NONPROFIT MUSIC & ARTS EVENTS

All ages, all incomes.  Seattle, WA.

@abbeyarts @ballardhomestead1

#FremontAbbey
#TheBallardHomestead
#SeattleCathedrals 

Music, Literary, Visual, Dance, Storytelling, and more.

What to expect at an Abbey Arts event?

• You’ll be welcomed at the door. We create a safe space. No drunken rowdiness here.
• Most of our shows are partly seated, some have standing room in the back if very full (depends on the venue).
• Most Fremont Abbey shows and venues are ADA accessible, be sure to check your ticketing information for specifics. Or, reach out to us directly.
• Service animals as defined by the ADA are allowed. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
• You’ll be up close & connected to the artists.  It’s a very different experience from larger concerts & festivals. Even our big Cathedrals shows feel cozy.
• All are welcome. 98% of Shows are all ages. Some will have a bar for those 21+.
• Most shows have light concessions including non-alcoholic options.
• No talking during quiet performances please.
• Please read our full Respect Policy here.
• When we say all ages, we mean ALL ages. Expect a wide variety of people at our events. See ticketing pages for age appropriate info, PG13, R, etc.  For teen specific events, check out All-Camp!
• While we do have some afternoon shows here and there, most start at 7:30 or 8:00pm which means you’ll be home at a reasonable hour.
• Be sure to check ticketing pages for exact times & locations. 
• We encourage everyone to support the arts, even if it’s just the price of a sandwich. But hey, we get it, this economy is tough so if the ticket price is too challenging for your current income, feel free to email us to request a discount.
  Or you may qualify for our Arts Connect program which provides free tickets (and sometimes tacos from our sponsor Pecado Bueno!).
• Volunteers always get in free and volunteering is a great way to make new friends, possibly meet the artists, see most of the show, and support the community.

Dress code?  We’re pretty relaxed here, but…

• Shirts, shoes, and pants/shorts/skirts/dresses/etc. are required at all times. Yep, clothing.
• No spiked shoes allowed on our vintage floors, thanks!
• Hydration packs (i.e. Camelbacks) are not allowed.
• No outside drinks please.

Avoid Fraudulent Tickets!

ONLY BUY FROM THE OFFICIAL SOURCE – Eventbrite 

If you can’t buy online, we offer sales IN PERSON at the Fremont Abbey only during our open tour times

Purchasing tickets from any other seller or website runs a high risk of receiving fraudulent tickets.
Eventbrite has a specific method for transferring tickets, see their website for information.

Note: if you have successfully purchased tickets from one of the official sources listed above, congratulations! We’re sure you’re excited, but please DO NOT share photos of your tickets online. Tickets can be replicated via these photos and resold, which could inhibit your ability to enter the theatre. We look forward to seeing you at the show!

For more info, see our FAQ Below at the End of Page.

More About Us:

Our focus as a nonprofit events organizer is to create intimate listener oriented concerts and creative arts experiences. We do this primarily at our home venue Fremont Abbey Arts Center, the Ballard Homestead, St Mark’s on Capitol Hill, and some other unusual spaces around Seattle.

We share these models with other cities like Portland, Austin, Spokane and beyond where The Round has launched in various venues.  We also share about renovating old buildings via our Creative Director’s consulting project, Lonely Buildings.

We involve mostly local bands, musicians, slam poets, live painters, modern dancers, storytelling and more.

We encourage cross-collaborations between art mediums and artists of all ages and backgrounds.  Many Abbey events feature local developing artists supporting events headlined by experienced touring acts.  These are definitely shows where you may “see them first”!

The key to all of the events is experiencing them with a relatively small group of people, or in the case of Cathedrals – a very mellow group in a “Giant Living Room” type setting.  This “small batch concerts” approach helps you feel comfortable and you can experience something different than a large festival or stadium show where you’re often jostled by crowds.

Our cornerstone event, The Round, has been operating monthly in Seattle since 2005 and has been featured at festivals like Bumbershoot, ZooTunes, Rodstol Lane Farm, and venues like The Triple Door, Golden Gardens Bathhouse, and more.  At this unique style event, three songwriters share the stage with other musicians, a slam poet and a live painter.  Check out the Video Playlist on our Youtube Channel or the podcast on iTunes.

CATHEDRALS is a special concert series held at the massive old St Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral on Capitol Hill.  This epic and unfinished cathedral has some of the most amazing acoustics you’ve ever heard indoors.

BARE is an annual a’capella concert, but not like you’ve heard before.  Imagine your favorite indie bands adapting their songs to zero instrumentation.  2-3 songs each. Completely stripped bare of their backing bands. And you’re sitting 4 feet away in a pin drop quiet reverb washed space.

The Moth Seattle StorySLAM is another event we love and features an open mic format with 5 minute real life stories. We didn’t start this one (it began in NYC), but have always been the host for the Seattle Slam events.

Early Shows are fun music focused events for young families or anyone to attend who doesn’t feel like staying up late.  Usually at Noon or 4pm on Saturdays.

Social Arts Shows are a new model for 2016 with more interactive moments, vintage lawn games, art making and other fun stuff to help you get to know your neighbor or someone new.

Abbey Arts events have included a wide variety of local & touring musicians such as:

MUSIC: DAMIEN JURADO, THE HEAD & THE HEART, MARY LAMBERT (OF MACKLEMORE), MY BRIGHTEST DIAMOND, MIRAH, AGNES OBEL (Denmark), DAVID BAZAN, Sera Cahoone, Rosie Thomas, The Moondoggies, Jessie Sykes, Mark Pickerel, Hey Marseilles, Noah Gundersen, John Van Deusen (The Lonely Forest), Robin Pecknold (FLEET FOXES), Sallie Ford, Denison Witmer, Jason Webley, Karl Blau, and many more.

We work hard to support up & coming acts too, especially with our Young Artist Program.

LITERARY: Buddy Wakefield, Andrea Gibson, Karen Finneyfrock, Elaina Ellis, Derrick Brown, Anis Mojgani, Jon Sands, Mary Lambert, Matt Gano, and many many more.

DANCE:  MOLISSA FENLEY, SEATTLE DANCE PROJECT, Marlo Martin (bad marmar), Kristen Legg (Red Legg Dance), Markeith

Wiley (New Animals Collective), Sapience Dance Collective, Elana Jacobs (Cabin Fever), Victoria McConnell, Tara Dyberg, Katy Hagelin, Sarah Seder, Alex Martin, Freya Wormus, Keneniah Bystrom, Sarah Olds, and many more.

VISUAL:  Emily Leonard (Nashville), Siolo Thompson, Ryan HENRY Ward, Scott Erickson (Portland), Kate Protage, Skye Graves, Fritha Strand, and more.

CULINARY:  MARK REINFELD (VEGAN FUSION), TOMER & JODY (NOMAD DINNERS), and more.

GIANT LIVING ROOM

Most Abbey Arts produced shows are seated, preciously small, and the audience is always very close to the performance with a  low stage or no stage at all.

We do our best to create a welcoming, cozy atmosphere that may end up feeling a bit like a “giant living room.” Most of our concerts and events are attended by around 100-200 people putting us right at the “Dunbar’s Number” sweet spot. That means you’ll probably feel more comfortable amidst a small crowd at the Abbey than a large stadium or festival crowd experience. This experience helps us open up to the music & art in a different way than a large production can. Plus you might get to know someone new!

Venue location will be noted in the event listing, poster, ticketing etc. but our home venue is Fremont Abbey Arts Center.

NOTE:  Most Abbey concerts/events are all-ages. Some are free for kids 10 and under with a parent/guardian. Some may have an informational “PG13” or “R” rating noted if adult language is involved and these just loosely align with movie ratings but are by no means official.

OTHER CITIES

Other groups often replicate (with permission) our events like The Round or CATHEDRALS in other cities like Tacoma, Portland OR, Austin TX, Lebanon PA, Vashon Island, Anacortes, etc.   Interested in help starting something in your own city?  Abbey Director, Nathan Marion, has a side project helping people do just that — Lonely Buildings.

For Portland Abbey Arts & Karen Ward, click here.  (More on our History/About page too)

“ArtsConnect” PROGRAM

ArtsConnect currently offers arts experiences to nonprofit workers, veterans, and low income families and individuals.  Show tickets and scholarships are offered to both clients and staff of many nonprofits around King County including Solid Ground, YMCA/YWCA, Transitional Resources, Aurora Commons, Lifelong Aids Alliance, Union Gospel Mission, Phinney Neighborhood Center, New Beginnings, local schools, Vet Tix, and many more. Email connect (at) fremontabbey.org if you’d like to request tickets for your nonprofit group or a friend in need. Most of our events are accessible for all ages and incomes, so it doesn’t hurt to ask!

PAST EVENT PHOTOS:

EVENTS FAQ

MORE QUESTIONS & POLICIES:

Q: Do you have a bag policy at Abbey Arts venues?

A: In order to maximize safety and minimize the potential for obstructing or otherwise hindering the use of spaces within our sometimes crowded venues, we enforce the following bag policy.

A guest to an Abbey Arts venue or event may enter with one bag that is no larger than 8” x 12” x 6” (this is equivalent to a letter sized piece of paper). All bags are subject to search.

Along with required bag searches attendees may be requested to open their jackets or be subject to wanding with a metal detector prior to entering the venue.  Abbey Arts will not hold or be responsible for any prohibited items; guests with prohibited items may return them to their vehicles. Unattended items left outside the facility doors will be discarded to ensure patron safety.

The definition of a bag includes, but is not limited to, purses, tote bags, duffel bags, suitcases, knapsacks, backpacks, packages, cartons including wrapped presents, paper sacks, briefcases, portfolio cases, binocular cases, camera equipment cases, and any other type of device or vessel used for carrying or concealing items. Should any patron have a medical necessity for use of a bag that is outside of the previously described size and items, please ask staff upon arrival and show proof of medical necessity.

Q: Is Fremont Abbey ADA accessible?

A: Yes, Fremont Abbey is ADA accessible, as well as most of our shows at other venues. Make sure to refer to your ticket to see full accessibility.

Fremont Abbey also allows service animals as defined by the ADA. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.