With batik work, enamel jewelry and so much more, ArtFest 2025 kicks off in Spokane
Lungala Rubadiri took a long trek from Los Angeles to the Lilac City for the 40th annual ArtFest, a pilgrimage he’s made at least six times. Though it has been five years since his last visit, he is happy to return to the city’s unique arts scene.
Inspired by his East African heritage, his business, Nzalamba Artworks, aims to tell universal stories through batik paintings, a technique using wax and dye to create intricate patterns on fabric.
“The community comes out to support the show,” Rubadiri said. “Spokane has consistently been one of the cities that supports the arts.”
Rubadiri is just one of 75 artists vending at this year’s festival, taking place at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.
Friday, vendors lined the perimeters of the museum’s exterior, featuring a diverse array of artworks ranging from kiln-fired enamel jewelry to bonsai trees.
Over the weekend, the festival expects to see around 10,000 visitors. The event also includes live music, food trucks and a central section to play yard games.
“Art is more than just visual art,” said Marit Fischer, the museum’s chief marketing officer. “It’s music and food, and it’s really just creative expression of any kind, and so we wanted to make a home for that.”
One of the artists featured at the event was Denny Driver, an acrylic painter from Ahtanum, Washington. His artwork features a distinct geometric style with rich, analogous colors, sometimes inspired by iconic paintings like “American Gothic” and “The Starry Night.” But Friday, he had a particularly knowledgeable salesman and cashier who stole the show: his 10-year-old son, Eli Driver.
Eli is more than happy to advertise his father’s work. Though he’s a family member, and a bit younger than Washington’s minimum working age, he’s still getting paid for his labor, receiving a 10% commission of whatever artwork he can sell.
Though he has not sold an original piece – yet – he has been able to collect some cash from selling his father’s prints, magnets and mugs.
“Some of it, I put into the bank. The other half, I spend on what I want,” Eli said. “I might spend it on some Pokemon cards.”
The event will continue Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 per person and includes access to all ArtFest features, as well as free admission to the museum.