ARTS’ new program, Created Commons, launches as a part of the City of Seattle’s Welcome Back Weeks, July 12 – 26. In partnership with the Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Seattle Parks and Recreation, ARTS’ new Created Commons initiative transforms outdoor spaces across Seattle into venues for spectacular temporary arts and cultural extravaganzas. The program will kick-off as part of the Welcome Back Weeks festivities featuring three large-scale events throughout downtown Seattle. 

Experience local artists and creatives as they revamp our streets, parks, and plazas into once-in-a-lifetime summer events featuring live music, dance, performance, public art installations, and interactive activities. Bring your family, loved ones, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and pets to join outdoor festivities celebrating the strength of our community. 

Kicking Off Welcome Back Weeks 

Created Commons has teamed up with the City’s Welcome Back Weeks to bring you dazzling events in Chinatown-International District, Pioneer Square, and Westlake. Each site will feature unique programming blending sensory musical and performative arts by hometown favorites like Hollis, Massive Monkees, the Black Tones, Chong the Nomad, Party Hat Gallery, Totem Star, and many more! 

The full schedule can be found below: 

Welcome Back to the Chinatown-International District 

When: Saturday, July 17, and Sunday, July 18, 11am – 7pm
Where: Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Facebook Event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/501602897797226/
FREE

Saturday, July 17:
– 11am: Chinese Association, Drill Team, Martial Art Demo  
– 12:15pm: Chrysalis Circus  
– 1pm: Massive Monkees  
– 2pm: Daniel Pak & Totem Star (FRESA and Kiddus Fecto)  
– 3pm: Guma’ Gela’  
– 4pm: Chrysalis Circus  
– 6pm: Chong the Nomad  
– Activities & Pop-Ups: Free screen printing from Party Hat Gallery, Self Defense Class, SFD Vaccine Pop-Up  

Sunday, July 18:
– 11am: Lion Dance  
– 12pm: Totem Star (Grae Violett, Lily Indigo, and Yung Fuego)  
– 1pm: Chrysalis Circus  
– 1:45pm: Bleachbear  
– 3pm: Guma’ Gela’  
– 3:30pm: Chrysalis Circus  
– 4pm: Evan Flory Barnes  
– 6pm: Hollis  
– Activities & Pop-Ups: Free screen printing from Party Hat Gallery, Self Defense Class, SFD Vaccine Pop-Up  

Welcome Back to Pioneer Square 

When: Saturday, July 24, 10:30am – 3pm 
Where: Occidental Square, 117 S Washington St, Seattle, WA 98104
Facebook Event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/794228654626124/
FREE

– 10:30am: Busking 
– 11:30pm: Totem Star (Sharmaine and Haley Graves) 
– 12pm: Shenandoah Davis 
– 1pm: Shaina Shepherd 
– 2pm: The Black Tones 
– Activities & Pop-Ups: Pasquale Santos, Guma’ Gela’, ‘Found Fashion’ Exhibition with Path with Art, Party Hat Gallery, Vaccine Pop-Up 

Welcome Back to Westlake  

When: Sunday, July 25, 12 – 9pm. 
Where: Westlake Park, 401 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
Facebook Event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/182243897197246/
FREE 

Enjoy “Halloween in July” festivities featuring live performances from local artists, fresh eats from food trucks, trick-or-treating, and a special surprise sunset concert with the one and only Digable Planets!

• 12 – 4pm: Trick-or-Treating
• 12pm: UP UP UP Inc.
• 1pm: Fraggle Rock Crew
• 1:45pm: SANCA Seattle Cirrus Circus
• 2pm Taqueet$ Thriller Dance Class
• 2:15pm: El Vez, The Mexican Elvis
• 3:30pm: Teatro ZinZanni
• 4pm: Costume Awards
• 4:30pm: Totem Star (ZoserOfficial and Mirabai Kukathas)
• 8pm: Sunset Headliner – Digable Planets
• Activities & Pop-Ups: lelavision, Costume Contest, Face Painting, free screen printing from Party Hat Gallery, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, Stilt Walkers, Carnival Games, Food Trucks, Vaccine Pop-Up
  See you there!

There’s no better way to end our #WelcomeBackSeattle events than with a special performance by renowned hip hop trio, Digable Planets! Join the festivities at Westlake Park from 12 – 9 pm and stay tuned as Digable Planets hit the stage at 8 p.m.

You can learn more about the Welcome Back Weeks here: https://www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19/recovery  

---

Created Commons Neighborhood Edition 

Created Commons is partnering with the Seattle Department of Transportation to bring you unique sensory experiences in public space blending temporary public art installations, music, dance, and interactive activities all curated by local artists and collectives like Tariqa Waters of Martyr Sauce, Northwest Tap Connection, Monyee Chau, DK Pan, Guma Gela, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, La Sala, LelaVision, and more. Neighborhood locations include Othello, Rainier Beach, Westwood, Pioneer Square, and Chinatown-International District. 

Follow us on social media or subscribe to our blog to stay up to date. We can’t wait to see you! 

The Formation of Created Commons as a Response to COVID-19 

With COVID-19’s devastating impacts on Seattle’s economy—specifically, Seattle’s arts and culture sector—ARTS partnered with the Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Seattle Parks & Recreation to create more opportunities for artists. Building on the momentum of Stay Healthy Streets, Stay Healthy Blocks, and Safe Starts Permits for outdoor dining and retail; Created Commons was formed to bring cultural and artistic activation to Seattle’s streets, sidewalks, plazas, and parks.  

Modeled after New York City’s Open Culture program, Created Commons transforms outdoor space across Seattle into venues for temporary visual and performance art. Seattle’s Created Commons program will employ artists throughout the summer and fall months of 2021 to enliven public space for community resiliency and economic recovery. This program is a central workforce development strategy to the economic and civic recovery our City needs to rebuild by centering collective well-being, mental health, and employing cultural workers. All programming will follow King County Public Health (KCPH) guidelines.