City of Kent
Deadline: 3/5/2012 (postmark deadline)

The City of Kent seeks prints, photographs, paintings, works on paper and other types of artwork for the juried Kent Summer Art Exhibit. All accepted artwork is then eligible for City Art Purchase Awards and Kent Arts Commission Exhibit Awards.

This annual juried art exhibit is displayed salon style in the Centennial Center Gallery and adjacent conference rooms to accommodate over 40 regional artists. Work is on display June 15 through August 31, 2012.

The City Art Purchase Awards total $5,000. Multiple artworks may be purchased from several artists. The awards panel will also choose between 3-5 artists to receive the Kent Arts Commission Centennial Center Gallery Exhibit Awards for the 2013 season. Artists are eligible to receive multiple awards.

Open to Washington State artists.

World Affairs Council
Deadline:  4/4/2012

The World Affairs  Council is hosting Games Without Borders Youth Challenge.  Students in grades 4-12, individually or in teams of up to four, are invited to submit a game design/proposal for an educational game on a global topic (may be a board game, a video game, or any type of game).

Games that are fun and increase global awareness are hard to find. Youth can be a pioneer in this field!  The World Affairs Council challenges students to create a game that they will love to play and that will raise global awareness.

The top three winners in three categories: grades 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 will tour a local game company.

Visit the World Affairs Council website for a Getting Started Guide and resources to assist students in designing games.  For Challenge rules, click here.

If you have any questions contact Games@world-affairs.org.

South King County Genealogical Society
Date:  3/17/2012, 9 AM – 12 noon 

South King County Genealogical Society will host a half day seminar featuring Eric Stroschein.  Topics include “Records of the Blue and Grey: Civil War Era Records” and “The Bounty Lands: Early Military Pension and Land Records”

The seminar will be held at The First Baptist Church of Kent, 11420 SE 248th St., Kent, WA 98030.  General Admission: $25.  Cash or check at the door (no pre-payment), but pre-register before March 10 to ensure you receive the handouts.

E-mail skcgs.seminar@gmail.com to let us know you will attend.

Doors open at 8 AM that day.  After you register and during the break, shop for books, software, and other items to aid your research project.

Highline Historical Society and South King County Genealogical Society
Three successive Saturdays – 2/25, 3/3, 3/10

Learn more about your ancestors and where they came from in this introductory three-class series.  Classes will take place at the Family History Center in Burien. Each session will last two hours and will be led by genealogy experts Winona Laird and David Liesse.  Among the topics discussed will be record types, databases, software, and more.

For more details, visit www.highlinehistory.org or call 206-246-6354.  Requested donation for the class is $40, with checks made out to the Highline Historical Society. To pre-register for the class, please contact the Society at 206-246-6354.

Cheryl Sallee Gallery
Now through 2/28/2012

Kent Valley Artists members display artwork of diverse media and inspiration.  Participating artists include Patricia Tanton, Paul  Langston, Georgia Heimbach, Pam Turpin, Sandie Hawkins, Janette  Templeton, Marilyn Hooper, Helena Poortvliet, Jim Babst, and Lydia Sutton.

The Cheryl Sallee Gallery is located at 808 Ninth Street SE in Auburn and is open Monday through Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM.

Auburn City Hall Gallery
Now through 2/28/2012

Marianne Harlor paints primarily in oil and watercolor.  Her images often depict scenes from Auburn and the region.  Watercolorist Kristie Hemphill’s work is inspired by the natural world.

City Hall Gallery is located at 25 W Main in Auburn.  It is open Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM.  Admission is free.

South King County Music Teachers Association is affiliated with Music Teachers National Association, as well as Washington State Music Teachers Association. For the most part, members are independent studio music teachers with expertise in various instruments and voice. Our vision is to advance the value of music study and music making in society and to support the professionalism of music teachers.

• Mary Kaye Owen, President
• 11445 SE 185th Place; Renton, WA  98055
• mary.k.owen@att.net
• 425.228.8721
• skcmta.atspace.org/

by Donna McMillen, Federal  Way Library Cluster Manager

Federal Way Library celebrates the 20 year anniversary of the “new” building on February 11, 2011.

We’ve gone from being open 2 hours a week with 150 books in 1944 to being open 126 hours a week total for both Federal Way libraries in 2012, and with over 270,000 items in our combined collections. We have nearly 35,000 square feet in the library building on 1st Avenue that was expanded in 2010. We will soon have a 15,000 square foot library for the 320th Library when it is completed in the next year or so, for a total of 60,000 square feet of library space to serve the expanding population of Federal Way.

We’ve come a long way, growing along with Federal Way over the past 68 years.

A free public celebration of the Federal Way Regional Library’s 20th anniversary will be held on Saturday, February 11, 10:30 AM – 1 PM, at the Library, 34200 1st Way S, Federal Way. The event includes refreshments, speeches by local and regional dignitaries, library history presented by the Historical Society of Federal Way, and the Rodney the Shark Puppet Show. 

Renton History Museum
Now through 2/29/2012

For an exhibit about Renton High School’s centennial in 2011, the Museum worked with current students to get their take on high school life. Now Renton High students return again to reinterpret Renton history from their perspective. In autumn 2011 Honors English students spent a week at the museum, studying our collection of historic photos and objects. Two by Two: Students Reinterpret Renton History will exhibit their unique perspective on our collection, as well as their own personal collections.

The Renton History Museum is located at 235 Mill Avenue S and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM. Suggested donation $3/adults, $1/children. Free admission days are the first Wednesday and third Saturday of every month.

Seattle Theatre Group
Registration deadlines: 4/4/2012 and 5/2/2012 

Advanced ballet/contemporary dancers (ages 14-22) are invited to audition to perform in works by Mark Haim and Sonia Dawkins in Seattle Theatre  Group’s Dance This performance on July 12-13 at The Moore Theatre in downtown Seattle.  All performers will also rehearse and perform in a cross-cultural finale choreographed by Daniel Cruz.  Tech/performance week commitment July 7-14 is intensive and includes workshops, finale and tech/dress rehearsals.  Auditions will include a modern warm-up with choreography taught by the choreographers.

Auditions are Sunday, April 8, with Mark Haim and Sunday, May 6, with Sonia Dawkins.  Pre-registration is required. For more information about Dance This visit www.stgpresents.org/education