Ryan Feddersen Interview Imagine the hidden world of water systems, told through the voices of the people, cultures, and communities connected to it. The Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), is bringing that idea to life through a new documentary series for the Ship Canal Water Quality Project (SCWQP).
Created by Tidelands, an Indigenous-owned production studio and gallery based in downtown Seattle, this project blends cinematic storytelling, public art, and infrastructure into something you can connect with. Rolling out between 2025 and 2028, the series will feature six short videos released on City platforms. These stories pull back the curtain on one of Seattle’s most important environmental projects to reveal not just how it works, but why it matters.
At the center of it all is Indigenous storytelling. Led by Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip), Tidelands brings a bold, community-rooted approach that honors Coast Salish knowledge and the deep cultural relationships to water in this region. Wilbur’s work, including the landmark Project 562, has helped redefine how Indigenous stories are documented and shared across North America. The Tideland team brings the same powerful storytelling to the table for this project.
The series will feature a dynamic mix of voices from SPU engineers and environmental advocates, to artists and community members. You’ll hear directly from artists like RYAN! Feddersen (Colville Tribes), Preston Singletary (Tlingit), David Franklin, and Vaughn Bell, whose work along the SCWQP explores water, ecology, and place in creative and unexpected ways.
Currently in pre-production, the project will soon move into filming across SCWQP sites, capturing stories on the ground (and beneath it). An animated segment breaking down Seattle’s wastewater system will also be part of the mix, because even infrastructure can be fascinating.
Stay tuned as the project unfolds, and get ready to experience how storytelling, infrastructure, and public art come together.
