Tune in on December 12, 2025, for a pre-recorded episode of FolkU with author Ruth Ozeki, who sits down with the Cortes Island Academy for a deep, generous conversation about her book A Tale for the Time Being. Ruth shares how the novel emerged from Zen teachings, natural disasters, and we chat about the mysterious voices that spark creative work.
Continue reading Folk U: Ruth Ozeki Talks About ‘A Tale for the Time Being’
From August 29 to September 14, the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery will host ‘How Do You Like the Underworld?—Kristen Scofield-Sweet’s final large-scale exhibition.
“This is my retirement party swan song on the wall,” she began. “This is a body of work that’s complete. One of the remarkable things about that is the artist doesn’t usually get to see their work all hung together, obviously, unless they have a show. You’re used to seeing a piece over the couch with the pillows or the throw at the back. To actually see them having a conversation with each other is really special.”
“Every picture tells a story, so you can get all tangled up with how it got painted and why, how I work and yada, yada. In an exhibition like this, the work gets to speak for itself, and that’s really profound.”
Continue reading At the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery: Kristen Scofield-Sweet’s final large-scale exhibition
On August 25, 2025, host Manda Aufochs-Gillespie was joined by Esther Shalev-Gerz, a renowned artist who has exhibited all around the world. Tune in for insights from her work, reflections on art, Cortes living, and what it’s like to be a well-known artist in the world today.
Continue reading Esther Shalev-Gerz comes to Folk UThanks for joining us on August 22, 2025 for another week of the Village Commons Music Series, a simultaneously live and live-broadcast show, happening on Fridays from 1 – 2:30pm on the new Pavilion stage.
Guest host Immanuel McKenty was joined by Johnny Hanuse, Josie Simpson, and Mary Beth Cysewski, 3 local musicians who sat together on stage for an in-the-round style performance, swapping songs, stories, and jokes.
Continue reading Folk U: Johnny Hanuse, Josie Simpson, and Mary Beth Cysewski at the Village CommonsA hundred people turned out for Cortes Island’s Sandcastle Day on Saturday, August 23rd, 2025.
“It was a blast because all the families are so involved and all the kids are so involved. The day is absolutely beautiful. What’s amazing is to see all the cooperation that the children have with each other and the creativity and the enjoyment that comes from this,” explained Nancy Silver, one of the judges.
“It is an another community building activity and what could be better and healthier then families creating together or children alone doing it and feeling so empowered.”
Continue reading Sandcastle Day 2025 on Cortes Island
