An event at a great venue, a rockin’ band, and meeting amazing people who contribute and inspire our fabulous arts and cultural communities? On Wednesday, June 3rd I got to experience all of these as the Seattle Arts Commission cohosted a speed-dating style mixer at one of my new fave spots, Rumba Notes Lounge! The event paired Seattle Arts Commission and Seattle Music Commission members with anyone who wanted to come by to chat. The vibe felt easy and chill, thanks to the gracious and warm welcome we received by the owner of Rumba Notes. The venue, along with the sounds of Ancient Robotz, Seattle’s own neo-soul funk band, provided the perfect backdrop for the event.
As an arts commissioner, the highlight for me were all of the people I got to chat with. There were 50+ people in attendance and it was wonderful to see old friends, and make new ones! All of the folks I spoke with shared similar values in that they were looking to build bridges and create further access to the arts within their communities. Here were a few highlights:
Chatting with a promoter who came all the way from Tacoma! We brainstormed possible collaborative opportunities to further enhance Tacoma’s music and entertainment scene.
Meeting a woman who is creating an online resource guide for those looking for open mic opportunities around the Seattle area.
Reconnecting with one of my favorite visual artists who is a painter for social justice. I hadn’t seen him in quite a while, and got to learn about his latest work with students at a local high school.
I really appreciated those that came out to chat, learn more about my work, and in turn I got to be inspired by theirs. I look forward to doing this again soon!
From Priya Frank, Associate Director for Advancement for the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at the University of Washington Bothell and Seattle Art Commissioner
Photo credits: Commissioner mixer, photos by: Sunita Martini
