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Mayor Harrell Launches National Search for Permanent Director of the Office of Arts & Culture

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Seattle Ley Line Project by The Geo Group, Purchased with Seattle City Light 1% for Art funds.

Seeking innovative leader reflecting Seattle’s storied history of arts excellence, search will center community and creative voices, feature search committee of prominent Seattle arts leaders

Seattle – Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the City of Seattle will begin a nationwide search for the next permanent director of the City’s Office of Arts & Culture. To help guide a rigorous selection process, the mayor has appointed a committee representing a broad array of prominent Seattle arts leaders and stakeholders.

Office of Arts & Culture Director Application

“Arts allow us to share feelings, values, and experiences across communities and shape the unique social character of our neighborhoods. Seattle has always been a hub for creatives and visionaries, and we need to continue to support and develop our world-class arts scene. The next permanent Office of Arts & Culture director must further strengthen our creative landscape – convening artists across mediums, expanding public arts, supporting a next generation of artists, and, most importantly, creating a culture in Seattle where arts are ever present in every community. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Interim Director royal alley-barnes for her work leading this office and her efforts to help our arts sector recover from the impacts of the pandemic.”

Mayor Bruce Harrell

The selection committee is made up of 16 members who represent different perspectives in Seattle’s diverse arts community. Selection committee members include:

  • Kate Becker, Creative Economy Director at Office of King County Executive Dow Constantine
  • Catalina Cantu, Board President and co-founding member La Sala, a multi-genre writer, interdisciplinary artist, Jack Straw Fellow and VONA/Voices Alum
  • Manuel Cawaling, Executive Director, Inspire Washington
  • Steven Eng, Accounting Services – Employee Representative, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
  • Josh LaBelle, Executive Director, Seattle Theatre Group
  • Erika Lindsay, Chief Communications Officer – Employee Representative, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
  • Aleksa Manila, Genderqueer performer, multiple drag pageant winner, and healthcare worker
  • James Miles, Assistant Professor, Seattle University; Executive Director of Third Stone
  • Nate Miles, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives – State Government Affairs, Eli Lilly and Company
  • Eric Nelson, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, National Nordic Museum
  • Tammy J. Morales, Councilmember, District 2, Chair Neighborhoods, Education, Civil Rights, and Culture
  • Sam Pailca, Associate General Counsel, Regulatory Enforcement Litigation, Microsoft
  • Dr. Judith Rayl, Fine Art Photographer and President of Board of Directors at Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA)
  • Steven Severin, Co-Owner, Neumos; Co-President and Director of Music Programming, New Rising Sun (Curator and Producer of Bumbershoot: Seattle’s Arts & Music Festival)
  • Earnest Thomas, President, Onyx Fine Arts Collective
  • Ellen Walker, Executive Director, Pacific Northwest Ballet

Throughout the spring, the committee will identify applicants, interview candidates, and recommend at least three finalists for the mayor. The position opened on March 9, 2023, and applications received by 4:00 P.M. PST on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, will receive first consideration.

The search process will also look to art-goers, creatives, and residents across the city to weigh in – seeking insight into what community members hope the office and its next director will elevate and champion. Seattle residents are invited to attend three community conversations to inform the search process. The events are open to the public and will be facilitated in partnership with City staff and arts organizations to create a space for residents to give feedback as to what priorities and values they would like to see in the next director. Residents can RSVP to the community conversations here.

Residents are also invited to complete an online survey to make their voice heard in the search process. The results of the survey will be shared with the search committee and Mayor’s Office.

Take the Community Survey

encuesta en español

“From the theater to the symphony, the SAM to Art Walk, Harbor Island to school classrooms, we must activate the screens, stages, and spaces across Seattle with art experiences for all neighbors. This search committee is designed to identify the director who can bring that vision to life – tapping into the lived experience and professional expertise of creative economy and development leaders, City staff and elected officials, and partners from local institutions.”

Mayor Bruce Harrell

Community Conversations for Office of Arts & Culture Director Search

  • Tuesday, March 28th, 6 – 7:30pm
    Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute 104 17th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144
  • Thursday, March 30th, 6 – 7:30pm
    National Nordic Museum 2655 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107
  • Friday, March 31st, 6 – 7:30pm
    El Centro de la Raza 2524 16th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144
RSVP to Community Conversations

Seattle Office of Arts & Culture celebrates 1% for Public Art

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50 years, 4,064 artworks, over 1500 artists

50th Exhibition Celebration, Thursday, June 1, 2023,  
5-8 p.m.  ARTS at King Street Station 

RSVP

Seattle, WA (June 1, 2023) – This year the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is celebrating 50 years of the 1% for Art Program. Created in 1973, the City’s Public Art Program has shaped, defined, and contributed to the character of Seattle. When former Mayor Wes Ulman and the Seattle City Council created the program, they cited a city’s responsibility to expand the public’s experience with art, stating that art in public places enables people to better understand their communities and their lives. 

“Our vision for One Seattle is a city where the arts are ever present in every community, adding vibrancy and culture to our public spaces and reflecting our shared values of innovation, creativity, and inclusivity. The City’s forward-thinking 1% for Art ordinance, one of the first in the nation, is an ongoing investment in public art and has allowed countless residents, workers, and visitors to experience world-class art woven into the urban fabric of our city. We are proud to celebrate this milestone for Seattle’s 1% for Art program and share pieces from the City’s civic collection with the community.”

Mayor Bruce Harrell
By Marcus Donner © 2023

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the collection, ARTS has organized The First 50 Years: Highlights from the Civic Collection, 1973-2023 at ARTS at King Street Station. It encompasses 150 artworks highlighting the breadth and depth of the civic collection and regional artists. Artists in the exhibition include artists such as Humaira Abid, Natalie Ball, Marita Dingus, Jacob Lawrence, Sherry Markowitz, Jeffry Mitchell, Jake Prendez, Susan Point, Akio Takamori, Robert “Running Fisher” Upham, and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas.  

“We are celebrating 50 years of 1% for Art in Seattle looking back to see where we have been, to understand where we are, and to keep going forward. Hard work by artists have brought us here, with the responsibility of artistic reflection through a race and social justice lens, and honor art’s role in our civic lives.”

royal alley-barnes, Interim Director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

Civic Art Collection 

The 1% for art ordinance established that all Capital Construction departments should include “an amount for works of art equal to at least one percent (1%) of the total cost of any such construction project.” Now in 2023, the 1% for Art Program encompasses the Civic Art Collection (400 permanently sited/integrated artworks and over 4,000 portable artworks); temporary art opportunities, a Waterfront for All art program, artist-in-residence programs, Public Art Plans for Capital Departments, galleries (ARTS at King Street Station, City Hall, Seattle Municipal Tower), and Public Art Boot Camp (a capacity building program for emerging artists).  

Seattle’s 1% for Art Program expanded the boundaries of what public art should be by integrating art and artists into the actual design of buildings. Seattle was the first city to utilize the Artist Design Team model integrating art building designs. Seattle also embedded artist-in-residence opportunities in capital construction departments which paved the way for design elements integrated in sidewalks, right of ways; and changing the way the city created the built environment. ARTS has created virtual galleries on Emuseum, an online resource that allows the public to view the collection virtually for increased accessibility.  

The Seattle 1% for Art Program is also committed to race and social justice and is expanding the field by increasing the diversity of artists that create public art. To foster the growth of the collection and the diversity of artists working in the field, ARTS pioneered a capacity-building program, Public Art Boot Camp, which provides training to artists who are ready to translate their studio art experiences to the public art realm. 

Art Beat Welcomes Ground Zero Radio Partnership: April Edition

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GZR at Art Beat 

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture is partnering with Ground Zero Radio (GZ Radio) to expand and support youth-led artistic programming. GZ Radio is youth-led, building community relationships and executing career-connected learning programs that empower youth to take ownership of their futures. GZ Radio youth create original content from podcasts to documentaries, Live-in studio recording sessions, In-studio interviews, and event coverage with content rooted in their community. GZ Radio also consists of a youth-driven Newsroom that allows for journalism and in-field reporting for both written and visual formats. ARTS supports and uplifts youth voices in media to empower students while fostering future writers and content creators. 

Take a peek at some of their recent arts coverage and updates below: 

GZR Newsroom 

In April, GZ Radio launched their GZR Newsroom led by reporter Marian Mohamed. They released articles covering local arts events and opportunities including: 

Youth Lobby Day Highlights Underlying Issues Around Gun Violence 
By Dominique Morales & Marian Mohamedin collaboration with South Seattle Emerald 

Courtesy of GZR Photography

“Inside the heart of the Washington State Capitol building in Olympia, a sea of students in bright-orange shirts filled the Columbia Room. These students, representing different schools from all over Seattle, were getting ready to walk over to the steps of the Capitol to demand one thing: the end of gun violence in their communities.” 

How LAIKA, The Minds Behind Coraline, Help Keep The Classic Art Of Stop-Motion Fresh 
By Antonio Nevarez 

By Antonio Nevarez, courtesy of GZRadio

“The characters of popular stop-motion animated movies are coming to the real world. LAIKA, the movie studio behind films such as Coraline and the upcoming movie Wildwood, stops by Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture for their new exhibit, “Hidden Worlds: the films of LAIKA.”” 

Punk Rock Flea Market Delights Community with Return to Nii Modo 
By Gurjot Kang

Photo by Gurjot Kang, courtesy of GZRadio

“From classic punk rock paraphernalia to local art vendors selling their own unique custom prints, the Seattle Punk Rock Flea Market (PRFM) came back with a bang to the delight of many local shoppers.” 

Read More Articles 

Sonic Sludge 

Created by Lily Rodriguez, Sonic Sludge is one of GZ Radio’s original series that features local bands through interviews and live in-studio performances. You can watch April’s Sonic Sludge episode now, which features the band, Give Me The Money. 

Art Exhibition: Being + Destroying + Reviving, the cycle of parts that operate the whole 

GZ Radio’s Art Collective took over the A/NT Gallery for their exhibition, Being + Destroying + Reviving: the cycle of parts that operate the whole. The exhibit was curated by the GZ Art Collective and featured young artists (ages 15-24) that explored the dynamics and behaviors of parts as they move between these states and how it has creatively shaped them as a whole. You can read about the opening night event put on by the GZ Radio events team in the GZR newsroom written by Dominique Morales.   

Read about the Opening

Video Production & On-Air Shows 

The GZ Radio video production and on-air teams covered a multitude of events and programs including Seattle Restored, NFFTY, Japanese Cultural Festival, Bobafest, Sakura Con, and more. 

You can watch all GZ Radio’s local arts coverage on their Instagram Stories at @gzradio. 

Stay tuned for more monthly recaps coming soon! 

TeenTix Arts News Roundup: May Edition

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The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is partnering with TeenTix to publish a bi-monthly round-up of arts and cultural events. The partnership supports and provides additional outlets for teen expressions in media. TeenTix programs create a place for teens to process, interpret, reflect, and think critically about the content they engage with through professional journalism and podcasting, and in-school arts criticism training. TeenTix and ARTS support and uplift youth voices in media to empower students while fostering future writers and content creators. Read more work by youth at teentix.org. 

Take a peek at some of their recent features below: 

The Hidden Wonders of LAIKA’s “Hidden Worlds” 

A review of Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA at Museum of Pop Culture 
By Teen Writer Raika Roy Choudhury 

Coraline’s Other World House Exterior, Coraline (2009). Photo credit: Joseph Bondi.

“MoPOP’s Hidden Worlds serves as a wonderful introduction to stop motion and other creative processes in the popular animation studio LAIKA’s films. LAIKA is an Oregon-based studio behind the famous films Coraline, ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings, Missing Link, and BoxTrolls, all of which were nominated for Oscars and PGA Awards. Beyond their critical acclaim, LAIKA is also known for specializing in standalone films and bringing hand-curated artistry back into our increasingly digital media space. Their films are bold and distinctive whilst also aesthetic and thought-provoking, widening the appreciation for animation. It only makes sense for this accomplished studio to be celebrated with a museum exhibit.” 

Read More

A Swamp-Sculpted Gallery 

A review of Thick as Mud at Henry Art Gallery 
By Teen Writer Daphne Bunker   

Candice Lin, Swamp Fat [detail], 2021. Scagliola, ceramic, clay, earth, mortar, lard infused with custom scent. Courtesy of the artist and François Ghebaly Gallery. Commissioned by Prospect New Orleans for P.5. Installation view of Thick as Mud, 2023, Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle. Photo: Jonathan Vanderweit, courtesy of the Henry. 

“The first room of Thick as Mud at the Henry Art Gallery, bathed in terracotta-tinged light, is unfurnished except for its display: snakeskin latticework stretched over two picnic chairs. Rain sounds splatter from speakers in the ceiling, and occasional thunderclaps echo. The descriptions on the wall label the chairs as Sitting Shiva and the overhead audio as Tropical Storm, both by artist Sasha Wortzel. Sitting Shiva is Wortzel’s meditation on endings and beginnings in the South Florida Everglades, where the invasive Baurmese Python has devastated local populations, and the installation sets the tone for the exhibit, establishing a pattern of thoughtful examination of historical and environmental themes conveyed through intricate artistic techniques.” 

Read More

“Fires of Varanasi: Dance of the Eternal Pilgrim”: Through the Eyes of an Inexperienced Viewer 

A review of Ragamala Dance Company at the Meany Center for the Performing Arts 
By Teen Writer Josephine Bishop 

Ragamala Dance Company at the Meany Center for the Performing Arts. Photo credit: Steven Pisano. 

“The curtain rose to reveal an unlit stage. Fifteen bells hung at varied lengths from the ceiling, and three shallow pools of water were dispersed, mimicking the famous Ganges River. A dancer silently pushed out candles into the water, unhurriedly lighting the stage with a serene atmosphere. This opening set the mood for Ragamala Dance Company’s phenomenal performance.” 
 

Read More

“Sámi Film Festival”: An Exploration of the Sámi Female Experience 

A review of Sámi Film Festival at National Nordic Museum 
By Teen Writer Olivia Lee 

Sire and the Last Summer (2022). Photo courtesy of IMDb © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc. 

“The Sámi Film Festival is an exciting showcase of female-focused films at the Seattle Nordic Museum. As this is TeenTix’s first act of new partnership with the Seattle Nordic Museum, this is a very special event! Honoring the work of Sámi female directors, the films reflect on difficult topics like sexual assault and violence against Indigenous women. Through an intriguing selection of nine documentary and fictional films, there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy at the Sámi Film Festival.” 

Read More

“A Thousand Splendid Suns” Shines at Seattle Opera 

A review of A Thousand Splendid Suns at Seattle Opera 
By Teen Writer Olivia Qi 

The Seattle Opera’s production of A Thousand Splendid Suns, photo by Sunny Martini 

“A pressing story of love during harsh times, A Thousand Splendid Suns is finally ready for its world premiere at Seattle Opera. The work, commissioned by Seattle Opera in 2015, is written by Seattle-born composer Sheila Silver and librettist Stephen Kitsakos. Based on Khaled Hosseini’s book of the same name, the opera is an epic tale set in Afghanistan from 1974 to 2001. Suns is unforgettably intense, a gripping story brought to life by heart-wrenching music.” 

Read More

“Metamorphoses”: An Endless Battle for Justice 

A review of Metamorphoses at Seattle Repertory Theatre 
Written by Teen Writer Elle Vonada 

Nike Imoru, Meme García, and Kjerstine Rose Anderson in Metamorphoses (2023) at Seattle Rep. Photo by Nate Watters. 

“Before one’s eyes, actors morph into polarizing characters written by an ancient Roman author. Seattle Rep’s compelling performance of Metamorphoses brings Ovid’s stories into the 21st century, giving reason to why humanity has chosen to preserve his literature. The production’s impact is enhanced by expert stagecraft, made most powerful because of how the 2,000-year-old fiction remains relevant to modern society. One would expect humanity to have evolved somewhat in the years since then, but this show reveals that the more things change, the more they remain the same.” 

Read More

Read more arts and culture reviews on the TeenTix blog and stay tuned for more roundups coming soon. 

Artists at the Center Application Now Open for 2023-2024 Performances at Seattle Center

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Due June 27, 2023  

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) and Seattle Center created Artists at the Center to present emerging and established artists and celebrate their talent on a  revitalized Seattle Center campus. Artists at the Center is a multi-year collaboration between ARTS and Seattle Center, with support from Uptown Arts & Culture Coalition and the communities adjacent to Seattle Center campus. The project is made possible by a 10-year grant from Climate Pledge Arena and Seattle Kraken, starting in 2021. 

Artists at the Center grant provides funding and production support for pop-up performances on the Seattle Center campus. The program connects artists with new audiences and displays their talents across an iconic campus.  Visitors to the campus and the surrounding neighborhoods experience surprising and delightful free performances throughout the year. Artists are selected with an equity and social justice lens, ensuring equitable representation for underserved and emerging artists. Artistic genres include music, dance, theater, demonstrations, and multi-disciplinary work.  

“This innovative program showcases the incredible talent that flourishes here in Seattle. From theatre to dance, Jazz and Hip Hop to music from around the world, Artists at the Center welcomes diverse creative spirit and artistic brilliance. Climate Pledge Arena’s investing in our local artistic communities helps the arts flourish.”

royal alley-barnes, Interim Director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

The current 2022-23 season of Artists at the Center features music, dance, theatre, and multi-disciplinary performances, presented by 26 individual artists and performance groups based in the Puget Sound region.  

Eligibility

  • Performing arts disciplines of all genres may be considered, including music, dance, theatre, spoken word, cultural exhibitions, hands-on learning experiences, and multi-disciplinary projects.
  • Visual art exhibitions are not the intended use of this grant, however, may be an element if included as part of a larger performance.
  • A successful pop-up performance is nimble, eye- and ear-catching, requiring minimal or low-tech needs, and can be loaded in and out swiftly. Works can be pre-existing or generated new for this opportunity.
  • This program is best suited to solo, duo and small group performing acts. Groups larger than 8 or 10 people may be considered, but there is limited availability of slots for groups of that size.

Funding

Applicants can apply for the following levels of funding:

  • $2,000 award (typically 1-2 performers), plus $600 in-kind production support
  • $4,000 award (typically 3-5 performers), plus $1,100 in-kind production support
  • $6,000 award (typically 6+ performers), plus $1,600 in-kind production support 

Hybrid Information Sessions

Session 1
Thursday, June 1, 1 – 2 p.m.
In-Person: Seattle Center Armory
Virtual: Webex
RSVP

Session 2
Saturday, June 17, 10 – 11 a.m.
In-Person: Seattle Center Armory
Virtual: Webex
RSVP

Due Date

Tuesday, June 27, 2023, 5 p.m. (Pacific)

Read the Full Guidelines

What the Artists Are Saying

“This program helps make local, avantgarde art accessible to all populations, and helps foster a general appreciation for all arts among all strata of the city.”

Kole Galbraith; musician, and 2022 awardee 

“Having this grant and being able to produce this show was a dream come true.”

Merri Ann Osborne, The Mahogany Project, and 2022 awardee 

About Seattle Office of Arts & Culture 

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) manages the city’s public art program, cultural partnerships grant programs, the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, ARTS at King Street Station and The Creative Advantage initiative in the effort to foster a city driven by creativity that provides the opportunity for everyone to engage in diverse arts and cultural experiences. In alignment with the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative, we work to eliminate institutional racism in our programs, policies and practices. The Office is supported by the 16-member Seattle Arts Commission, citizen volunteers appointed by the mayor and City Council. 

About Seattle Center   

Connect to the extraordinary at Seattle Center, an active civic, arts and family gathering place in the core of our region. More than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations that reside on the grounds, together with a broad range of public and community programs, create thousands of events on the 74-acre campus and attract over 12 million visitors each year. At Seattle Center, part of Uptown Arts & Cultural District and home to Climate Pledge Arena, our purpose is to create exceptional events, experiences and environments that delight and inspire the human spirit to build stronger communities. Activities at the Center generate $1.864 billion in business activity and $631 million in labor income.   

ARTS at King Street Station Open During Construction 

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May 1 – October 1, 2023 

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) offices and ARTS at King Street Station gallery are both open during the construction of Station Space on the 2nd floor of King Street Station.

To access ARTS on the third floor, please enter King Street Station via the Amtrak entrance off King Street and take the elevator to the 3rd floor. 

Learn more about Station Space here.

King Street Station; ZGF Architects © Benjamin Benschneider All rights Reserved.

Seattle Office of Arts & Culture celebrates 50 years of 1% for Public Art and a visual love letter to our city by Agustina Forest  

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Spotted in Seattle (May 4 – July 6, 2023) and The First 50 Years: Highlights from the Civic Collection, 1973-2023 (May 4 – September 7) on view at ARTS at King Street Station

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) and its ARTS at King Street Station Gallery hosts two new exhibitions this spring celebrating the City of Seattle’s Civic Arts Collection and the work of artist Agustina Forest. These two exhibitions celebrate the natural environment, people, and artists who call Seattle home. Agustina Forest’s Spotted In Seattle is on view from May 4 – July 6, 2023, and The First 50 Years: Highlights from the Civic Collection, 1973-2023 is on view from May 4 – September 7, 2023.

“Seattle has created, integrated and elevated art and artists for 50 years through our 1% for Art Program, one of the oldest in the United States. We live in a city that venerates artists and integrates arts into our public spaces. Complementing this historical civic collection are the vibrant drawings by artist Agustina Forest that serve as a love letter to the City. Her keen observations of people she encounters throughout our diverse neighborhoods allows us to see ourselves in a different light. ARTS at King Street Station is proud to provide a platform for artists to engage the public in a showcase of their incredible talents.”

royal alley-barnes, Interim Director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
Learn More

Opening Celebration: May 4

ARTS at King Street Station celebrates the opening of these exhibitions on First Thursday, May 4. Artist, Agustina Forest and Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Interim Director, royal alley-barnes, will provide opening remarks at 6 p.m. ARTS at King Street Station is open until 8 p.m. on First Thursdays. 

Opening Celebration
Thursday, May 4
5 – 8 p.m.
Free
ARTS at King Street Station (303 South Jackson Street Top floor, Seattle, WA 98104)
*ARTS at King Street Station is open during construction. Click here to learn more.

The First 50 Years: Highlights from the Civic Collection, 1973-2023   

A City Makes Herself, Kristen Ramirez, photographic images on Inkjet 100% fiber paper, 2007; Purchased with Seattle City Light 1% for Art funds.

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and its 1% for Public Art Program has been at the forefront of commissions with diverse artists to create Public Artworks and works for the City’s Civic Collection. Since the inception of the 1% for Public Art ordinance in 1973, the Seattle Civic Collection has grown to include 4,112 artworks, 3,674 of which are displayed throughout city buildings in city offices and public areas. The remaining 438 works are permanently sited in neighborhoods, parks, public buildings, and along roadways all throughout the city. The current exhibition at ARTS at King Street Station includes over 150 artworks that highlight the breadth and depth of the civic collection and regional artistry.  Artists in the exhibition include renowned artists Jacob Lawrence, Sherry Markowitz, Marita Dingus, Susan Point, Akio Takamori, and Jeffry Mitchell. Newer artists’ works from the civic collection include Humaira Abid, Robert “Running Fisher” Upham, Natalie Ball, and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas.    

The 1% for Public Art program specifies that 1% of eligible city capital improvement project funds be set aside for the commission, purchase, and installation of artworks in a variety of public settings. By providing opportunities for people to encounter art in parks, libraries, community centers, on roadways, bridges, and other public venues, we simultaneously enrich their daily lives and give voice to artists. The Civic Collection is an amazing living visual history focused mainly on artists in the Pacific Northwest region. It offers a snapshot of the area’s artistic output over the past 50 years.  

Spotted in Seattle 
Agustina Forest 

Olive Way, Agustina Forest, Gouache on paper, 2023

Agustina Forest’s Spotted in Seattle is a collection of visual stories of the strangers she observed while exploring the streets of Seattle. For Forest, sidewalks are scenarios with stories constantly unfolding in front of us. Spotted in Seattle features 30 artworks including epoxy resin sculptures, pencil sketches, and oil pastel pieces. The exhibition is a vibrant collection of stories and characters, that Forest has encountered in various neighborhoods since she moved to Seattle in 2018. 

“When walking in Seattle, chances are you are coming across someone you don’t know, but more than being a mere stranger, they are a living story. If you look closely, they are constantly experiencing emotions, melancholy, joy, annoyance, confusion, experiencing failure or living successes. Sidewalks are scenarios with stories constantly unfolding in front of us.”

Agustina Forest

Agustina Forest is an established painter living and working in Seattle, Washington. Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she moved to the United States at age 24. Having called Seattle home gave her the time and space to recognize the sense of place. Walking in the city, interacting, and just observing helped her understand and connect with its essence.

Theatre Education in Seattle Public Schools

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by Tina LaPadula, Arts Education Project Manager

Fresh off of mid-winter break, the Seattle Theatre Education Coalition (STEC) hit the ground running with a summit at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute to shine a light on theatre education in Seattle Public Schools (SPS).

As part of The Creative Advantage, STEC is comprised of SPS’ Visual & Performing Arts Program, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, theatre teachers, and local theatre companies including the 5th Avenue Theatre, Intiman Theatre with South End Stories, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and Seattle Rep. Together, STEC strives to build theatre programs and opportunities for SPS youth.

At the summit, STEC reviewed data, discussed programs and partnerships, and began to envision what theatre education could look like five years from now. Out of this will come professional development led by the four theatre companies that will be open to any theatre educator across Washington state, more summits to bring in more perspectives, and a plan for the future.

This work is supported by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and the Arts Department at the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction with the goal of sharing with other school districts across the state.

Sticky notes on a wall clustered under the prompt "What's the reason for the existence of theatre in our schools and in our society?
Close up of some of the sticky notes: A safe space to fail/grow. To teach connection. To learn to be better humans. Truth and beauty. To change or challenge the status quo. A place for students to explore/experience empathy.

Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Nurtures Neighborhood Recovery with $1.1M Activation Fund

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14 organizations awarded funding to support collaboration and resiliency 

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is allocating $1.1 Million to 14 organizations across the city to support arts and cultural organizations impacted by the pandemic and increase citywide recovery efforts. These lead organizations will sub-contract with neighborhood-based organizations and small businesses to carry out inclusive and creative activation projects and events that further the neighborhoods’ and city’s pandemic recovery process. Selected lead organizations and sub-recipients will support Mayor Harrell’s vision for One Seattle by promoting equity, safety, activated spaces, collaboration, resiliency, and belonging. 

“Investing in and supporting our neighborhoods through our local arts and culture organizations is key to continuing support for a revitalized and activated Seattle. Shared arts and culture enhance the lives of the diverse people who live, work, and play here.” 

royal alley-barnes, Interim Director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

The Neighborhood Recovery program is one-time funding from Payroll Expense Tax approved by the Mayor and Seattle City Council. The 14 funded organizations are now in their Request for Proposal (RFP) processes to select neighborhood-based groups. The lead organizations are Africatown Community Land Trust, Beacon Arts, Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, Downtown Seattle Association, Friends of Waterfront Seattle, Gay City Health Project, Historic South Downtown, Lake City Collective, Museum of History & Industry, Na’ah Illahee Fund, South End Seattle Art Center (ReVision Arts), U District Partnership, Watershed Community Development (formerly Georgetown CDA), and West Seattle Junction.

What Awardees Are Saying

“ReVision Arts is delighted to have been chosen as one of the lead organizations participating in Arts and Culture Neighborhood Recovery Program. The events and activations that this grant will fund in Rainier Valley will support BIPOC, disabled, and those most impacted by COVID and will enhance and delight hundreds of participants this spring and summer.”

Barbara Oswald, Executive Director, South End Seattle Art Center (ReVision Arts)

“The South Downtown neighborhoods of Chinatown-International District and Pioneer Square have felt the weight of the pandemic, public safety issues, and ongoing anti-Asian hate. The ARTS grant is truly an opportunity to demonstrate that we are still here, resilient, and filled with joy. We are excited to see what ideas our community will present to celebrate that joy and resilience, to reconnect within and between the neighborhoods and to strengthen those ties as we recover together.”

Kathleen Johnson, Executive Director, Historic South Downtown

Seattle Office of Arts & Culture invests $400,000 in Street Art

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Seven arts organizations awarded funding for Spatial Justice through Street Art  

This summer the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) launches the Spatial Justice through Street Art as its first project under Mayor Harrell’s exciting Many Hands Art Initiative. ARTS in partnership with the Seattle Office of Economic Development is awarding $400,000 to fund seven arts organizations to create street murals across the city that reflect our city-wide values of creativity, and belonging through arts. 

“Seattle has always been known for its world-class arts scene, and we are tapping into our artists and creative organizations to help us envision our city as a canvas where arts are present in every community, starting with our streetscapes. Our Many Hands Art Initiative recognizes that public art is a powerful tool for expression and can also be an effective deterrent for unwanted graffiti and tagging which harms our communities. This new investment in street art will channel creative energy into a positive outlet, building new opportunities for local artists and visionaries to make public art that reflects our city’s values while also adding vibrancy and character to our neighborhoods.”     

Mayor Harrell

“Seattle is an innovator in art and engaging new voices in the art communities. Street art is a natural evolution of the work of connecting art, artists, and the public through a lens of artistic excellence with race and social justice. Continuing to invest in these local arts organizations contributes to the art sector’s economy and the overall social cohesion in our city.  Spatial Justice through Street Art is a model on how to engage, revitalize and invest in our city.”

royal alley-barnes, Interim Director of the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

Murals will be created across the city including Ballard/Interbay, Bitter Lake, Downtown Seattle, Rainier Beach, and SODO. Spatial Justice through Street Art seeks to create new public artworks, provide funding opportunities for creative workers and encourage youth voices in the program to explore and create street art. The selected organizations will create 2D works, foster community among street artists, and create equitable and collaborative spaces to nurture emerging voices. 

“Art is one of the most powerful ways to express human emotions and experience. It’s also an important sector in our economy, and foundational to upholding the vibrancy, creativity, and innovative spirit of Seattle. We are proud to make this investment to support local artists. I am also looking forward to seeing the fabulous murals across the City that will activate public space, spark ideas and conversation, and make our City more colorful.” 

Markham McIntyre, Director of the Seattle Office of Economic Development

Under the Office of Arts & Culture direction, Spatial Justice through Street Art will engage with artists, businesses, volunteers, and others to activate spaces with art, mitigating and preventing graffiti. Approaching increased graffiti activity through a spatial justice lens means creating opportunities for these new voices – as street artists –to work with community and create new visuals – murals throughout the city upon agreed sites.  

Spatial Justice Street Art Awardees are: 

$60,000, 206 Universal: 206 Universal will partner with SCIDpda to install street art on their new affordable housing building. 206 Zulu’s Off the Wall program has held street art events over the last decade at this project site (on the now demolished building), following a legacy of urban art at this address since the 1970s.  

$60,000, Arte De Cruz: Arte De Cruz will create a Street Artist Development Program with artists. Workshops, events and art shows will be held at the Bemis Building in SODO with a main collaborative project of five indoor public murals themed with spatial and social justice issues and our human experience commonality. 

$50,000, By Any Means Productions: By Any Means Production will lead a workshop, learning the history of graffiti art and the role it has played through time as a platform of expression for marginalized communities. Murals will be created on wood panels.   

$60,000, Coyote Central: Coyote Central will partner with Future Arts, resulting in an anchored 2D mural with augmented reality elements. Youth will work side-by-side with mentors to design the 2D mural and program the animation behind each code. Mural will be created digitally and printed on vinyl. 

$50,000, Seattle Artist Coalition for Equitable Development: The Seattle Artist Coalition for Equitable Development will create a mural led by an artist apprentice who will work with creatives, volunteers and engage community partners.  

$60,000, Urban ArtWorks: Urban Artworks will produce three Mural Apprentice Program (MAP) sessions over the spring, summer, and fall of 2023, resulting in three new public artworks at multiple geographic locations. 

$60,000, VIVID MATTER COLLECTIVE (VMC): VMC Skill Shop will provide a series of workshop modules for youth participants, culminating in a showcase. Participants will explore and produce murals, as well as streetwear and customized sneakers. 

Spatial Justice through Street Art was created by the Office of Arts & Culture as an avenue for artists to play a critical role in the healing fabric of our city. Art in the public realm engages our imagination, inspires us, changes us, and builds on the work of recovery, resilience, and renewal. Designing and funding programs for artists that benefit our community is fundamental to sustaining the health and vitality of the city. 

TeenTix Arts News Roundup: March Edition

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The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is partnering with TeenTix to publish a bi-monthly round-up of arts and cultural events. The partnership supports and provides additional outlets for teen expressions in media. TeenTix programs create a place for teens to process, interpret, reflect, and think critically about the content they engage with through professional journalism and podcasting, and in-school arts criticism training. TeenTix and ARTS support and uplift youth voices in media to empower students while fostering future writers and content creators. Read more work by youth at teentix.org. 

Take a peek at some of their recent features below: 

Talking About It Plainly With Debra Ann Byrd 

A review of The World’s a Stage: Becoming Othello, A Black Girl’s Journey at Seattle Shakespeare Company 
By Kyle Gerstel 

Photo by Lia Chang; Courtesy of TeenTix

“Debra Ann Byrd deserves your attention—don’t worry, she’ll get it. A prolific writer, performer, and artistic director, Byrd is a theatre artist with a wardrobe of many hats and stories to share.” 

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The Musical Language of Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto 

Review of Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto at Town Hall Seattle 
By Miriam Gaster 

Photo of Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto performing at Town Hall Seattle by Sasha Bailey; Courtesy of TeenTix 

“Sitting in the pews of Town Hall Seattle, it felt as if I could physically breathe in the sound of the jazz quintet, Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto. The venue’s dim lighting and warm atmosphere complemented the quintet’s style well, and the open seating encouraged a sense of community within the audience, a vital aspect of the personal nature of the quintet’s music. The pieces Jovino Santos Neto Quinteto composes and performs are their own language; combining jazz and traditional Brazilian music, each instrument is simultaneously percussion and melody. By the end of the set, the audience felt comfortable in the space the quintet created, creating a distinctive musical atmosphere and reminding us of the joys of human connection.” 

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The Delicate Magic of “Into the Woods” 

Review of Into The Woods at The 5th Avenue Theater 
By Kyle Gerstel 

Shanelle Nicole Leonard, Shaunyce Omar, Trina Mills, and Sarah Russell in Into the Woods at The 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo Credit: Tracy Martin; Photo courtesy of TeenTix 

“Into the Woods is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed musicals of all time, and for good reason: Stephen Sondheim’s intricate lyricism and James Lapine’s witty book tickle audiences of all ages and appeal to both the heart and head. The 5th Avenue Theatre’s rendition of the show allows audiences to appreciate the text’s ingenuity, but some of the magic is unfortunately lost.” 

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People Have the Patti 

Review of Patti Smith presented by Seattle Arts and Lectures 
By Elle Vonada 

Headshot of Patti Smith by Steven Sebring; Courtesy of TeenTix

“Patti Lee Smith is recognized as a legend in the music community. She made her musical debut in the mid-1970s in New York City with her first album Horses. Smith’s first major recognition came when she was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone. She came to Town Hall Seattle on December 2 as part of her book tour for A Book of Days, which came out on November 15. She gave a captivating performance as she alternated between different media. In her presentation, she told entertaining anecdotes alongside a slideshow, answered prepared questions from notecards, and performed a few songs with her guitarist. Smith’s innate sense of humor just added to the evening’s entertainment.” 

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The Tang of Lemon and Weight of Cinder Blocks 

Review of Thank You For Coming: Space at On the Boards 
By Daphne Bunker 

Photo by © 2023 Bruce Clayton Tom.; Courtesy of TeenTix

“Before the show begins, sitting in the audience of Thank You For Coming: Space is like being surrounded by an immersive “I Spy” game. The stage is a white rectangle, with two rows of audience chairs around the perimeter, a raised set of tables on one end, and an opening in the seats on the other. Ropes crisscross in the air, tied to chair legs and slung high above on overhead bars. There’s a lemon suspended in the air, microphones, a bundle of leaves, and a bell too, all hanging over people’s heads as theatergoers trickle in from the lobby. A block of clay sits on a corner, and a pair of Doc Martens with wires duct taped to them lie resting on the floor.” 

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Read more arts and culture reviews on the TeenTix blog and stay tuned for more roundups coming soon!