theatre founder and KIRO Radio’s producer, host, and […]
Tens of millions of Americans are living longer than ever before, posing new challenges for older adults, their caregivers, communities, and society’s systems. MT Connolly’s new book, The Measure of Our Age, profiles the work of pioneers who address those challenges, including one of the first communities to prosecute elder abuse in King County. This problem […]
Talking about dying has many benefits. One of the most helpful is understanding how to ensure the choices made about your final chapter of life are yours. And when you talk about your choices are they are well communicated, you have a good chance at a good death. Join Wendy from Worry-Free Wednesdays to learn the three things you can […]
Go from “what the heck is this” to “how does it taste so good” in a celebration of misfit vegetables. Maybe you just discovered celery root (a lumpy, softball-sized bulb), at the grocery store. Or perhaps you received watermelon radishes in a CSA package. Did a parsnip catch your eye at the farmers’ market? Even […]
Can a parliamentary democracy end America's constitutional crisis? It's starting to feel to some people that American elections aren't offering us much choice, instead compounding the continued issues of our outdated voting system and showing our lack of capacity to face common issues together. In Parliamentary America, Maxwell L. Stearns argues that the solution to these complex […]
Do you ever think of what you eat as being political? Back in 2017, celebrity chef Mario Batali sent out an apology letter for the sexual misconduct allegations made against him and infamously included a recipe—for pizza dough cinnamon rolls. Shortly after Batali's recipe, went viral, Popular blogger Geraldine DeRuiter decided to make the recipe and […]
What is it like to grow up as a sociopath? Is it possible to lead a normal, successful life after such an earth-shattering diagnosis? In her memoir, Sociopath, Patric Gagne sheds light on the often misunderstood disorder. From a young age, Gagne grappled with feeling different from her peers, unable to experience emotions like fear, guilt, […]