Seattle’s newest cultural hub isn’t tucked in a museum district or behind velvet ropes. It’s in a former Bed Bath & Beyond, now transformed into Cannonball Arts, a sprawling 66,000-square-foot center for contemporary art that officially opened today in the heart of downtown.

The project is a collaboration between the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and New Rising Sun, the producers of Bumbershoot Arts & Music Festival. Like Bumbershoot, Cannonball celebrates art in every form, from the playful to the profound. “Cannonball Arts is our love letter to Seattle’s creative spirit and a bold step toward reimagining what downtown can be,” said Joe Paganelli, CEO and co-founder of New Rising Sun.

We got an early look at the press preview, then joined the crowds on opening night. The space has an energy that feels part gallery, part festival, and part experiment. Right inside the entrance is the Live Canoe Carving program, a powerful collaboration led by the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. On a 12-by-36-foot platform, tribal artists are carving a full-scale canoe from cedar. “This partnership reflects our deep commitment to community, creativity, and supporting Native artists and storytellers,” said Donny Stevenson of the Muckleshoot Tribal Council. Watching the centuries-old practice unfold is sure to be a grounding moment amid all the sensory overload inside.

Buckle up

That overload comes fast. Brent Watanabe’s Monster, a virtual reality amusement ride, sends visitors barreling through a computer-generated world in small electric trucks, equal parts art installation and thrill ride. Upstairs, Virginia Park sprawls across 2,200 square feet, an indoor sculpture park complete with trees, flowers, a pond, and works by fifteen artists. Favorites included Peyboy’s skeletal structures and Iván Carmona’s ceramics, set in a space that felt both a lil’ surreal and welcoming.

Other highlights: Ben Zamora’s glowing light work WE’VE ALL HAD TOO MUCH SORROW…(with a nod to Nick cave and the Bad Seeds), Barry Johnson’s vibrant four-panel painting KABOOM, a Salon-style hang of dozens of pieces that nearly overwhelms the eye, Klara Glosova’s CHERRY TREE mural next to the Level 1 elevator, and Janelle Abbott’s 149,520 GALLONS that overtakes a wall with reclaimed T-shirts and a massive message about sustainability. Even Lars Bergquist’s Nova Painting project, a loose and playful collection, took flight with a colorful flock of paper birds made by Nova High School students.

Downstairs near the performance space where electronic artist will be hitting the stage later this fall, Okenia Rosacea Nudibranch’s Toxic Beauty – a modern and quirky riff on a mechanical bull – had a huge queue all night.

Ambitious yet inviting, Cannonball Arts pops with life. With a year-round mix of exhibitions, performances, and pop-ups, it shows downtown still has some surprises in store.