Artopia Version 2.0

Why did we leave Georgetown? Why are we staging our fifth annual festival of arts, music, booze, and food in the shadow of the EMP and monorail? Because we, like the 16 local artists we're showcasing this year, refuse to be stuck in the same old bourgeois rut. Just as they may change media from painting to sculpture or photography, we're swapping venues for a more contained and focused affair. That means less walking and sprawl, so you can meet the artists all under one roof, view (and purchase) their work, and hear three different bands on a single stage. (All three will also play our Reverb music festival in October, and we'll announce at Artopia the full lineup for that Ballard bonanza.)

Also more convenient are the four cash bars (after complimentary Stoli cocktails), the free eats from Wild Ginger, Long Provincial, Ravishing Radish, and The Confectional, and two levels of pop-up galleries and seating. (Where you can settle down for an intimate discussion about, say, Situationism and nude figure modeling.)

We're pleased to introduce you to four of the talented participants in this year's bash, and we preview the other fine art on display. It'll be like our own little slice of bohemia, only with better parking.

• Pattern Recognition: Troy Gua
• Auto Inspiration: Thaddeus Turner
• Collector of the Inaudible: Nate Manny
• A High, Teutonic Cry: Manuela Horn
• They Hang Together: A quick introduction to 14 more featured artists