Join us in celebrating the recent recipients of Hope Corps, CityArtist, and Artist at the Center. A total of $1,199,347 was awarded to 74 artists and organizations through the three Seattle Office of Arts & Culture opportunities. Learn more about each award and see the full list of grantees below.
Hope Corps: 23 Artists and Organizations Receive a Total of $853,347
The 2025 Hope Corps program is part of Mayor Bruce Harrell’s Downtown Activation Plan and will support an exciting range of free, artist-led public offerings throughout the year. Envisioned as an economic recovery program for Seattle’s creative workforce, Hope Corps seeks to connect under- and unemployed artists and creative workers with career opportunities that contribute to the well-being of Seattle.
2025 projects will focus on these downtown neighborhoods: Belltown, Chinatown-International District, Central Downtown, Denny Triangle, Pioneer Square, and Stadium District.
Valerie Tran from Friends of Little Sài Gòn says, “Through funding from Hope Corps, we’re able to plan and execute events to commemorate 50 years since the end of the war in Vietnam while activating Hoa Mai Park, the first public green space in Seattle’s Little Saigon neighborhood. We hope that these activations bring the Vietnamese community in the Greater Seattle Area together while sharing knowledge to residents and visitors of the Downtown core about our rich history and growth.”
2025 Hope Corps Recipients
These 23 artists and organizations received a total of $853,347 for their projects:
- A Space Inside for The Summer Showcase
- Big World Breaks for Beat our Future
- Don’t Run Art Marathon
- EnJoy Productions for Seattle Street Theater Production
- Freeway Park Association for Meeting at the Balance: Equinox Arts Events
- Friends of Little Sài Gòn (FLS) for Film + Exhibit: 50 Years After the Vietnam War: Community Reflections in Seattle’s Little Saigon
- Angie Hinojos for Cabinet of Curiosities
- Jackson Street Music Program for Jazz In The City
- Jackson Street Jazz Trail Committee for Jazz Trail Audio Tour
- Karin Stevens Dance for Sea Change Within Us
- Kathya Alexander for Civil Rights Matter
- Mo’ Jam Presents for Reimagining Downtown Seattle: Mo’ Jam’s Cultural Renaissance
- The Rhapsody Project & Lady A Productions for “One Soul Seattle” Concert Series
- Seattle Jazz Fellowship for Live Jazz in Seattle
- Seattle Sustainable Fashion Collective for Sustainable Style Series
- Sofiya Idris for Shaah Iyo Sheeko Podcast (Tea and Talk)
- Teresa Thuman for Seattle Disability Arts + Pride Festival
- Totem Star for Totem Star Youth Artist Showcase
- Vivid Matter Collective for Art to The People
- Washington Capoeira Center for Downtown Capoeira
- WashMasks Mutual Aid for Que Calor! Farmworker & Climate Justice Pachanga
- Windz of Change Alliance for We Art Indigenous!
- Wing Luke Memorial Foundation for Wing Luke Museum’s Lunar New Year Fair, JamFest, & Hai! Japantown
“Hope Corps makes it possible for us to support local musicians, provide for unsheltered neighbors, and share the music of the season with everyone,” said Joe Seamons of The Rhapsody Project on his partnership with singer Lady A. “We’re grateful for the chance to bring this meaningful series to the heart of our city.”
CityArtist: 30 Artists Receive a Total of $240,000
The 2025 CityArtist grant supports Seattle-based individual artists/curators in the research, development, and presentation of creative work. Awards are set at $8,000 for a two-year contract to realize a body of work with a public presentation.
The program is open to a different cluster of artistic disciplines in alternating years. These 30 artists received a total of $240,000 for their work in dance, music, and theater/play writing:
2025 City Artist Recipients
- Demetri Ravi Albright
- Brysen Angeles
- Sheriyah B
- Kara Beadle
- Samantha Boshnack
- Codjo Cakpo-Gbokou
- Dakota Camacho
- rose cano
- Harrison Clark
- Hanna Eady
- Quinn Hallenbeck
- Gary Hammon
- Akoiya Harris
- Joshua Kohl
- Afua Kouyate
- Kate Landis
- Jeff Leisawitz
- Daniel Napelee
- Lucia Neare
- Varian Oatman
- Kassa Overall
- Michael Owcharuk
- Jenny Peterson
- Jonathan Rodriguez
- Mario Sibaja Vargas
- Kisha Vaughan
- Jacqueline Ware
- Pamela Yasutake
- Nikki Yeboah
- Maritess Zurbano
Artists at the Center: 21 Artists and Organizations Receive a Total of $106,000
Artists at the Center is a multi-year collaboration between Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) and Seattle Center, with support from Uptown Arts & Culture Coalition and the communities adjacent to Seattle Center campus. The project is made possible by a 10-year grant from Climate Pledge Arena and Seattle Kraken.
Artists are given a performance opportunity on the Seattle Center campus, allowing them to connect with new audiences, display their talents and advance their careers. Visitors to campus and the surrounding neighborhood benefit from surprising and delightful pop-up performances throughout the year.
These 21 artists received a total of $106,000:
2024/25 Artists at the Center Recipients
- Alice Gosti | MALACARNE
- Bahia in Motion LLC
- Canvas of Hope Foundation
- Ceatl Tonalli
- Day Soul Exquisite
- Dekoboko Taiko
- Heidi Grace Acuña
- Ihaw-Ihaw Jam
- Issa Man
- Jahnvi Madan
- krubel amare
- Lady A and Shakura S’Aida
- marco farroni leonardo
- ONi Arts Collective
- Pamela Yasutake
- Project Convergence
- Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity
- Seattle Opera
- Shaudi Vahdat
- SIFF
- Thistle Theatre Inc
