On Jan. 21, 2026, Mayor Katie Wilson announced Amy Nguyen as the acting director of the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. Amy returns to us after working as our Public Art Director and Interim Deputy Director. Below is her vision and priorities for this new role.

Seattle’s arts and cultural sector is essential to the city’s identity, economic vitality, and quality of life. The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (OAC) plays a vital role in stewarding this ecosystem, ensuring that arts and culture remain accessible and sustainable across Seattle.

I step into this role at a time of both opportunity and challenge. Seattle continues to navigate affordability pressures and fiscal constraints, while the cultural sector faces ongoing structural instability. These realities make thoughtful stewardship, strong partnerships, and sustained civic leadership more important than ever.

Building on Our Strengths

My leadership builds upon the ARTS Strategic Plan 2025-2030 and reflects a commitment to continuity, collaboration, and organizational strength. I will prioritize supporting staff, strengthening partnerships with City leadership and community organizations, and ensuring that OAC remains a trusted and effective public institution.

Arts and culture are also essential to education and the development of creative and critical thinking skills. As Seattle navigates the evolving role of innovation in our economy, preparing young people to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively is fundamental to future-proofing our city.

Leadership Principles

My leadership will be guided by the following principles:

• Stewardship and Continuity: Building upon existing strengths while ensuring long-term sustainability.
• Partnership and Collaboration: Working across City departments and with community partners to advance shared goals.
• Cultural Equity and Access: Advancing racial equity and ensuring equitable access to cultural opportunity.
• Organizational Strength: Supporting staff and strengthening OAC’s effectiveness and stability.
• Civic Integration of Culture: Ensuring culture is recognized and supported as an essential civic asset.

Culture as Civic Infrastructure

Culture plays a foundational role in shaping vibrant, connected, and resilient communities. Artists and cultural organizations animate neighborhoods, activate public spaces, and support local businesses, helping ensure that Seattle remains a city where people from diverse backgrounds can thrive.

That’s why OAC supports this work by partnering with artists, cultural organizations, and City departments to integrate culture across civic life. Strengthening this cultural infrastructure and focusing on creative placemaking directly contributes to Seattle’s affordability and economic resilience.

Strategic Focus for 2026-7

The initial phase of my tenure will focus on strengthening organizational stability, supporting key Mayoral administration initiatives to address affordability and livability, and reinforcing OAC’s role as a trusted civic partner. This includes supporting cultural activation efforts associated with major civic initiatives and ensuring that OAC has the capacity needed to sustain its work over the long term.

As part of this effort, OAC will develop a Cultural Action Plan to focus and prioritize the work ahead. The goal is to translate shared aspirations for arts and culture into clear areas of action, while identifying the funding, capacity, and partnerships needed to support them. Just as importantly, this effort will help clarify where gaps exist today and how stronger collaboration, deeper community engagement, and new investment can help close them.

I look forward to working with you as we continue building a vibrant and sustainable cultural future for the city. I’m available for community office hours the last Friday of every month, 10 AM to noon.