🎧 Power of Place Episode 56 - Impertinent Impresario – Larry Reid

Power of Place - Stories of the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest's rise to cultural prominence in the 1990s—through movements like grunge and Riot Grrrl—was rooted in earlier artistic and social currents that fused homegrown creativity with global influences. Larry Reid, a pivotal figure in the region’s cultural renaissance, joins us to share untold stories of how the Pacific Northwest transformed from relative isolation into a vibrant hub of innovation, with an impact felt worldwide. In this first episode of a two-part series, Larry takes us back to the transformative 1970s and ’80s—a time when underground art, LGBTQ+ expression, punk rock and feminist voices converged in powerful ways. He reveals overlooked connections between these cultural forces and post-war fine art movements like pop art and post-modernism, showing how they laid the groundwork for the explosive creativity of the 1990s. According to Larry, this interplay of “high” and “low” art gave the Pacific Northwest a distinct cultural edge, setting it apart from other underground scenes across the country. From founding Rosco Louie, a groundbreaking art space in Seattle’s Pioneer Square, to leading the Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA), Larry’s visionary leadership united artists, writers and performers who redefined the region’s identity. His vivid reflections bring this era to life, revealing how the Pacific Northwest's underground culture became the foundation of a global artistic movement. “Back then, Seattle was still relatively small and isolated. Our counterculture scene probably consisted of 200-300 people. There were very few spectators. Almost everyone involved was a participant. It was an exciting time to be in Seattle for that formative period of what later had a huge influence globally on pop culture.” ~Larry Reid