The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS), in partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), is thrilled to announce the selected artists for the 2025 SDOT Bridge Artist in Residence (AiR) Program — a program that’s as unique as the spaces it inhabits. Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Freyja Whitney and Vivian Cho, the two animation artists who will be taking over the historic towers of the Fremont and University Bridges!

Art Meets Infrastructure 

Now in full swing, the Bridge AiR Program invites artists to embed themselves—literally—into two of Seattle’s iconic bridge towers: 

• The Fremont Bridge (built in 1917 and rising an average of 35 times a day) 

• The University Bridge (built in 1919 and once dedicated by President FDR himself) 

Both towers offer unique workspaces, complete with canal views, overhead lighting, and old-school bridge charm. But this isn’t just about cozy towers and scenic outlooks, it’s about transforming our historic infrastructure into platforms for creative storytelling. 

And this year, we’re animating the possibilities, literally. The 2025 residency focuses on animation in all its glorious forms: stop motion, anime, 3D, rotoscoping, you name it. Why animation? Because it’s a powerhouse of storytelling, unbounded by gravity, physics, or reality. Animation allows artists to reimagine our bridges, communities, and histories in wildly inventive and deeply moving ways. Whether it’s a looping GIF or a full-on digital projection, animation invites everyone to see Seattle’s landmarks through a new, imaginative lens. 

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Meet the 2025 Bridge Artists in Residence 

Freyja Whitney (She/They), Fremont Bridge 

Fun Fact: Once animated a music video using a surreal rotoscoping technique based on open-source software! 

Freyja is a trans-femme creative force based right here in Seattle. With a background in graphic design and digital media from Western Washington University, she’s spent the last seven years animating everything from branding reels to short films. Her work is thoughtful, richly layered, and deeply connected to community—just check out her animated explainer series for Historic South Downtown, which made navigating Seattle’s transit changes actually fun (and accessible!). 

Freyja’s animations explore themes like gender identity, industrialization, and climate change—often wrapped in dreamlike visuals and architectural surrealism. Whether it’s a horror short or a documentary like Savi the Cat (screened at Tribeca, no big deal), she brings a holistic, emotional, and wildly creative approach to everything she touches.

 Vivian Cho (She/He/They), University Bridge 

Fun Fact: Started animating on stapled paper as a kid and now designs motion graphics for Netflix.  

Vivian is a multi-talented artist and recent graduate of University of Washington’s Visual Communication Design program. Their artistic spark was lit by 1980s Chinese cartoons and has since evolved into a unique blend of analog charm and cutting-edge digital design. Whether it’s 2D vector animation, 3D experiments, or student-run gallery shows, Vivian brings curiosity, heart, and a love for storytelling to all they do. 

Their summer 2024 internship at Netflix as the first-ever Motion Design Intern speaks volumes, but they’re just getting started. At the Jacob Lawrence Gallery, Vivian has already been shaking things up with motion-based identity design, all while organizing student art exhibitions and making space for community-driven creativity.

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Behind the Scenes: Artist Selection Process 

This year’s artist selection was no small feat. Our panel of arts professionals spent three months reviewing 33 amazing applications, each packed with animation reels, artist statements, and thoughtful proposals. After rigorous review and interviews, Freyja and Vivian rose to the top, not only for their artistic talent, but for their bold ideas, strong community focus, and potential to grow through this unique opportunity. 

What’s Next?

Over the course of their residencies, Freyja and Vivian will dream, animate, and engage with the public, all from their bridge tower studios. Expect short films, community-driven projects, maybe even a few delightful surprises on your next walk across the Ship Canal.  

Stay tuned for sneak peeks, project updates, and public events by following us on our social channels and signing up for our newsletter.