North Idaho women examine the creative process one podcast at a time
Oftentimes, to fully appreciate something, you need to stick around for the end. And if you’ve ever listened to the Ali and Callie Artcast, you know this to be true. At the close of every episode of their local arts-focused podcast, co-hosts Ali Shute and Callie Cabe offer the same words of encouragement: “Whatever you do today, make sure it’s creative.”
Every guest over the last five seasons has shared some aspect of art and creativity. But the wrap-up really captures the spirit of what makes this podcast special.
Each fun-filled 30- to 40-minute conversation shares what’s happening in North Idaho arts and features interesting interviews with community members. Producer Kristin Kilmer makes sure the technical parts of the show come together and the conversations don’t veer too far from the main topic.
As of fall 2025, there have been 185 episodes of the Ali and Callie Artcast. Though the trio likes to take a break over the winter, they are already making plans for 2026. Their goal is the same every year: “Knock people’s socks off with tales of art and culture in the Pacific Northwest and sometimes beyond.” Those tales come from interesting people they find who contribute to the region’s culture, from writers, winemakers and coffee roasters to sculptors, gallery owners and even burlesque dancers. In the end, the creative team hopes each podcast educates and inspires everyone to get out there and create.
“It’s also important that we have fun,” Shute said. “We’re living in such a serious world, so we need to laugh.”
Getting started
The Ali and Callie Artcast began, somewhat, because of public anger over public art.
In 2019, Shute, a longtime visual artist, was executive director of the Coeur d’Alene Arts and Culture Alliance, a non-profit that promotes community arts and culture and coordinates with area public and private arts organizations. Cabe, who has a performing arts background, was also part of the Alliance.
It’s no secret that art of any kind attracts “varying opinions,” to put things diplomatically. Because art by nature is always open to individual interpretation, one person may appreciate a certain piece while others may be baffled or even offended by it. This covers everything from the music we enjoy to what we choose to hang on our walls. It also can include local public art like various sculptures in parks and on streets.
An installation called “Marker 11” fell into the “varying opinion” category. Artist Robert Zylstra created a tall, black monolith that was placed in Riverstone Park. He hoped to portray the legacy of global coal mining with symbols from main producers U.S., Great Britain and Russia.
Some community members expressed concern that the hammer and sickle symbol on the sculpture suggested a pro-Soviet agenda, or worse, that the piece was part of a greater United Nations globalist plot.
Fearful comments warning that the piece could create a desensitization to foreign invasion quickly took root on social media, and online outrage soon bloomed beyond North Idaho. The city removed the sculpture citing that the location wasn’t appropriate for that particular piece of art.
This decision was disappointing to the area arts community.
“There wasn’t any opportunity to educate people about it — the piece had nothing to do with communism,” Shute said. “It had been there for three years without anyone saying anything. We really wanted to have further discussions about this.”
This incident encouraged Kilmer, a Coeur d’Alene resident, to suggest to Shute and Cabe that a community arts-focused podcast would be welcome and useful.
Kilmer previously worked in Hollywood on various shows and films before returning to North Idaho. She offered to share her technical knowledge as a producer if Shute and Cabe would be co-hosts.
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“The first question we asked was, ‘What’s a podcast?’’ Cabe said. “We had no idea, but we decided to give it a try.”
Although they had previously created Facebook Live videos for the Alliance, they hoped an independent podcast could be more edgy and let them express stronger opinions.
“We wanted to educate,” Kilmer said. “We wanted to give artists a voice, let people hear what inspires them, give listeners ways to get inspired, and really explore the creative process.”
Choosing guests
The Artcast’s first guest was Mary Lou Reed, a former lawmaker and longtime advocate for local arts and culture. Then they brought in other interesting, sometimes prominent, individuals in Kootenai County, Sandpoint, Spokane and beyond such as Emerge gallery owner Jeni Riplinger; comedian Alvin Williams; Stylus co-owner Robby French; and all the members of Paper Flowers: Remembering Fleetwood Mac, who even performed during their episode.
“There are so many amazing and talented people around here,” Cabe said. “Everyone is so supportive of what we’re doing.”
The show has even gone on the road: They’ve visited Walla Walla to interview winemakers, traveled to Washington’s Methow Valley to visit with a writer and illustrator of a book about trout, drove to the Washington Coast to talk to an impressive driftwood sculptor. They’ve even taken trips to Canada and Boise to chat with all sorts of arts-focused people.
Audiences respond well, especially when Cabe and Shute include details about their personal lives. They’ve once had their husbands do the interviewing for a special “Setting the Record Straight” episode.
“What we really do is have a friendly conversation — it’s all very organic,” Cabe said. “Sometimes our guests tell us ‘I don’t know what to say,’ and then we can’t get them to stop since they’re having so much fun.”
The team is looking forward to future guests, as well as bringing back repeat guests. The Artcast even has its own “Five Timers Club,” a la “Saturday Night Live,” where guests who have appeared at least five times receive a special jacket and lots of recognition.
As of 2025, the inaugural members are actress/promoter Ellen Travolta and writer/promoter Michael Koep.
“We have a couple of others who are getting close,” Shute said.
Up next
Shute, Cabe, and Kilmer are excited for spring and the start of Season 6. There will be at least one new twist. Kilmer recently moved to Arizona, but they’re trying to figure out how to continue her producer role remotely.
Cabe and Shute are planning to visit her in the spring and may record a few shows to launch the new season, focusing on creative Southwest residents.
They appreciate all their listeners, from those who have been there since the beginning to people just discovering how much fun it is to spend time with them while learning about art.
“We love our area but we want to show more of Idaho, so maybe we’ll go down to Moscow or over to Wallace,” Cabe said. “There are so many places we haven’t hit.”
It won’t be hard to find guests to chat with, since, really, everyone can be creative.
“We’re doing something good,” Cabe said. “It’s all very positive.” N
The Ali and Callie Artcast can be heard on Podbean, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Ihearrt, Audacy, Listen Notes and Podness. Learn more at alicallieartcast.com.
As seen in the 2026 Winter/Spring Edition
By: Joe Butler
Photography By: Joel Riner