No doubt inspired by the natural splendor of the region, many acclaimed artists call the Greater Seattle area home. As a result, there’s no shortage of venues that showcase the work of both local and international artists, often in stunning surroundings.
Boasting one of the country’s earliest and most comprehensive public art installations, the Washington State Convention Center is a great place to enjoy both permanent and rotating exhibits of Washington-based artists displayed on all four levels of the facility, including a dedicated gallery. Among the highlights are Ann Gardner’s Lebeg, a multifaceted sculpture of elliptical pendants covered with thousands of translucent glass pieces suspended from the atrium. The collection is featured in a self-guided tour brochure as well as well as on STORY, a mobile app.
The glass art of Dale Chihuly is prominently displaced in Seattle as well as in his hometown of Tacoma. Located just below the Space Needle in Seattle Center, Chihuly Garden and Glass features the artist’s works in both outdoor and indoor settings that are available for private events from 50 to 2,000 guests. A new hot shop housed in a retrofitted Airstream trailer enables visitors to see glass art demonstrations by artists from Pratt Fine Arts Center.
“Chihuly Garden and Glass is incredibly popular with meeting planners,” says Rob Hampton, senior vice president of Visit Seattle. “We’ve had groups reserve it along with the Space Needle and EMP Museum for an incredible block party.”
Works by Chihuly and other important artists are featured at the Museum of Glass, which is linked to downtown Tacoma by the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, a pedestrian overpass shrouded in glass art. The museum offers several spectacular event spaces, including a grand hall, outdoor sculpture gardens and a rooftop plaza with views of the waterfront and Mt. Rainier. Groups can also convene in the Hot Shop Amphitheater, a working glass studio where teams of artists create works from molten glass.
“Many groups in Tacoma will include an event at the Glass Museum,” says Chelene Potvin-Bird, vice president of sales for Travel Tacoma. “People love being able to learn about glass-blowing and even have the chance to create their own art.”
The Seattle Museum of Art encompasses two impressive locations, the main downtown museum and the Olympic Sculpture Park overlooking Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains. The Seattle Museum of Art, which offers a large collection that includes Northwest Coast Native American, Asian, African and contemporary art, has event spaces that include spacious galleries, boardrooms, a lecture hall and private dining room.
The nine-acre Sculpture Park, built along a path lined with works by Richard Serra, Alexander Calder and other sculptors, has both indoor and outdoor spaces, including the PACCAR Pavilion and Bill & Melinda Gates Amphitheater.
For teambuilding with an artistic bent, the Modern Social Experience Project offers options that include Street Art Night. Groups are divided into small teams to work on a collaborative art piece while enjoying drinks, music and demonstrations from local street artists. When finished, the teams come together to discuss their works and visions.
