Scott Burton, KTOO - Juneau

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Once vetoed by Dunleavy, funding for Alaska’s arts council is back in the budget

Among the funding the Alaska Legislature restored that Gov. Mike Dunleavy let stand was $3,869,600 for the Alaska State Council on the Arts.

Alaska Native arts teacher asks governor to reconsider proposed budget cuts

Gov. Michael Dunleavy’s impending budget cut proposals loomed large at the Governor’s Arts and Humanities Awards last week in Juneau.

AK: Can opera help give closure to the Princess Sophia tragedy?

A collaboration of producers and artists from across the country present a new opera about a local tragedy: “The Princess Sophia.” Can art help us process the worst maritime disaster in Alaska history? Listen now

49 Voices: Janene Driscoll of Gustavus

This week, we're hearing from Janene Driscoll in Gustavus. Driscoll was one of the founders of the Gustavus Community Garden. Listen now

AK: Juneau shamanism retreat leader’s financial, cultural and spiritual legitimacy challenged

Sealaska Heritage Institute says the Dance of the Deer Foundation exploits shamanism. Listen now

AK: Juneau business showcases diverse artists’ work in postcard contest

Kindred Post, a post office, gift shop and gathering space in downtown Juneau held a recent art contest. The prize? 10 winners will now get their art printed on the shop’s postcards. The selections came from around the state, and from a purposely diverse group of artists. Listen now

Tlingit poet and scholar Nora Marks Dauenhauer, 90, was culture bearer

Tlingit poet, scholar and culture bearer Nora Marks Dauenhauer has passed away at age 90.

AK: New book of poetry explores indigenous thought

Juneau poet Ishmael Hope has released his new book of poetry titled “Rock Piles Along the Eddy. KTOO’s Scott Burton spoke with Hope and brings us this preview of the new collection two years in the making. Listen now

AK: Club Baby Seal provides new artistic outlet in Juneau

A new Juneau-based comedy troupe called Club Baby Seal is gaining momentum in the capital city. Listen now

Interviews about Alaska Native education recorded

The Juneau Public Library recently celebrated the addition of 30 audio interviews to their collection. The recordings were done in Juneau, Haines and Klukwan. Many focus on Alaska Native education. Listen Now

AK: Everyone is family at Gerry’s Barbershop

Gerry’s Barbershop has been around for nearly three decades in Juneau. Listen Now
(Photo by Scott Burton/KTOO)

AK: New art piece in Juneau brings awareness to homelessness

A new plywood cut-out of a person in front of city hall is part of a national effort to bring awareness to homelessness. The social art project began in Charleston, South Carolina where the city collaborated with a design firm to create 430 plywood figures—the estimated number of homeless people in the city at the time. The figures were then placed in park in front of their City Hall. Now, the project has gone national and every state capital has been asked to put a figure in front of their city hall in solidarity.

Yakutat man is one of ‘The Magnificent Seven’

Martin Sensmeier, a 32-year-old actor from Yakutat, is co-starring in the major motion picture “The Magnificent Seven.”

AK: Artist finishes portrait collection of Juneau’s grittiest

As 2015 came to a close, Juneau artist MK MacNaughton finished a art project that portrayed 52 of her fellow community members—or, a portrait a week for a year. MacNaughton picked her subjects not for how they look, but for what they do, where they do it, and how hard they work at it. Download Audio

Norio Sasaki: Walking around the world, smiling for peace

Norio Sasaki of Japan is kicking it in Juneau this weekend on his round-the-world walking expedition. You can recognize him by his 175-pound rickshaw, his big smile, or the index card he hands out to people explaining his mission -- world peace.

Juneau Novelist Previews His Sixth Book

“In those days Harry didn’t recognize that the price of admission to the life he wanted was surrendering the tickets to all the other lives he might have had.” That’s the opening line of Juneau resident Stuart Cohen's new novel “This Is How it Really Sounds.” This is Cohen’s sixth book and it's hitting bookstores now. While the opening line hints at the novel’s theme, Cohen says the book revolves around three main characters. Download Audio:

“One Hot Mess” Gets National Attention

There are a bazillion blogs these days but what does it take to write one people will actually read? Juneau writer Libby Bakalar has figured out the formula with her blog “One Hot Mess.” Bakalar mixes it up when she writes- using humor, self-deprecation, social media and even a Stephen Colbert-like character to connect with her audience. Her most-read post, titled “Alaska Airlines-to-English Dictionary,” received more than 8,000 hits, and the blog is getting national attention too. Boston’s Women in Comedy Festival has asked Bakalar to submit to their blog. Download Audio

NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Contest Not So Tiny

NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series has become anything but tiny since its inception in 2008. And this year, the series began a contest, open to all, where the winner gets to travel to NPR in Washington DC and play a concert at the tiny desk. In this inaugural year, the contest received over 7,000 entries, including 17 from Alaska. Download Audio

All Nations Children’s Dance Group Fosters Cultural Identity

Celebration begins this evening at 6 o’clock with the Grand Entrance procession to Centennial Hall. The four-day cultural event of Southeast Alaska Natives includes 50 dance groups. Among them is All Nations Children’s Dance Group of Juneau. The group formed in 1995 and has about 80 members. Download Audio

AK: History

In December, Juneau writer and English professor, Ernestine Hayes, released her new book Juneau from Arcadia Publishing. The book tells the history of the capitol city through pictures with elaborate captions. It’s a departure from her usual writing style. But the book builds on her effort to clarify the history of Native people. Download Audio