Known mostly for quality cheap food, Chinatown is beginning to showcase a more artistic side of the International District (I.D.) with three summer art walks in an attempt to draw more visitors to the community.

The first of the summertime art walks took place in the I.D. last Saturday from 5 to 8 p.m. The free event was organized by the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (SCIDpda) in order to draw more people to the I.D.

The art walk went through many galleries in Chinatown, with participating venues such as Theatre Off Jackson, Canoe Social Club and The Wing Luke Asian Museum. Each gallery featured work from local artists. Theatre Off Jackson even showed a short film called Cookies for Sale by artist Wes Kim, a contrast to the establishment’s usual live theater.

However, for those who do not frequent the neighborhood, the art walk is easy to miss while roaming through Chinatown. The art pieces are mainly displayed inside the galleries, though maps of the different locations are provided at each participating venue.

Several artists were also given outdoor space to display their work. Traditional Chinese paintings and calligraphy from Deng’s Studio and Art Gallery were on exhibit at Hing Hay Park.

The artist himself, Zuolie Deng, put finishing touches on a painting outside while onlookers admired the fine art. Hing Hay Park is centrally located within Chinatown and is also decorated with conventional Chinese architecture, providing the perfect background for Deng’s paintings.

The Danny Woo Community Garden hosted another fun outdoor exhibit, where artist Josh Sternberg installed his colorful mixed media pieces of resin and acrylic paint onto trees, benches and all around the park. The garden is uniquely designed, and Sternberg’s vibrant paintings gave it a magical touch.

“People have said it’s like an enchanted forest, because the art is not just in obvious places,” Sternberg said. “If you look hard enough, you’ll see art hidden everywhere.”

Art is truly hidden everywhere in the I.D., and the event exposes galleries that otherwise would remain unknown.

Participating restaurants such as J Sushi, Kau Kau BBQ and Unicorn Crepes offered art-walk specials for $5 or less to help draw more people out for the occasion.

Fen Hsiao, the director of fund development at SCIDpda, said the art walk’s purpose is “primarily to get people to experience and appreciate the I.D. and see [the] community’s artists.”

The Chinatown International District Art Walk will take place every third Saturday for the rest of the summer. The July event started out rather slow, but activities such as live music and outdoor movies are in store for future months.

Reach reporter Carolyn Yuen at arts@dailyuw.com.