A Washington nonprofit struck a short-term deal with King County to keep Harbor Island Studios operating, buying time while partners work on a lasting funding plan.

A summer art pilot has opened inside Seattle’s 1916 Coliseum Theater as the owner weighs a costly $40–$50M restoration. The installation gives a rare public look at the theater’s hidden interior.

Randy Engstrom has returned to city service as Seattle Center director, facing aging infrastructure and a push for large-scale capital upgrades.

Seattle's Crocodile has been sold to a comedy‑backed out‑of‑state group led by Jimmy Miller and Mike McAvoy. Management says the mainroom will keep running while owners plan basement upgrades.

Speight Jenkins, who led Seattle Opera from 1983 to 2014 and built its Wagner reputation, has died at 89. He helped launch major singers and earned national honors for the company.

Jeremy Rothman will take the helm of the Seattle Symphony on Sept. 1 as Benaroya Hall reopens for the 2026–27 season.

The 55th Northwest Folklife runs May 22–25 at Seattle Center, themed UBUNTU with Smithsonian programming, dozens of stages and free family events.

Xian Zhang has become the Seattle Symphony’s first female music director, leading programs at Benaroya Hall and shaping a season that mixes core repertoire with new commissions. Her appointment is being viewed as a milestone for representation in classical leadership.

Freakout’s big fall festival is on hiatus as the nonprofit redirects resources to smaller shows and label work amid funding uncertainty.

A copper theft stripped Taproot’s rooftop HVAC and put the theatre’s summer shows and youth camps at risk as the company races to raise $400,000.

Yuvika Tolani will be the first permanent artistic director of Seattle’s Union Arts Center, starting May 4, 2026. Her appointment comes as the merged company scales programming downtown.

Three Dollar Bill Cinema will skip 2026 as the nonprofit pauses its Seattle Queer Film Festival and TRANSlations while it addresses finances and retools programming. The organization says it will focus on smaller, year-round events for now.

The People’s Wall mural in Seattle’s Central District is up for landmark consideration; the Landmarks Preservation Board will review the nomination on April 15. Public testimony and written comments are open.