Programs

Springer-Staten remembers her aunt, an amazing storyteller, recounting the lynching of a young African American boy and the impact that and other stories had on her. While physical barriers to racial harmony are somewhat less blatant these days, it's the mental barriers between cultures Springer-Staten hopes to break with the Festival of Cultural Stories.

The Anchorage Folk Festival wrapped up its 31st annual folk music extravaganza. The festival includes workshops, performances and featured guest artists. Folk Fest chief sound engineer Lucy Peckham dug through her archives and passed these tracks along.

Once a month during the museum's winter hours, one exhibit is open and modified to accommodate people with sensory-sensitivities. Multi-media presentations might be turned down or off, lights dimmed and activities are provided as an alternate means of engaging with the museum.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from "Frida" leads Catalina Cuervo, who plays Frida Kahlo, the iconic Mexican artist, and Bernardo Bermudez, who plays Diego Rivera, the famous Mexican muralist and Kahlo's husband.

From whalers who left port in New Bedford, Massachusetts to soldiers who helped build the Alcan Highway, African Americans have a long history in Alaska. University of Alaska Anchorage history professor Ian Hartman recently released a book called "Black History in the Last Frontier."

Being a young performer can be tough in Anchorage. If you're not old enough to drink, your options of venues are slim. That's why the Anchorage Music Co-op teamed up with local youth to establish Under 21 Open Mic.

This week on State of Art, artist and educator, Thomas Chung joins us for a conversation about cultural appropriation, his approach to art and finding humor in dark places.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from Anchorage artist Duke Russell. He tells us about his history with comics, self-reflection while sober and we get a taste of his current musical project, The Shirt Tuckers.

This week on State of Art we hear from Anchorage Museum director and CEO Julie Decker. She tells us about the museum's latest public art project, accessing their collection online and virtual tours of other museums.

This week on State of Art we have a taste of Anchorage band Saturday Cinders' recent online performance and an interview about "This is Chance!" a new book about Alaska journalist Genie Chance and her invaluable reporting following the 1964 earthquake. We also have a poem from local author Don Rearden.

This week on State of Art we have a poem from local author, Don Rearden, called "Listen and Learn." We also get a glimpse into the Anchorage Museum's virtual First Friday featuring composer Mathew Burtner and his piece "Nuiqsut Bell" for the museum's Listen Up: Northern Soundscapes series. Finally, we hear a bear story from Arctic Entries from earlier this year.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from Juliana Osinchuk, founder of the award that ultimately became the Ted Stevens Young Alaskan Artist Award. Organized by the Anchorage Festival of Music, the award goes to an Alaska classical musician ready to take their next step into the professional world. We learn about the classical-music-focused award and how to apply. We also hear a track from Anchorage artist Duke Russell's musical project, the Shirt Tuckers, called "Spiritual Poptart."

This week on State of Art we're hearing new music from local bands Braided River, The Jephries and Kittiwake.

This week on State of Art we learn about AKAK, a virtual music festival featuring local musicians streaming tonight. We also find out what to expect from Anchorage Community Theater's weekly Virtual Short Play Festival.

This week on State of Art we're finding out how graduating amidst a pandemic affected UAA art students and we hear a beer-centric track from folk trio, Juicy Harps.

This week on State of Art we're checking out two stories from the recent virtual Arctic Entries event. Hosts and storytellers connected with the audience via Facebook Live from their homes in a close approximation of a typical Arctic Entries. Our first storyteller talks about losing love and finding herself stuck in Canada, while our second storyteller tells us about connections and isolation while working in Antarctica.

This week on State of Art we're talking Spenard -- the man and the jazz festival. We learn about the newly virtual Spenard Jazz Fest and we hear from a local historian about the colorful Joe Spenard, the namesake of the Anchorage road and neighborhood.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from journalist and podcast host, Cody Liska. His podcast "Crude Conversations" spawned from an ambitious DIY zine publication and social media presence called "Crude Magazine." He has deep roots in Alaska's snowboard scene, but Liska's interviewees range from athletes and educators to activists and artists. We talk about how he got his start, what he's learned and why we do this.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from local photographer Jovell Rennie. After getting caught up in the frenzy of demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, Rennie wanted to do something more than just document the local protests. Working with friends, colleagues and community members, Rennie and company put on the "I Can't Breathe" First Friday and fundraising event at his gallery, Akela Space, in downtown Anchorage.

This week on State of Art we're hearing from Chad Reynvaan. His musical fingerprints are all over the Anchorage music scene, whether he's playing in a band or recording one at his own Wattage Studio. He tells us about his new album "21st Sensory," the appeal of vintage gear and his tendencies towards dad-rock. We also check out his new track "Permanently Lost."