Spokane River Salmon: Past. Present. Future.

Spokane Public Library and the Spokane Tribe of Indians Present 

Spokane River Salmon: Past. Present. Future. 

An Exhibit at Central Library

Spokane, WA – Spokane Public Library and the Spokane Tribe of Indians are partnering on a new exhibit at Central Library that illuminates the vital and intergenerational relationship between tribal people and Spokane River salmon. 

On display September 19–November 30, Spokane River Salmon: Past. Present. Future. brings together the artwork of Spokane Tribal artist and member George Hill, materials from Spokane Public Library’s Inland Northwest Special Collections, and resources from the Spokane Tribe’s Anadromous Program. 

Curated by local writers and historians Jack and Claire Nisbet, the exhibit features Hill’s watercolor paintings, pen-and-ink drawings, dioramas, and replica fishing tools, alongside historic photographs and texts documenting the relationship between salmon, people, and the Spokane River.

“Salmon are a totem for the Columbia Basin and the entire Northwest,” said Nisbet. “Their story reaches back thousands of years, which is what gives their continued presence – and their decline – so much weight. For Indigenous communities in particular, that connection is impossible to forget. The exhibit offers a chance for viewers to reconnect with that history, imagine the rivers of the past, and consider what the presence of these resilient fish might mean for their future.”

Visitors will also be able to learn about the Spokane Tribe’s Anadromous Program, which is the Spokane Tribe’s leading initiative in returning salmon to the river. Since 2022, the Spokane Tribe, in collaboration with the Upper Columbia United Tribes, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and Coeur d’Alene Tribe, has released approximately 10,000 adult summer Chinook salmon and hundreds of thousands of juvenile salmon into waters upstream of regional dams.

The exhibit will be accompanied by a series of free public programs featuring exhibit curators Jack and Claire Nisbet, tribal artist George Hill, and Anadromous Program Manager Conor Giorgi.

Spokane River Salmon: Past. Present. Future. — Exhibit Opening Reception
Saturday, September 19, 1pm | nxʷyxʷyetkʷ Hall, Central Library
In this laid-back meet and greet, tribal artist George Hill, Spokane Tribal Fisheries Anadromous program manager Conor Giorgi, and local author Jack Nisbet introduce the exhibit.

A Conversation with Spokane Tribal Artist George Hill
Thursday, October 1, 10:30am | nxʷyxʷyetkʷ Hall, Central Library
In this all-ages-friendly event, George Hill will discuss the art he produced for the library’s “Spokane River Salmon: Past. Present. Future” exhibit with naturalist and author Jack Nisbet.

Spokane River Salmon: Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?
Tuesday, October 6, 5:30pm | nxʷyxʷyetkʷ Hall, Central Library
Conor Giorgi, director of the Spokane Tribal Fisheries Anadromous Program, will lead a discussion about efforts happening now and in the future for Spokane River salmon.

A River Full of Fish: Early Visions of the Spokane Watershed
Thursday, October 15, 11 | Events A, Central Library
Join local author Jack Nisbet for a slideshow exploring early visitors’ journals and artwork—and what they reveal about the Spokane watershed, ecology, fish, and human landscape.

For more information, contact:
Alina Murcar, Spokane Public Library Marketing and Communications Manager, 509.444.5364