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Public Art Quarterly: Winter Edition

Most of us take time in December to reflect and look back at the last year and seek some form of closure. The Public Art Division may look back and reflect on how our year went, but our projects don’t follow a fiscal year or Gregorian calendar. They move in… [ Keep reading ]

Art on the Waterfront

Publicly-sited artwork projects anchor the new Waterfront Park along Seattle’s central waterfront. As 2025 draws to a close, a visitor to Seattle’s transformed waterfront can view 9 site-specific artwork projects and two fountain re-installations that illustrate the City’s commitment to including art throughout the new park, and the connections leading… [ Keep reading ]

Douglass-Truth 50th Anniversary Renaming Celebration

Everyone is invited to join The Seattle Public Library’s Douglass-Truth Branch on Saturday, Dec. 13, from 12-5 p.m. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of being renamed to reflect its community. Enjoy all-ages activities such as a Garfield Jazz Quartet performance, take a branch history tour, and learn about the branch’s… [ Keep reading ]

Artist Highlight: A conversation with Vivian Cho

We spoke with 2025 Bridge Artist in Residence Vivian Cho about their background and insights into their unique residency at the University Bridge. Read on to learn more! Vivian Cho (she/they/he) is an interdisciplinary visual designer and artist based in Seattle who is passionate about storytelling through motion. Driven by… [ Keep reading ]

2025 Planning and Outreach Artists Selected

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (OAC), in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) selected two artists to conduct meaningful community engagement as part of future public art opportunities. These projects are extensions of a comprehensive community outreach approach. Centered in South and West Seattle, the projects concern issues… [ Keep reading ]

Building a Creative Trust: Gülgün Kayim and Seattle’s Cultural Blueprint

Our Director, Gülgün Kayim, is featured in the latest issue of AMA Magazine #373. She talks about how we’re working in Seattle to embed arts and culture into the city’s systems—from real estate and zoning, to public art, youth engagement, and economic resilience. As Director of Arts & Culture for… [ Keep reading ]

Public Art Quarterly: Fall Edition

Summer is when many of us spend more time outdoors at events and activities that draw us to different corners of the city. Our Public Art division also gets outside, installing and updating artworks to provide new ways to explore our city through art. From youth curators in our Fresh… [ Keep reading ]

Artist Highlight: A conversation with Janet Nechama Miller

We spoke with teaching artist and 2025 Fresh Perspectives lead artist, Janet Nechama Miller, about their background and insights on the program, leading up to the youth-curated show You, Me, & Everything Between Us. Read on to learn more.  Janet is an artist and teacher based in Seattle, WA. Their… [ Keep reading ]

Downtown is Vibrant: 2025 So Far

For the second year of Mayor Bruce Harrell’s Downtown Activation Plan (DAP), the Office of Arts & Culture has worked to lift up the arts and culture sector as a critical piece of a revitalized downtown. Earlier this year, we hosted “Downtown is Vibrant,” an event to share with community our… [ Keep reading ]

“Family” on the Waterfront: Honoring Coast Salish Heritage Through Art

Three commanding new figures now stand in a planter on Waterfront Park’s promenade, near Pier 58, gazing across Elliott Bay toward the gravesite of Chief Sealth, Seattle’s namesake. These carved cedar sculptures are the work of Qwalsius-Shaun Peterson (Puyallup) and represent a mother, father, and child, together titled Family. Anchoring… [ Keep reading ]