King Street Station. Photo curtesy of ZGF Architects, Benjamin Benschneider.

Join us in welcoming the newest Office of Arts & Culture team members!

Adetola Abatan, Public Art Project Manager (She/Her)

Adetola Abatan is an artist, musician, curator, engineer, and arts leader based in Seattle, WA. She believes visual art amplifies her inner voice and articulates her musings on race, gender, faith, and identity. Her collage artworks have featured in the Seattle Deconstructed Art Fair at Wa Na Wari, Meloy Gallery, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, Mini Mart City Park, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art and PublicDisplay.Art magazine.

Adetola curated the 2022 Blue is Our Color exhibit in the Hedreen Gallery as well as the 2023 Future Cosmologies exhibit at Mad Art Gallery. She holds an MFA in Arts Leadership from Seattle University as well as a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

Virginia Frances, Operations Manager (She/Her)

Virginia is excited to be back at ARTS for the second time. The first was for a 1-year special project on loan from Parks & Recreation to lead ARTS’s re-location to King Street Station and coordinate the opening of the public gallery and community space. Now as our Operations Manager she’ll be leading internal systems process improvements so that ARTS can operate at it’s finest!
 
Virginia holds a Master of Social Work with a focus on systems and community centered practice. Her professional background is an eclectic mix of direct service social work, grants and contract administration, HR, project management, and organizational change management for both the nonprofit and city sector. Ultimately, she enjoys working collaboratively to improve systems while keeping a pulse on equity and community impact. Outside of work, Virginia loves spending time outdoors (both land and sea), perusing thrift shops, and soaking up art spaces. Her creative expression often shows up through her passion for fashion — especially if it’s vintage!

Jesse Jimenez, Public Art Project Manager (They/Them)

Jesse Jimenez is passionate about creating spaces where art and community connect. As a Public Art Project Manager for the City of Seattle, Jesse is dedicated to making public art an integral part of daily life. Their journey spans from public health to leading public engagement programs at major museums. These experiences have strengthened Jesse’s belief that public art should reflect the people and communities it serves.

Jesse is a strong advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging—not only in the art itself but throughout the creative process. Whether working with local artists, organizing community events, or managing budgets, Jesse approaches every project with transparency, collaboration, and a deep respect for community voices. They are excited to bring their energy and expertise to the ARTS team, continuing to foster spaces that are both welcoming and meaningful.