Ammon Swenson, Alaska Public Media

This week on State of Art we’re hearing about the Anchorage Community Concert Band’s spring performance “Going Places.” We hear from the band’s conductor Dr. Mark Wolbers to find out more about the concert and what makes it a “journey through time and place.”

This week on State of Art we’re hearing about Out North’s Fringe Festival going on all of April. It features films, performance art and workshops meant to build community and push the boundaries of art. We’re joined by Out North’s Executive Director Erin Willahan and Fringe Artistic Director Indra Arriaga to find out more.

This episode features a panel discussion moderated by two-time Olympian and professional counselor Holly Brooks with medical experts and athletes discussing the issue of eating disorders in sports and how to combat the issue. This program was recorded on February 23rd at the Bear Tooth Theater after the world premier of the documentary “Winning At All Costs.” The documentary and event were presented by the Alaska Eating Disorder Alliance.

This week on State of Art we're talking about Anchorage Community Theater’s current production “They Promised her the Moon.” It centers on the real life of Jerrie Cobb, part of an all-women space program in the 60s, who not only completed the same tests and screenings as the first male astronauts, but ranked among the highest of both women and men. She never made it to space, but paved the way for the women who followed. The play opened on March 3rd and runs through the 26th. We’re joined by visiting playwright Laurel Ollstein, who wrote the story and is directing this run.

There’s only one place you will find JT West on Monday nights—in the ring. Or, more specifically, in a warehouse, turned pro wrestling gym that represents two decades worth of dreams. Once a pro himself, the Arkansas-born West fell in love with the flamboyant sport as a child. But he wasn’t alone. Pro wrestling, the perfect anecdote to the blue-collar lifestyle of its fan base, exploded in popularity in the 70s. 50 years later, the 907 Pro Wrestling Academy emerged in Alaska and amid bruises and broken bones, the school is changing lives for the better.

This week on State of Art we're learning about Anchorage Opera's upcoming production of "Missing" and its U.S. premier. The plot centers around the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls and was written by First Nations playwright Marie Clements and Juno award-winning composer Brian Current. The story follows Native Girl, who was murdered and discarded by the roadside, and Ava, a white woman who discovers the girl's body and sets out on a path to find greater empathy and understanding. We're joined by Melody Courage, who plays Native Girl, and Kate Bass, who plays Ava, to find out more.

This week on State of Art we hear from Matthew Burtner. He’s a composer, musician and sound artist who blends the arts and sciences into works meant to deepen our understanding and connection to the natural world. He is currently an artist in residence at the Anchorage Museum and his most recent album is called “Icefield.” We discuss his unique creative methods, "ecoacoustics" and more.

This week on State of Art we're hearing about Cyrano’s current production “First Date, The Musical.” It tells the story of a couple on a blind date in a New York City restaurant and all the humor and drama that happens along the way. The show opened February 10 and runs through March 5. We’re joined by director Warren Weinstein and lead actress, Abigail Smith.

This episode of Addressing Alaskans features the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation’s 2023 economic forecast. We hear reports on  jobs and employment, housing, consumer optimism, and business confidence. We’ll also hear about Choose Anchorage, a framework intended to revitalize the city.

This week on State of Art we're learning about the Sitka Fine Arts Camp. They're celebrating 50 years of providing immersive arts education to school-aged kids and teens from all over the state.

This week on State of Art we're discussing Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist Awards. Applications are open now to a wide range of creatives looking for some financial breathing room to focus on their work.

We experience sound in different ways every day. But how often do we get to play with sound? The Anchorage Museum's new exhibit Pass the Mic is encouraging its visitors to do just that. On this episode of Hometown Alaska we’ll uncover how the Pass the Mic exhibit was created and take you on a tour of sound exploration.

Kathleen McCoy spent decades as a journalist before joining Alaska Public Media as an original host of Hometown, Alaska. After years behind the mic interviewing local leaders and community members, she’s stepping down to enjoy retirement. We look back at McCoy’s career and what comes after public radio.

Alaska Native authors have written hundreds of books ranging from children’s stories to novels to memoirs and history books. Have you read any? Do you want to? This week on Hometown Alaska we’re exploring a new project created by the Alaska Center for the Book focusing on increasing awareness and readership of Alaska Native authors and talking about why sharing these works is so important.

This week on State of Art we hear about artist Garry Kaulitz's retrospective at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art. Kaulitz worked as a professor at the University of Alaska where he taught printmaking and his works have been featured in hundreds of exhibitions. The show features a diverse range of prints, paintings and drawings spanning six decades with a concurrent exhibition in Kaulitz's adopted home of Cuenca, Ecuador.

This week on State of Art the Anchorage Folk Festival returns with in-person performances, workshops, and more. We hear from Johnse Ostman, president of the fest’s board of directors, to find out about the local and featured acts, volunteer opportunities, and what to expect.

This week on State of Art we meet artist Meg Anderson. Her show "Yellow Skies and Black Birds" will be on display at Cyrano's Art Gallery from January 6 through February 26. Originally from Wisconsin, Anderson spent 24 years as an interpretive graphic artist and illustrator for Alaska State Parks. We discuss her work for the parks, her show and her many other creative projects. We also hear from RKP Production's Audrey Weltman Kelly and Dick Reichman about the new original play "Out to Lunch: A Political Comedy."

Alaska’s statewide affordable housing crisis has many causes and many solutions. This week on hometown Alaska hear from housing experts who are working to make housing accessible for everyone and from one new homeowner who helps use understand why it matters so much.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from Juneau-based singer-songwriter Marian Call. As part of the Alaska Independent Musician Initiative and a new endeavor called MusicAlaska, Call tells us about the work being done to compile playlists of Alaska musicians to help paint a more complete picture of the state's music scene. We hear about the working musician's grind, the benefits of these playlists and plans use them.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from Dr. Mark Wolbers, director of the Anchorage Community Concert Band. Their free winter performance, "Reverence," will take place on Sunday, December 4 in the Discovery Theater in the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. Wolbers tells us about being in the band, managing the wide range of skill levels and what to expect from the concert.