Seattle Arts & Lectures

We were delighted to bring Anne her flowers and recognize her as SAL's 2026 Volunteer of the Year! 🥳💐 Anne is very flexible and dependable, is willing to take on any task she is given, and does so with a smile and great attitude. She always looks forward to trying something new; she observes what our patrons need and provides it for them. She embodies a welcoming and joyful presence in whatever role she plays in our literary events and our fundraising galas. She is a calm presence during busy events, and she helps to make sure that everyone belongs at SAL. Anne, you are a true volunteer match made in heaven!

Please say hi to Anne at the next event you see her! 👋

“It’s such a weird thing to be alive. And it’s a weird thing that none of us know how to talk about the fact that we don’t know about it. Together, we can be together collectively like we don’t know anything. But we can be together and people will show up in a church [Town Hall Seattle] to hear two people talk about something loosely related to a book about something somebody made up, and believe that something might come out of it.”
For a meta ending of a beautiful season, Tommy Orange enamored the audience with his humor, grounded presence in the world, and insights into being human.

Thank you Daniel Tam-Claiborne for moderating audience Q&A! Big thanks to our sponsors, partners, and patrons for supporting this event and our 2025/26 season!
Encore Series Sponsor:
Media Partner: and
Bookseller Partner: .anne.book.company
Community Partners:

Poem performed by Ahsenti Alfedil, the 2025-26 Seattle Youth Poet Laureate; mentored by Amy Hirayama (.amy) and Jourdan Imani Keith ()

📸 Photo credits to the wonderful

SUMMER BOOK BINGO HAS LAUNCHED!!! In the words of a patron, we're welcoming back the "Super Bowl of reading" today!

SAL is thrilled to share the return of Summer Book Bingo - now in its 12th year ☀️ 🥹 Thank you for designing these whimsical boards with fruit friends 🍒🍏🌱

Make sure to tag , , and and to share the love and inspire us with your reading!

Download your boards here: https://lectures.org/BookBingo

Three-peat alert! Daniel Tam-Claiborne comes back to the SAL stage to moderate tonight's conversation with 2025 Tommy Orange.

You know and love Daniel and we cannot wait to see how this conversation will take its shape. Daniel's moderation and questions always feel like intimate conversations between friends. We couldn't have asked for a better way to close out our 2025/26 SAL season.

Make sure you grab your tickets now! Our Box Office will be open at Town Hall and online tickets are available now through May 28!

🎫 Get your tickets: https://bit.ly/SALOrange

We are so excited for Tommy Orange to return to the Seattle Arts and Lectures stage! Orange is a Pulitzer Prize-finalist and the bestselling author of “There There” and “Wandering Stars.” In these interconnected novels, Orange traces multiple characters over several generations and proves that in order to understand the present, we must understand the past.

Tommy Orange will be in conversation with local author Daniel Tam-Claiborne! Tam-Claiborne just released his debut novel “Transplants.” You don’t want to miss this special night!

🗓️ THURS, May 21, 2026
🕰️ 7:30 PM (PT)
📍 Join us online or in-person
🎫 Get your tickets: https://bit.ly/SALOrange

LEGEND ON STAGE! Dr. Emily Wilson, an icon for translators and classicists rocked the SAL stage with her lecture on Re-translating Ancient Poetry. Whether you’re deep diving into Homer and ancient Greek or getting ready to watch the Nolan adaptation of The Odyssey this summer, this is a talk you don’t want to miss.

Though the event has passed, you can still purchase streaming tickets and watch through TUE, May 19. (Link in bio.)

Thank you for moderating audience Q&A! Big thanks to our sponsors, partners, and patrons!
Media Partner:
Bookseller Partner:
Community Partners: & musician Del Rey

Poem performed by Joey Gignoux, student at Nathan Hale High School, taught by WITS writer-in-residence Karen Finneyfrock.

Genre-defying and Booker Prize-winning author, Marlon James joined SAL for a night that we won’t be forgetting! and discussed the heart of his books, humor, and writing that doesn’t shy away from the darker side of life.

Thank you so much to our sponsors, partners, and patrons!

Series sponsor:
Media sponsors:
Bookseller:
Community Partners:

Poem performed by Lyrik White, student at Orca K-8 School, taught by WITS writer-in-residence ell lin.

📷 by

RSVP today to secure your seat at the last Murmurations of the season!

This program will feature Oliver Brickman, Amy Hirayama, Clara Olivo, Vincent Rendoni, Ricardo Ruiz, and Ann Teplick! These resident writers come together to read from their own work, inspiring the same craft and performance skills they nurture in the classroom.

🗓️ WED, May 20
🕰️ 7:00PM PT (arrive early for seating!)
📍 Common Objects - 2601 1st Ave, Seattle