30 artists and organizations will bring their proposals to life
In the wake of the global pandemic and resulting economic crisis, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) created Hope Corps, an economic recovery program connecting under- and unemployed workers in the creative industries with career opportunities that benefit the public. ARTS will award 30 artists and organizations a total of $1.3 million dollars through its Hope Corps program.
Hope Corps is a work program created to provide economic and social opportunities for Seattle’s extensive creative workforce. Inspired in part by the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration, it employs artists and cultural and creative workers whose ability to work has been disrupted due to COVID-19.
“Awardees presented proposals that are outstanding and inspiring in their scope, creativity and potential impact on our city. We believe that these projects will inspire and serve as examples to public and private funders in the region regarding what can be achieved if you work with the community to move us all forward.”
Mayor Bruce Harrell
The 30 Hope Corps proposals were selected based on the ability to generate career opportunities for the local creative workforce and successfully address one or more of the six Hope Corps focus areas: public health, mental health and healing, food security, storytelling, social connection and belonging, and arts education. Panelists also evaluated how projects proposed to engage creative workers, audiences, and the community from Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian and diaspora, immigrant, refugee, and other unserved and underserved communities. Additional key elements of the selection process gauged proposals’ ability to complete their projects and artistry exhibited through work samples.
“I am so pleased and grateful to have been selected for the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture’s (ARTS) Hope Corps program. With the City’s generous support, I look forward to creating work that Seattle residents, workers and visitors will hopefully enjoy and gain a great deal from in the future.”
Helen K. Thomas
Awardees will work with ARTS staff to refine their projects’ scope of work. These Hope Corps projects will begin in 2022 and continue through 2023. A full list of awardees can be found below.
Hope Corps Awardees 2022
- Anna Banana Freeze
- Bennyroyce Royon
- Casa Surya Healings
- Christina Dietz
- danceDaigre
- David Toledo
- Experience Learning Community dba MoPOP
- Futsum Tsegai
- Grace Athena Flott
- Helen K. Thomas
- Ian Shearer
- J.R. Rhodes
- Jean-Paul Builes
- Jeffrey Lee Cheatham II
- Julian Peña
- Miya Sukune
- Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery
- Phillippia Goldsmith / PhillySoCreative
- Resilient In Sustaining Empowerment (RISE)
- Shelf Life Community Story Project
- Shin Yu Pai
- Sound Theatre Company
- Stewart Wong
- Sway and Swoon DJ Collective
- The Shattered Glass Project
- Timothy White Eagle / TWE ARTS
- Totem Star
- Urban Artworks
- Wa Na Wari
- Yes, Ma! Market
Here’s What Awardees Are Saying
“It’s sinking in. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I learned so much through the application process. So appreciate the mindfulness of it. Looking forward to our partnership.”
J.R. Rhodes
“WOW. I am so flooded with emotion — thank you from the bottom of my heart for this award! I am completely overwhelmed. You have no idea what this support means to me right now. Words cannot express how grateful I am to be able to continue this work. I can’t wait to get into the details of the project with you all and please accept my heartfelt appreciation. This opportunity is life-changing. Thank you to each of you and all the members of the jury.”
Grace A. Flott
This program is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
