A Thurston County nonprofit built around death, dying and grief has a permanent home in downtown Olympia.

Death Dancer opened The Edge on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 412 Jefferson St. SE, the former Ballet Northwest studio now shared with Oly Theater and Theater Artists Olympia. The space debuted during Olympia's Fall Arts Walk with a free multimedia exhibition featuring more than 20 local artists, as first reported by The Jolt.

The Edge was also open Friday evening, Oct. 2. It remains open Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All events are free. Parking is free. Donations are welcome.

The name is an acronym: Embracing Death and Grief Experiences. Death Dancer's Jennie Beth Banks, a certified death doula, said the name evolved from two previous Arts Walk shows she organized under similar titles.

"We kept brainstorming ideas, but we came back to one of our original ideas, 'The Edge,' and it just felt right," Banks told The Jolt on Sept. 30.

The exhibition, "Welcome to The Edge — Perspectives on Death, Dying, Loss & Living," spans paintings, photography, film, mixed media, poetry, warm glass, paper art, book art, dance and music. Artists include Jeannie Bailly, Bardo Drift with Olympia Poet Laureate Ocean, Réamonn Black, Kelly Marie Dawson, Stephanie Larkin and others.

Saturday's schedule includes performances by Jackie Moynahan at 1 p.m., Réamonn Black at 3 p.m. followed by a Talking Circle at 3:30 p.m., a poetry reading by Stephanie Larkin at 4 p.m. and a Playback Theatre performance by Heartsparkle Players at 5:30 p.m. A community hangout with games, tarot readings and music runs from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

Sunday features a Song Circle for Healing & Life led by Fehlya Ehrlander at 10 a.m. and a Death Journey Meditation by Bardo Drift with Ocean at 12:30 p.m. The art exhibit and Griever's Grotto, an interactive community memorial, stay open from 1:30 to 4 p.m.

Visitors can also make collage mandalas at a hands-on station throughout the weekend.

Rebecca Leach, who runs Death Dancer with Banks and is also a certified death doula, said the space sets itself apart from clinical grief support. She told The Jolt the room has "a living room vibe that is filled with art, warmth, and softness."

Death Dancer, a 501(c)(3), hosts monthly Grief Gatherings, a Death Stories Open Mic and a Life & Death Art Club. Banks is also working on a documentary featuring death professionals and personal testimonies from around the world.

The full schedule and artist list are on Death Dancer's website. The broader Fall Arts Walk, running since 1990, continues Saturday until 6 p.m. across downtown Olympia according to Experience Olympia.