By Andrew Hamlin
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
For those tuned into the Wing Luke Museum’s calendar, the annual JamFest, happening July 26 in the Chinatown-International District (C-ID), will come as no surprise.
But this year’s JamFest marks a new wrinkle—national participation from an organization called Arts For EveryBody (with the capital “B”), devoted to building community health through community member involvement in the arts.
“We launched JamFest approximately 12 years ago as a way to bring positive activation to the C-ID, and draw in customers for the neighborhood businesses,” explained Wing Luke spokesperson Steve McLean.
“We hope that continues on with participants experiencing joy, fun, and laughter here in the C-ID, connecting with community, getting good food and drinks in the many restaurants.”
The contribution of Arts For EveryBody, a function of the national initiative One Nation/One Project, meant JamFest’s expansion from its previous format.
“The three outside locations for JamFest for 2024,” explained McLean, “are Canton Alley, Maynard Alley, and 7th Avenue between South King and South Weller Streets, with at least nine different businesses and cultural centers staying open later for this evening.
“Traditionally, we hold the event in Canton and Maynard Alleys, but this year, with One Nation, One Project’s national Arts For EveryBody arts and wellness initiative, we needed more space, which is why we have 7th Avenue this year.”
The Museum selected Canton and Maynard Alleys, said McLean, to call attention to the great renovation projects SCIDPDA (Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority] has helped create in the C-ID.
7th Avenue lies in the middle of these two alleys and makes a relatively flat surface for performers and tabling.
“We have so much rich history of the arts in our C-ID. In this stretch of 7th, there’s the old China Gate Theatre, the Luck Ngi Music Club, and the Chong Wa Benevolent Association.”
All three locations allow festival-goers to play carnival games and interact with representatives from community organizations. Canton Alley will feature DJ continuous DJ sets from DJ Halal Cool.
The 7th Avenue location features introductory remarks from genderqueer performer Aleksa Manila, followed by a performance from the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team. The site also features a yoga session from Mother Yoga, a cabaret performance from burlesque performer The Shanghai Pearl, a martial arts demonstration from the Seattle Kung Fu Club, and a DJ set from Integral DJs.
Credit: MXT Visuals
The Maynard Alley site features Mahjong lessons, plus art activities from two local artists. Louie Gong, raised by his Nooksack tribal relations in northwest Washington state, is a self-taught artist who’s preparing two Bruce Lee murals for the C-ID neighborhood.
Credit: MXT Visuals
Erin Shigaki has collaborated with Wing Luke several times over the years. An artist, designer, and filmmaker specializing in public art, she’s presenting in conjunction with Wing Luke’s YouthCAN program, designed to mentor young artists and expose them to the arts as a profession.
“The overall objective of Arts For EveryBody,” said McLean, “is to raise awareness for the key role that art has in promoting community connectedness, physical, emotional and mental wellness. Countless studies support the vital role that art plays in overall health, and this national initiative, with 18 cities across the country, will spotlight organizations that are doing this work.”
Wing Luke’s 2024 JamFest happens Friday, July 26 in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.
For times, schedules, a list of participating businesses, and more information, visit https://www.wingluke.org/jamfest.
Arts For EveryBody is a program from the One Nation/One Project initiative designed to show how the arts can lead to healthier people and healthier communities. For more information and a list of participating communities, with activities, visit https://www.artsforeverybody.org/blog/arts-leaders-unite-for-healthier-communities.
