{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”102d0ea4-182d-11e7-8692-8fc0bd333414″}}

The Gladish Community and Cultural Center strives to give community members of the Palouse an opportunity to perform at their monthly open mic nights, put together by Gladish Executive Director Donna Gwinn and Gladish Board Member Lee Hadwiger.

“Both Lee and I love to sing and perform,” Gwinn said, “and we didn’t know of any open mic nights in Pullman, so we put this together about two years ago.”

The open mic nights are structured to be informal and fun evenings. Food is usually served toward the beginning, but participants are welcome to come and go as they please. Performers can sing up to three songs, but if there are not many performers they may do more.

Gwinn said she believes this opportunity is quite special because it allows anyone to leave their comfort zone.

“Sometimes, toward the end of the night the entertainers go outside of their box and perform a song that they hadn’t practiced,” she said. “It’s a safe space to perform something that’s not necessarily perfect.”

This is especially important for young musicians like college students to gain experience in performing, Gwinn said.

“This is a great opportunity for young musicians to learn,” she said. “You’re not going to be able to advance your skills if you aren’t exposed to performing in front of people.”

Gwinn said she enjoys seeing student musicians getting to hone their craft in a safe environment.

“I love that sometimes WSU students come and perform,” she said. “I think they really appreciate the hometown community feel of it all.”

The open mic nights aren’t just an opportunity to better oneself, but are also a good way to network with other musicians and have fun, Gwinn said.

“Sometimes when Lee and I perform or sing along with the other performers, it gets a little hokey,” Gwinn said, “but it’s really fun to sing and hang out with other talented musicians.”

The Gladish Community and Culture Center hosts an open mic night from 6 – 8 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month in Oscars Room 211 at the Gladish Center. These nights are family-friendly so even the youngest can come.

“I think it’s a really special opportunity to get to know a lot of Pullman residents,” Gwinn said. “There’s one young man who is going through chemotherapy, and his appointments are on the same days as the open mics. Sometimes, if he feels well enough, he comes in and plays his banjo for us.”