The Fine Art Gallery at Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC) is the centerpiece of the sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Fine and Applied Arts building, itself an architectural work of art. On its surface, the gallery is a place for artists to exhibit their work—but the gallery’s programming incorporating student, guest, and artist-in-residence exhibits throughout the year helps make it a central feature of student life, academics, and the wider Spokane community.
The Gallery’s current exhibitor is Ukrainian-born artist Sasha Barrett, who is showing Vytryvali Lyudy (Resilient People), on view November 3–December 4, 2025. Barrett’s work—informed significantly by Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia—blends clay sculpture, documentary film, and war artifacts to explore resilience, loss, and national identity. His pieces invite cross-disciplinary connections with history, political science, and media studies. His work also offers Spokane’s Ukrainian community a catalyst for meeting and healing from the material and emotional realities of the war. Through this exhibit, the gallery opens the door to dialogue on conflict, cultural endurance, and a global shared humanity.
The Fine Art Gallery has exhibited student and guest work since the 1960s, becoming an important node in Spokane’s exhibition circuit across the decades. In spite of its long history, the Gallery’s current space has been open only since the 2024 opening of the sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Fine and Applied Arts building. The new building provides state of the art spaces and technology, but also colocates fine arts and photography spaces—including galleries—for the first time, further enhancing the opportunity for cross-disciplinary dialogue.
The move to the new building also coincided with the launch of the Artist-in-Residence program, which focuses on providing studio and exhibition space, a stipend, and housing to an emerging Native American artist. kʷaɁowišč tyee (Inanna McCarty) of the Macaw Tribe completed the first residency and exhibited her work at the gallery, where it will return for a group exhibition and auction in Winter 2026.
Prior to Sasha Barrett’s exhibition and opening lecture for Vytryvali Lyudy (Resilient People), the Gallery hosted Minnesota native and Bozeman, MT based artist Jim Zimpel. Like Barrett, Zimpel places an emphasis on sculpture, exploring the power of sculpture to modulate relationships between individuals. Jim’s work involves a particular emphasis on male relationships and the culture of “stoic masculinity,” which was a formative feature of his Minnesota family and upbringing. His work incorporates family artifacts and manipulations of space—like a fishing boat bent in half until the confined space between its occupants is erased.
The Gallery’s influence as a cross-disciplinary hub continues to grow, with programs as far-flung as the Architecture program at Spokane Community College visiting artist lectures and exhibits in cross-exposure of design principles.
As the SFCC Fine Art Gallery continues to grow into its new home, it remains dedicated to presenting art that challenges, connects, and inspires. From exploring cultural identity and personal relationships to confronting the realities of global conflict, the gallery’s exhibitions invite students and community members alike to engage in meaningful reflection and dialogue. With each new show—whether featuring an emerging artist-in-residence or an international voice like Sasha Barrett—the gallery reinforces its role as both a creative hub and a bridge between campus, culture, and community.