Ali & Callie Artcast

Lights, camera, North Idaho! Ali & Callie sit down with Matt Edwards, Executive Director of the North Idaho Film Festival, to celebrate the festival’s successful third year and explore what goes into bringing this cinematic experience to life. Matt shares why film festivals matter, what happens behind the scenes, and all the work that makes it possible.

Haven’t attended yet? You’re missing out on some movie magic! The 2027 festival returns at the end of September, so mark your calendars. You can purchase passes and start planning your film-filled adventure at noidff.com.

Calling all filmmakers! Submissions for the 2027 festival open December 1 through FilmFreeway.com.

What makes Shakespeare’s work still resonate more than 400 years later? This week on the Ali & Callie Artcast, we’re joined by Mary Bowers, Artistic Director, and Shelby Marcott, Marketing and Social Media Coordinator for Shakespeare CDA, to talk about their current production of Henry V.

We’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at this powerful tale of leadership, courage, war, and the human experience, and explore why Shakespeare’s stories continue to speak to audiences today. Mary and Shelby share their passion for bringing the Bard to life and remind us that while the language may be centuries old, the themes are as relevant as ever!

Catch Henry V at the Midge and Pepper Smock Family Theater at the Kroc Center this weekend and next: October 16–18 and 23–25. Performances are at 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee.

Ready to experience a little Shakespeare? For tickets and more information, visit shakespearecda.org.

What does it take to create the perfect sound for a story? This week on Ali & Callie Artcast, we’re talking with Rylan Butera, music composer and creative force behind Paradox Studios in Coeur d’Alene. Working closely with his brother Caden, Rylan helps bring creative visions to life through the power of music and sound.

We dive into the fascinating process of composing music for trailers, commercials, and films—from choosing just the right instruments and emotional tone to creating a soundtrack that makes every moment more powerful. Rylan’s compositions are truly amazing, and we explore the creativity, intuition, and artistry behind his work. Plus, we get a peek at the exciting projects the brothers hope to bring to life next!

And featured is one of his compositions, “Somewhere Just Ahead” which is available along with much of his other music on spotify or wherever you listen.

Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the art of making stories sound as incredible as they look.

Learn more at ParadoxStudiosCo.com.

This week, we're turning the microphones on ourselves and sharing a little of what we've been up to creatively! Callie takes the stage with a look back at her performance for the CDA Library Foundation fundraiser on September 29, Well-Read and Slightly Improper: The Songs and Satire of Tom Lehrer. Meanwhile, Ali is getting ready to exhibit alongside 15 other artists in Critical Infrastructure, opening October 2 at Spokane's Terrain Gallery, with an opening reception from 5–8 pm.

But we're not stopping with our own artistic adventures! October is Arts & Humanities Month, and there's an incredible lineup of events, performances, exhibits, and creative happenings throughout our area. So many ways to get out, get inspired, support local creatives, and soak up a little culture!

Tune in, get your October calendar out, and as always... go make stuff!

And here are some links to some of those events:

Junk2Funk - get your tickets at kealliance.org

Finding Neverland - get your tickets at lakecityplayhouse.org

CDA Symphony

CDA Summer Theatre

Shakespeare Coeur d'Alene

The JACC

Get ready for a lively conversation with the wonderfully dynamic Toby Keough, botanical artist and co-owner of Modus Fine Art Gallery! Toby shares what inspires her colorful, expressive work and what it’s like being part of a gallery that brings together a collective of talented artists and creative minds.

And then there are the bathrooms! Toby’s wildly imaginative and very fun gallery bathrooms are already becoming legendary in their own right. We talk art, inspiration, collaboration, community—and how even the most unexpected spaces can become a canvas for creativity.

It’s a spirited conversation with an artist who clearly believes creativity should be everywhere…including the bathroom!

To keep up on the exhibits and events at Modus, and for more information about Toby’s art visit modusfineart.com.

We're back with the second installment of our deep dive into the Living Lake Project, an initiative of the Coeur d'Alene Arts & Culture Alliance that brings artists, environmental leaders, and community voices together in support of Lake Coeur d'Alene and its watershed. This time, we sit down with Darya Pilram, co-founder of the Living Lake Project and Director of the Hillyard Creative District in Spokane, and Sarah Thompson Moore, a noted public artist whose large-scale, site-specific sculptures — including Riverfront Park's The Seeking Place — have left their mark across the Inland Northwest.

Together they explore how public art can translate the science and stewardship behind the Living Lake Project into something tangible and felt — work that invites the community to slow down, look closer, and reconnect with the lake and the land around it. Darya brings her cross-border perspective from building Hillyard's creative economy, and Sarah shares how she approaches a site's history, ecology, and people before a single piece of metal or concrete takes shape.

It's a conversation about place-making, collaboration across counties, and what it looks like when artists become partners in environmental storytelling.

For more information about the project visit artsandculturecda.org.

For 13 years, Kiki Miller has been a familiar and unstoppable force on the Coeur d’Alene City Council—but her impact on this community goes far beyond City Hall. From championing the arts and public art to tackling housing issues and historic preservation, Kiki has spent decades turning ideas into action and bringing people together to make things happen.

During COVID, she rallied volunteers from barber shops, beauty salons, and gyms to help keep local businesses open. She founded the Housing Solutions Partnership in Kootenai County and spearheaded the creation of the City of Coeur d’Alene’s Historic Preservation Commission. She’s been a tireless supporter of the CDA Arts Commission and the arts community, helped oversee major community events like the Hot Air Balloon Festival and Family Day in the Park, and has received numerous awards recognizing her service.

And then there’s the fun side of Kiki—she was an original member of the community-favorite Red Hot Mamas!

In this episode, we talk about Kiki’s remarkable journey, her passion for Coeur d’Alene, the people and causes she champions, and what keeps her saying “yes” to her community year after year. With everything she’s already accomplished, Kiki’s greatest achievement may still be ahead of her—because she is far from done!

Opera singer Madison Leonard joins us for a fascinating conversation about her journey into the world of opera, the places her music has taken her, and the passion that keeps her performing. From discovering her voice to traveling the world as a professional singer, Madison shares the experiences, challenges, and joys that have shaped her career.

She’ll be bringing that passion to the Inland Northwest Opera stage on September 11 and 13 at Schuler Auditorium at North Idaho College in the company’s production of Die Fledermaus, the sparkling operetta filled with romance, mistaken identities, humor, and beautiful music.

Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the life of an opera singer and a conversation with a talented artist whose love for this timeless art form is truly contagious.

For tickets to the upcoming production, visit inland-nw-opera.com. To learn more about Madison and her upcoming performances, visit madisonleonard.com.

What happens when you grow up surrounded by music? For young musician and songwriter Kenneth Booher, music isn’t just something he discovered—it’s been woven into his life and family from the very beginning.

In this episode of the Ali & Callie Artcast, we sit down with Kenneth to talk about his musical journey, growing up in a musical family, the artists and experiences that have influenced him, and what it’s like finding his own voice as an emerging artist. He shares stories about where his passion for music comes from and where he hopes it will take him.

And, of course, we couldn’t talk about a young musician without hearing him perform! Kenneth treats us to a beautiful cover of an Alicia Keys song, giving us a glimpse of the talent and heart behind this up-and-coming singer-songwriter.

Follow Kenneth on Instagram and Facebook at @Kennethmichaelb and keep an eye—and an ear—on this young artist. We have a feeling you’ll be hearing a lot more from him!

In this episode, we meet Chelsea Cordova and Kelly Baker, the creative duo behind Front Room Fine Art Gallery, Spokane’s newest addition to the West End Arts District.

Located at the corner of S. Adams and Railroad Alley, Front Room is part of an eclectic pocket of Spokane where galleries, artists and creative spaces come together—and where one of the city’s coolest courtyards sits tucked beneath the railroad tracks. Chelsea and Kelly talk about what inspired them to open the gallery, their vision for the space, and the artists and artwork they’re bringing to Spokane’s growing creative community.

It’s a conversation about art, collaboration, taking a chance on a new venture, and discovering the unique places that make a city’s arts scene so much fun. Come explore Front Room Fine Art Gallery with us!

Learn more at frontroomartgallery.com.