A new art innovation lab called xispa (pronounced “chee-spa”) is opening on June 18 in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, in the former MadArt Studio space. Founded by Lele Barnett and Doug Carmean, xispa combines a gallery, artist residency, and technology hub to foster collaboration between artists and tech workers. The first artist-in-residence is Portland-based Samantha Yun Wall, a 2024 Betty Bowen Award winner, who will explore nanoparticle ink during her six-month residency, working out of the University of Washington’s Molecular Information Systems Lab. The space is fiscally sponsored by local nonprofit Shunpike and aims to keep art at the forefront, with artists deciding how to integrate technology into their practice.
This initiative matters because it addresses a longstanding divide between Seattle’s tech and art communities, offering a dedicated space where artists can experiment with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence without being overshadowed by tech priorities. By prioritizing traditional art forms and giving artists full creative control, xispa provides a model for how tech resources can serve artistic exploration rather than the reverse. Its founders bring deep experience from Meta Open Arts and Microsoft Art Collection, positioning the lab to influence how art and tech intersect in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.