Ballet. Orchestra. Emerging independent cinema. Contemporary theatre. Immersive environments.

ISSAQUAH'S CREATIVE NETWORK

In addition to Village Theatre, Issaquah has an established Philharmonic Orchestra, a local dance ensemble that performs the Nutcracker, a live theatre company, and a Film Festival. And more.

Many don't know. And it's time for that to change.

THE DISCONNECT

It's easier for Issaquah's creatives to find space to work, practice and perform in Seattle, Bellevue, Renton and Sammamish

For years the Issaquah Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Renton, and the Issaquah Dance Theatre Ensemble produced the Nutcracker in Bellevue.

Despite the desire to support local creatives, the City's Arts Commission cannot fund projects that take place outside of Issaquah.

Ask an enthusiast about attendance, and you won't be surprised with the regional challenges of time, traffic, parking. It's easier to stay home than to travel and experience the arts.

OUR THEORY OF CHANGE

New paths to more arts through advocacy and partnership

There is latent potential in Issaquah that can fuel a vibrant community of creatives and enthusiasts.

We envision a constellation of arts amenities, from traditional venues to outdoor experiences, throughout the City.

A strong network of visionary partners can make this a reality.

HOW WE STARTED

Issaquah Arts emerged organically through the work of people connected through the Issaquah Arts Commission, Issaquah Schools Foundation, and the Issaquah Creative District.

From different perspectives, each could see the need for a dedicated organization to support and revitalize Issaquah's creative economy.

With more conversation, our network started to expand across City leaders, business owners and creative professionals ready to connect.

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ADVOCACY + ACTIVATION

FROM PILOTS + PROTOTYPES --> SUSTAINABLE VENUES & PROGRAMS

Re-opening the Longman Performing Arts Center for Public Access

Proof of Concept | A High-Capacity Venue Activation for the Film Festival and The Nutcracker

A sophisticated space for arts, tucked inside a high school campus

ISSAQUAH ARTS EXPANDS AWARENESS + CAPACITY

With more seats than Village Theatre, designed for collaborative use by the public, the Longman Performing Arts Center is a venue that can be optimized for a full range of performing arts experiences

See the Advocacy Efforts

BEHIND THE SCENES

We look for bright spots, enhancing and amplifying potential

Customer Focus

Collaboration with the City of Issaquah opened the doors to pilot rentals via the new joint use agreement. Our goal was simply to learn what works, and what doesn't, to help make it easier for groups to rent the space.

An Invitation to Experiment

Grants from the Arts Commission and the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) incentivized arts groups to test the space. In the summer of 2025, we hosted the Issaquah Film Festival - increasing year over year capacity by 5x. Next up is Issaquah Dance Theatre Ensemble, and the inaugural performance of The Nutcracker.

Network Effects

Why the Film Festival and The Nutcracker? Yes, both initiatives represent annual, repeatable events. What's more interesting is to consider the network effects and the community of creatives we aim to connect in Issaquah. Emerging filmmakers, writers and producers, and the cast and crew of creatives that work together to develop these works. Dancers, choreographers, set producers. And, the arts enthusiasts, friends and family members that support the ongoing development of the work.

ACTIVATING THE LONGMAN --> CREATIVE CAPACITY BY THE NUMBERS

5x Year Over Year increase in seating capacity for the Issaquah Film Festival
46% Year Over Year increase in seating capacity for Issaquah Dance Theatre's production of The Nutcracker
3 Scheduled Issaquah Philharmonic Orchestra concerts in Issaquah for the 2025-2026 Season

The Arts Sanctuary & The Labyrinth of Lanterns

Proof of Concept | Immersive Experiences in Nature

Natural and built environments shape our experience and our emotions. We can create space to cultivate a sense of calm, and places to inspire awe.

This project literally started with the question, what might we do in the parking lot? We could not anticipate what came next.

An ask for restaurants to save metal cans came in by the bagful. People got together to punch and hammer holes, upcycling hundreds of cans into simple yet elegant lanterns. A park planner and a local architect collaborated on a site specific design for a 60' diameter labyrinth, grounded by a large granite boulder excavated from a trails restoration project.

The temporary installation opened on the Autumn Equinox to commemorate and celebrate the changing season. People came each night, quietly walking the Labyrinth of Lanterns. One visitor shared, "Our community has received a gift of love."

We followed this momentum by partnering with Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park to launch the Sound Baths at Sunset Beach Series, proving that simple, resonant experiences in natural settings draw deep community engagement and offer low-barrier entry for new audiences.

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Building the Issaquah Arts Network

Design Thinking and Creative Connections

By cultivating clear and natural points of connection, we nurture the relationships that fuel long-term support, ensuring arts programs can thrive beyond a single event

True sustainability comes from a connected community. We are developing tools and initiatives to surface Issaquah's network of local creatives and enthusiasts.

Connect with Us

IMPACT