Town Hall Seattle

Ollella, Spring 2026 Artist-in-Residence

Meet Ollella Ellie Barber a.k.a. Ollella began her career as a musician early, singing before she could talk. Trained as a classical cellist since the age of nine, the Seattle indie-folk artist merges her technical string background with authoritative vocals and live-looping.

About the Residency For her residency, she will be composing new music with Town Hall's historic building in mind, using the hall not just as a venue but also as a partner in the creative process. "The instrument is made for the space, and the space is made for the instrument."

Introducing our Spring 2026 Artist-in-Residence, Ollella!

Ollella (Ellie Barber) is a local musician who seamlessly blends the artistry of the cello with organic sounds from the indie-folk genre.

Join us at Scratch Night on April 16 to learn more about Ollella's residency project! buff.ly/RkefUsb

Sew many thanks to @johngreenart.bsky.social and Ben Clanton for our INVESTIGATORS: AGENTS OF SUIT: SEW MUCH TROUBLE event! 🧵Thank you to @townhallseattle.bsky.social for hosting, and thank you to all who attended! #booksky

When people run on a tough on crime platform, what are they really promising you? Nothing. They are promising you this status quo. Zero innovation.

Such a pleasure to talk with Michele Storms about The Price of Mercy at @townhallseattle.bsky.social !

Spark and Sustain: A Celebration for Town Hall Seattle Just announced!

Meet the Host: Angela Poe Russell, journalist and storyteller

Meet the Luminaries: Girmay Zahilay, King County Executive

Meet the Luminaries: Lucia Flores-Wiseman, singer-songwriter

The Spark & Sustain Gala is only ONE WEEK away!

We’ve made a few great additions to our program:
Singer & Songwriter, Lucia Flores-Wiseman
King County Executive, Girmay Zahilay
Journalist & Storyteller, Angela Poe-Russell

✨ Learn more about Spark & Sustain at thsea.org/spark.

Promotional image of Khiara M. Bridges' book tour. A headshot of the author is at the top next to a 3d image of her book. Headline: Expecting Inequity Book Tour Subtitle: How the Maternal Health Crisis Affects Even the Wealthiest Black Americans March 311 — Politics & Prose Bookstore, Washington, DC April 1 — Harvard Bookstore, Boston, MA April 2 — Cafe Con Libros, Brooklyn, NY April 7 — City Lights (Virtual), San Francisco, CA April 9 — The Reparations Club, Los Angeles, CA April 10 — Charis Books, Atlanta, GA April 12 — Book Passage, San Francisco, CA April 17 — Black Garnet Books, Minneapolis/St.Paul, MN April 23 — Baldwin Co. & Book, New Orleans, LA May 4 — Town Hall Seattle, Seattle, WA

We're a month away from the release of "Expecting Inequity" and have quite a tour lined up for you. Khiara M. Bridges launches her book at @politicsprose.bsky.social on March 31st, then various indies across the nation! Learn more about "Expecting Inequity": mitpress.mit.edu/978026205155...

Promotional graphic for event with Suzanne Simard, featuring a photo of Suzanne smiling and leaning against a tree. The speaker name is listed at the top with the event date - March 29 at 7:30 PM. To the left, a labeled headshot of Lynda Mapes is included with the book cover of "When the Forest Breathes." Presented by Town Hall Seattle.

3/29 at 7:30 PM | Joined in conversation by Lynda Mapes, forest ecologist @drsuzannesimard.bsky.social explores how to understand and preserve the vital cycles of renewal that maintain balance in our forests.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/2uQXW35

Blue/green promotional graphic for "Speaking of Seattle: Immigrant Rights are Human Rights" event, scheduled for March 19. Labeled headshots of the speakers are included - Marcus Harrison Green, Angelina Godoy, Roxana Norouzi, Erika Evans, and Alexis Mercedes Rinck. Presented by Town Hall Seattle and The Stranger.

3/19 at 7:30 PM | Hosted by Marcus Harrison Green, this edition of Speaking of Seattle will focus on immigrant rights, community responsibility, and the everyday actions that help safeguard our neighbors.

Presented with @thestranger.com.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/uUrfjXp

Pink/orange promotional graphic for event featuring Ibram X. Kendi titled "The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age," scheduled for March 23 at 7:30 PM. A headshot of Ibram is included with the book cover of "Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age." Presented by Town Hall Seattle.

3/23 at 7:30 PM | Historian @ibramxk.bsky.social uncovers the roots of "great replacement theory," its various mutations around the world, and what we can do to safeguard democracy from this threat.

This event is part of our Oculus Series.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/GxcPjxl

Meet Andrew Yang FEBRUARY 27 in Seattle, WA in conversation with Jonathan Sposato at Town Hall at 1119 8th Ave. at 7:300PM
@jonathansposato.bsky.social @townhallseattle.bsky.social

townhallseattle.org/event/andrew...

#andrewyang #jonathansposato

Thomas Mallon's 'Fellow Travelers' is a must for readers and Seattle Opera fans alike Reading Thomas Mallon's 2007 novel, "Fellow Travelers," I couldn't help but think it was always destined to become an opera.

Thomas Mallon's novel about two men who fall in love during the Lavender Scare is both a history lesson and a painfully beautiful tragedy. I got to interview Tom at @townhallseattle.bsky.social ahead of @seattleopera.bsky.social's run of the stage adaptation, which you can (should) see this week.

Burl Dirkman (the handyman alter-ego of @bretthamil.bsky.social) shares some useful advice on what your favorite old man snack says about you.

You can see Burl in action on March 14, alongside local favorites J. Kenji Lopez-Alt and @tomonakayama.bsky.social!

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/Sck0xfQ

Huge thanks to @townhallseattle.bsky.social for hosting our president Judith Enck yesterday and to all of you who turned out for Judith's talk with @knkx.org environmental reporter Bellamy Pailthorp about our new book "The Problem with Plastic." What a fantastic venue and interesting conversation.

This Week at Town Hall Feb 24: Cristina Rivera Garza and Javier Zamora: Two Genre-Defying Writers Feb 25: George Conway III: America’s Character and the Rule of Law Feb 27: Andrew Yang with Jonathan Sposato: Hey Yang, Where’s My Thousand Bucks? Feb 28: Winter Concert: A Sea of Troubles Mar 1: From Land to Land: Classical Symphony Orchestra Mar 1: Lauren Groff with Amber Flame: Brawler: Short Stories Mar 2: Michael Pollan with Jon Mooallem: A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness

This week at Town Hall may include: riveting short stories, words of humorous wisdom, musings on consciousness, and stellar performances from local symphonies. Attendance is heavily advised!

🎟️ Get tickets at thsea.org.

Multicolor promotional graphic for Global Rhythms concert featuring Saha Gnawa titled "Where Morocco Meets NYC," scheduled for March 20 at 7:30 PM. A group photo of Saha Gnawa posing with their instruments is included. Presented by SAMA: Music+Art and Town Hall Seattle.

3/20 at 7:30 PM | Saha Gnawa brings North African futurism to the U.S., uniting the founders of Innov Gnawa with leading figures from NYC's jazz and contemporary music scenes to reimagine modern Gnawa music.

🎟 Get tickets: buff.ly/Oj1Z2ad

Presented with SAMA: Music + Art with support from KEXP.

Sun, 2/22/26 at 2:00 PM PT | Talk with Judith Enck & KNKX reporter, Bellamy Pailthorp at Townhall Seattle — Beyond Plastics - Working To End Single-Use Plastic Pollution Join Judith Enck. president of Beyond Plastics in conversation with KNKX’s environmental reporter, Bellamy Pailthorp at Townhall Seattle in Seattle, WA on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 at 2:00 PM to learn…

🚨EVENT SOON🚨 If you're in the Seattle area, join Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics, and Bellamy Pailthorp, environmental reporter, to learn more about our new book, “The Problem with Plastic” at Town Hall Seattle on Feb. 22 at 2:00PM.

Green/yellow promotional graphic for event titled "ReWilding Seattle Gardens." On the left, the title is listed with the book cover for "Mason Bee Revolution" and the event date - March 18 at 7:30 PM. On the right, labeled headshots of the speakers are included (Dave Hunter, Jessi Bloom, and Bill Thorness). Presented by Town Hall Seattle.

3/18 at 7:30 PM | Learn about turning your own backyard into a native ecosystem oasis with Dave Hunter, author of "Mason Bee Revolution", along with panelists @jessibloom.bsky.social and Bill Thorness.

@crown-bees.bsky.social

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/3RGi3Vw

Purple promotional graphic for event featuring David Pogue on March 16. A headshot of David (wearing a navy suit jacket/pink button-down) is included with the book cover of "Apple: The First 50 Years."

3/16 at 6 PM | Just in time for Apple’s 50th anniversary, author and CBS correspondent @davidpogue.bsky.social tells the history of the iconic company and how it later became the most valuable company in the world.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/CTYf13L

Red/purple promotional graphic for event titled "Known Wishes: What a Hit TV Series Reveals About End-of-Life Planning," scheduled for March 18 at 6 PM. The title is displayed at the top with a photo of a blonde woman underneath, including text that says "With Wendy Norman." Presented by Known Wishes and Town Hall Seattle.

3/18 at 6 PM | Join end-of-life consultant Wendy Norman as she guides you through how to prepare in advance of a healthcare crisis, using examples from the TV series The Pitt.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/SNOYaIu

This Week at Town Hall Feb 17: Kayhan Kalhor and Erdal Erzincan: East Meets East: An Evening of Persian and Alevi Music Feb 20: Thomas Mallon with Katie Campbell: Opera Talk: Fellow Travelers Feb 21: Saturday Family Concert: Bug Friend: Sing, Dance, and Discover Music Together Feb 21: Kate Quinn with Elise Hooper: Astral Library: A Novel Feb 21: Emily Galvin Almanza with Michele Storms: The Price of Mercy Feb 22: Judith Enck with Bellamy Pailthorp: The Problem with Plastic Feb 22: John Patrick Green with Ben Clanton: InvestiGators: Agents of S.U.I.T.: Sew Much Trouble

Fellow Travelers and music lovers, this week is for you! Watch Kayhan Kalhor in action with Erdal Erzincan, or listen to author Thomas Mallon discuss his recent works, one of which was turned into an opera.

🎟️ Get tickets at thsea.org.

Orange/red promotional graphic for event featuring Cindy Cohn, scheduled for March 17 at 7:30 PM. A headshot of Cindy (with grey bob, eyeglasses) is included with the book cover of "Privacy's Defender: My Thirty Year FIght Against Digital Surveillance." Presented by Town Hall Seattle.

3/17 at 7:30 PM | Digital Rights Activist Cindy Cohn shares insights from her three-decade long career fighting for online privacy.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/wtCxUUX

Orange promotional graphic for event with Matthew Sutton and Bill Radke, scheduled for March 15 at 7:30 PM. The speaker names and date are listed at the top with headshots and the book cover of "Chosen Land: How Christianity Made America and Americans Remade Christianity" underneath.

3/15 at 7:30 PM | Washington State professor @matt-avery-sutton.bsky.social explains how evangelical Christianity has played a central role over the span of 500 years in U.S. history, culture, economics, and politics.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/8GtJ8iF

Promotional graphic with a bright yellow and orange background, featuring Burl Dirkman, J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, and Tomo Nakayama, each cut out against the backdrop. At the top, large black text reads, "Power Thru It!" with the date and time, "March 14 at 7:30 PM," just below. The background is decorated with geometric designs including semi-circles, lines, and small dots. Presented by Town Hall Seattle.

3/14 at 7:30 PM | Burl Dirkman (the wistful alter-ego of Brett Hamil) takes audiences on a comedic and cathartic journey of self-discovery, featuring interviews with local luminaries Tomo Nakayama and J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/jrFI1Z1

Pink/orange promotional graphic for event titled "Sing Seattle Songs." A photo of the Seattle skyline at night with a live concert is featured in the middle with the title surrounding in big white text. The Crowdsource Choir logo is included at the bottom with the event date: March 13 at 7 PM. The Town Hall Seattle logo is in the top right corner.

3/13 at 7 PM | Sing Seattle Songs is coming back to Crowdsource Choir! Once again we're celebrating the music that shaped our city – featuring songs born in Seattle, inspired by Seattle, and made iconic in Seattle films & stories.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/DLAipgv

Promotional graphic for "Global Rhythms 2025-2026: The Future of Global Music," presented by Town Hall Seattle and SAMA: Music + Art. Three images of musical groups are included, each labeled with their name and concert date. The groups featured are "Saha Gnawa" on March 20, "Novalima" on April 28, and "Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino" on May 20. The bottom section promotes "NEW! Mini Subscriptions. Use code tempo before Feb 28 and get 3 concerts for $69."

Mini subscriptions are now available for our Global Rhythms series! Use code "TEMPO" at checkout before Feb 28 to get a subscription for only $69 (reg. price $84, fees included).

🎟️ Subscribe to the series: buff.ly/r471aPc

This Week at Town Hall Feb 9: It Takes a Village: Aging in Place: Denise Klein, Chris Alin, and Rebecca Fogarty with Rebecca Crichton Feb 10: Blue City Blues with Anne Applebaum: Resisting Authoritarianism Here and Abroad Feb 11: Vivian Tu with Tori Dunlap: Well Endowed: The Secrets to Strategic Spending Feb 12: Punch Nine: Chinese Stand-Up Comedy Feb 14: Letters Aloud: Love Me or Leave Me: Letters of Loving, Longing, and Leaving Feb 15: Constantinople: Bach & Khayyam Feb 15: Chuck Klosterman: The Football Phenomenon

With the Super Bowl finished and Valentine’s Day around the corner, there’s something for everyone this week.

Get tickets at thsea.org.

3/6 at 6 PM | Town Hall’s annual gala, Spark & Sustain, is a celebration of the curiosity, conversation, and connection that fill our building all year long.

Swipe to meet some of our luminaries. Stay tuned for updates in our lineup!

🎟️ Get tickets and learn more: buff.ly/WkALf7n

Promotional graphic for event with Evelyn Iritani. A black and white headshot of Evelyn is included with her name and event date (March 10 at 7:30 PM) displayed on the bottom over a red abstract wave. The book cover for "Safe Passage" is to the right of the text.

3/10 at 7:30 PM | Author Evelyn Iritani shares the untold story of idealism and betrayal in this behind the scenes look at American–Japanese contacts in World War II and their exchange by sea.

@fsgbooks.bsky.social

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/p0pY3As

Red/purple promotional graphic titled "Finding Dignity, Hope, & Healing at the End: Dr. Jim deMaine with Rebecca Crichton." Headshots of the pictures are prominently displayed below the title at the top. In the bottom left corner, the event date is listed as March 9 at 7:30 PM. The Town Hall Seattle logo is included under the date.

3/9 at 7:30 PM | Critical care physician Dr. Jim deMaine and Rebecca Crichton discuss how we advocate for ourselves and our loved ones when facing life-threatening illness.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/oJPweaL

Burl Dirkman: Power Thru It! | Town Hall Seattle From the mind of Brett Hamil, the cartoonist behind Doom Loop and co-producer of Joketellers Union, comes an utterly unique talk show. Starring Hamil’s wistful handyman alter ego Burl Dirkman, Power T...

Tickets for the next POWER THRU IT! with BURL DIRKMAN at @townhallseattle.bsky.social are now for sale! He'll be joined this time by Kenji López-Alt and @tomonakayama.bsky.social! Get ready to cry tears of joy MARCH 14
townhallseattle.org/event/burl-d...

Blue promotional graphic for event titled "Psychedelics and Substance Use." The title is displayed at the top with labeled headshots of the speakers underneath - Dr. Nathan Sackett and April Pride. The event date is listed at the bottom as March 5 at 7:30 PM. Presented by SetSet and Town Hall Seattle.

3/5 at 7:30 PM | For this Psychedelic Salon, addiction psychiatrist Dr. Nathan Sackett and April Pride (founder of SetSet) will uncover how psychedelic compounds may help interrupt compulsive cycles, reveal root causes of addiction, and support sustained recovery.

🎟️ Get tickets: buff.ly/4Ou09n7