Alice Gosti and MALACARNE perform “Chapter 2” on the Seattle Monorail Artists at the Center is a multi-year collaboration between Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and Seattle Center, with support from Uptown Arts & Culture Coalition and the communities surrounding the Seattle Center campus. This program is made possible by a 10-year community benefit grant from Climate Pledge Arena and Seattle Kraken, starting in 2021.
Artists at the Center funds individual artists, arts collectives, community groups, and organizations to develop and present pop-ups throughout the year at Seattle Center. Artistic genres may include music, dance, theater, demonstrations, and multi-disciplinary work. Pop-ups will be scheduled between October 2026 and September 2027. Awarded participants will receive either $2,000, $4,000, or $6,000 in funding based on the artist/group size and complexity of scope. Awardees from the current season (2025-2026) are not eligible to apply for the upcoming 2026-2027 season.
For more details, please read the full guidelines. They are also available in these languages:
Due Date
Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 5 PM Pacific
Please allow ample time to complete and submit your application. Applications submitted after the 5 PM Pacific deadline will not be accepted.
Eligibility
- You are an individual, organization, or community group that regularly presents arts and cultural-based activations in Seattle.
- You reside in King County or unincorporated King County within Washington state.
- Organizations and individual artists representing communities most impacted by systemic oppression including low-income, people with disabilities, immigrant and refugee communities, and communities of color are encouraged to apply.
- You have a Federal Tax ID number (Social Security Number, ITIN, or Employee Identification Number).
- Groups applying are not required to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nor are they required to use a fiscal sponsor or fiscal agent.
- You may submit only one application per cycle to this program.
- Multiple applicants cannot submit separate applications for the same pop-up.
- Awardees from the current season (2025-2026) are not eligible to apply for the 2026-2027 season.
Timeline
This timeline is an estimate and is subject to change.
- March 10, 2026 (10 AM Pacific): Application opens
- April 21, 2026 (5 PM Pacific): Application closes
- May-July 2026: Peer panel review process
- August 2026: Applicants notified of funding decisions
- August 2026: Awardee orientation and contracting
- October 2026 – September 2027: Artists at the Center performances take place,
invoicing occurs, and final reporting is submitted.
Funding
You can apply for the following levels of funding:
- $2,000 award (typically 1-2 performers), plus $780 in-kind production support from Seattle Center
- $4,000 award (typically 3-5 performers), plus $1,420 in-kind production support from Seattle Center
- $6,000 award (typically 6+ performers), plus $1,865 in-kind production support from Seattle Center
Information Sessions
Learn more about the program and how to submit your best application.
Information Session 1 (Virtual)
Thursday, March 19, 5-6:30 p.m. (Pacific)
Virtual: Microsoft Teams
RSVP to March 19
Information Session 2 (Virtual)
Saturday, April 11, 10-11:30 a.m. (Pacific)
Virtual: Microsoft Teams
RSVP to April 11
Contact
For information and assistance with the application, eligibility or online technical support, please contact Zach Frimmel, Project Manager for Artists at the Center, at 206-963-9226 or Zach.Frimmel@seattle.gov.
If you don’t have computer or internet access, contact the Project Manager as soon as possible. They need at least two (2) weeks before the application due date to provide accommodations.
We have interpreters who can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language (via video). Just call us and tell us what language you speak. Expect a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.
