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ARTS at King Street Station Reopens with “Close to Home” Exhibit

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ARTS at King Street Station is proud to announce its official reopening with the exhibit, Close to Home, on view from July 22 through August 14, 2021. 

Created by 14 BIPOC artists, this exhibit showcases artworks that explore definitions of “home” using abstract and literal representations of their experiences of home and place. 

About the Exhibit:

Close to Home challenges audiences to think intentionally about the idea of “home” through the use of paint, sculpture, quilting, and textural arts. The representations of “home” also span depictions of historical artifacts, to abstract illustrations, to what home might look like in the future.  

While being some of the most vulnerable to forced migration and displacement, the 14 artists in Close to Home actively celebrate the resilience of people of color using nuanced understandings of place.   

Close to Home asks viewers to actively engage with questions of what makes our homes distinct. Who gets to define what makes places important or meaningful? Where do we individually fit into community definitions of belonging? What does it look like to keep records and pay respect to our community members who have stewarded the land for generations? The 14 exhibiting artists’ practices grapple with these questions using ideas and physical objects that represent meaningful parts of their own homes and communities. 

The exhibition also displays the range and growth of the City of Seattle’s Civic Art Collection, which includes pieces by instrumental Pacific Northwest artists. This exhibition consists of portable artworks in the City of Seattle’s Civic Art Collection, purchased between 2020 and 2021 in partnership with Seattle Together and Seattle City Light. Close to Home is organized and presented by ARTS (Office of Arts & Culture). The exhibition is curated by Ricky Reyes in partnership with the King Street Station Advisors. Support for the installation is provided by Benjamin Gale-Schreck and Blake Haygood. 

  • Metaphor of my mother, missTANGQ, Mixed Media, 2018
  • Salmon Spirit, Crystal Worl, Gouache Paint, 2017
  • My Jazzed Mountains, Gwen Maxwell Williams, 100% Cotton, 1998

Featured Artists:  

  • Romson Regrade Bustillo 
  • Ka’ila Farrell-Smith  
  • Jonathan Wakuda Fischer 
  • Hongzhe Liang /名媛  
  • Micah Mccarty  
  • missTANGQ  
  • Miya Sukune  
  • Earnest Swanson  
  • Robert Running Fisher Upham  
  • Markel Uriu  
  • Gwen Maxwell Williams  
  • Jennifer Angaiak Wood 
  • Crystal Worl  
  • Junko Yamamoto 

Close to Home is on view at ARTS at King Street Station, Thursday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm, from July 22 through August 14, 2021.  For your safety, visitors are requested to wear masks while inside ARTS at King Street Station.

Created Commons Initiative Launches During Seattle’s Welcome Back Weeks

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ARTS’ new program, Created Commons, launches as a part of the City of Seattle’s Welcome Back Weeks, July 12 – 26. In partnership with the Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Seattle Parks and Recreation, ARTS’ new Created Commons initiative transforms outdoor spaces across Seattle into venues for spectacular temporary arts and cultural extravaganzas. The program will kick-off as part of the Welcome Back Weeks festivities featuring three large-scale events throughout downtown Seattle. 

Experience local artists and creatives as they revamp our streets, parks, and plazas into once-in-a-lifetime summer events featuring live music, dance, performance, public art installations, and interactive activities. Bring your family, loved ones, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and pets to join outdoor festivities celebrating the strength of our community. 

Kicking Off Welcome Back Weeks 

Created Commons has teamed up with the City’s Welcome Back Weeks to bring you dazzling events in Chinatown-International District, Pioneer Square, and Westlake. Each site will feature unique programming blending sensory musical and performative arts by hometown favorites like Hollis, Massive Monkees, the Black Tones, Chong the Nomad, Party Hat Gallery, Totem Star, and many more! 

The full schedule can be found below: 

Welcome Back to the Chinatown-International District 

When: Saturday, July 17, and Sunday, July 18, 11am – 7pm
Where: Hing Hay Park, 423 Maynard Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
Facebook Event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/501602897797226/
FREE

Saturday, July 17:
– 11am: Chinese Association, Drill Team, Martial Art Demo  
– 12:15pm: Chrysalis Circus  
– 1pm: Massive Monkees  
– 2pm: Daniel Pak & Totem Star (FRESA and Kiddus Fecto)  
– 3pm: Guma’ Gela’  
– 4pm: Chrysalis Circus  
– 6pm: Chong the Nomad  
– Activities & Pop-Ups: Free screen printing from Party Hat Gallery, Self Defense Class, SFD Vaccine Pop-Up  

Sunday, July 18:
– 11am: Lion Dance  
– 12pm: Totem Star (Grae Violett, Lily Indigo, and Yung Fuego)  
– 1pm: Chrysalis Circus  
– 1:45pm: Bleachbear  
– 3pm: Guma’ Gela’  
– 3:30pm: Chrysalis Circus  
– 4pm: Evan Flory Barnes  
– 6pm: Hollis  
– Activities & Pop-Ups: Free screen printing from Party Hat Gallery, Self Defense Class, SFD Vaccine Pop-Up  

Welcome Back to Pioneer Square 

When: Saturday, July 24, 10:30am – 3pm 
Where: Occidental Square, 117 S Washington St, Seattle, WA 98104
Facebook Event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/794228654626124/
FREE

– 10:30am: Busking 
– 11:30pm: Totem Star (Sharmaine and Haley Graves) 
– 12pm: Shenandoah Davis 
– 1pm: Shaina Shepherd 
– 2pm: The Black Tones 
– Activities & Pop-Ups: Pasquale Santos, Guma’ Gela’, ‘Found Fashion’ Exhibition with Path with Art, Party Hat Gallery, Vaccine Pop-Up 

Welcome Back to Westlake  

When: Sunday, July 25, 12 – 9pm. 
Where: Westlake Park, 401 Pine St, Seattle, WA 98101
Facebook Event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/182243897197246/
FREE 

Enjoy “Halloween in July” festivities featuring live performances from local artists, fresh eats from food trucks, trick-or-treating, and a special surprise sunset concert with the one and only Digable Planets!

  • 12 – 4pm: Trick-or-Treating
  • 12pm: UP UP UP Inc.
  • 1pm: Fraggle Rock Crew
  • 1:45pm: SANCA Seattle Cirrus Circus
  • 2pm Taqueet$ Thriller Dance Class
  • 2:15pm: El Vez, The Mexican Elvis
  • 3:30pm: Teatro ZinZanni
  • 4pm: Costume Awards
  • 4:30pm: Totem Star (ZoserOfficial and Mirabai Kukathas)
  • 8pm: Sunset Headliner – Digable Planets
  • Activities & Pop-Ups: lelavision, Costume Contest, Face Painting, free screen printing from Party Hat Gallery, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, Stilt Walkers, Carnival Games, Food Trucks, Vaccine Pop-Up
    See you there!

There’s no better way to end our #WelcomeBackSeattle events than with a special performance by renowned hip hop trio, Digable Planets! Join the festivities at Westlake Park from 12 – 9 pm and stay tuned as Digable Planets hit the stage at 8 p.m.

You can learn more about the Welcome Back Weeks here: https://www.seattle.gov/mayor/covid-19/recovery  

Created Commons Neighborhood Edition 

Created Commons is partnering with the Seattle Department of Transportation to bring you unique sensory experiences in public space blending temporary public art installations, music, dance, and interactive activities all curated by local artists and collectives like Tariqa Waters of Martyr Sauce, Northwest Tap Connection, Monyee Chau, DK Pan, Guma Gela, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, La Sala, LelaVision, and more. Neighborhood locations include Othello, Rainier Beach, Westwood, Pioneer Square, and Chinatown-International District. 

Follow us on social media or subscribe to our blog to stay up to date. We can’t wait to see you! 

The Formation of Created Commons as a Response to COVID-19 

With COVID-19’s devastating impacts on Seattle’s economy—specifically, Seattle’s arts and culture sector—ARTS partnered with the Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Seattle Parks & Recreation to create more opportunities for artists. Building on the momentum of Stay Healthy Streets, Stay Healthy Blocks, and Safe Starts Permits for outdoor dining and retail; Created Commons was formed to bring cultural and artistic activation to Seattle’s streets, sidewalks, plazas, and parks.  

Modeled after New York City’s Open Culture program, Created Commons transforms outdoor space across Seattle into venues for temporary visual and performance art. Seattle’s Created Commons program will employ artists throughout the summer and fall months of 2021 to enliven public space for community resiliency and economic recovery. This program is a central workforce development strategy to the economic and civic recovery our City needs to rebuild by centering collective well-being, mental health, and employing cultural workers. All programming will follow King County Public Health (KCPH) guidelines. 

New ‘UNION’ Art Exhibition Creates Opportunities for Public Art in Capitol Hill

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SeaLevel Properties (“SeaLevel”), Capitol Hill Arts District (“CHAD”), and Sensebellum have partnered to showcase public art in Capitol Hill through the ‘UNION’ project. Located on the corner of 10th Ave. and E Union St., this new public art installation will feature a rotating, 60-foot tall projected art show curated by revolving guests on SeaLevel’s new Woodworth Apartment Building. The first art show will be held on Wednesday, July 14 at 9:45 p.m. and will continue every night at dusk throughout the year. You can RSVP for this event on Facebook.

Woodworth Apartment Building, courtesy of The Capitol Hill Arts District

The first ‘UNION’ exhibition highlights local photographer and artist LeLeita McKILL. Selected by Capitol Hill Arts District, McKILL will display her photographs taken during the COVID-19 pandemic for Essentially Seattle, (originally commissioned by ARTS) along with her other work.

About Essentially Seattle:

Essentially Seattle is a Public Art Project featuring 25 artists who document essential city services in the time of COVID-19 and mandated restrictions on physical movement and gatherings. Partners for the project include Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle City Light, Seattle Fire, Human Services Division, and Arts & Cultural districts. The photographs highlight City frontline employees, at work, along with community essential workers, artists, and neighbors.   

  • Diana Adams, owner of Vermillion Gallery
  •  Missy Berens, owner of Nomadia Creatives
  •  Laurie Kearny, owner of Ghost Gallery
  • Daniel Reveles, Manager of Facilities at Gage Academy
  • Rhonda and her father Henry Faison, owner of Juiced by Rojo
All photos by LeLeita McKILL as part of Essentially Seattle

As part of the inaugural exhibition celebrations, all are invited to join the CHAD Steering Committee Members and McKILL for an opening celebration at Optimism Brewing on Wednesday, July 14 at 8 p.m. The group will then walk a half-block away to witness the inaugural unveiling of the exhibition around 9:30 p.m.

The ‘UNION’ installation will rotate every two months, with the current curator joining a panel of artists to select the next artist. Stay tuned for future art shows!

The Mixer: New Media and Digital Arts – Next Steps and Funding Opportunities

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To The Mixer Community,

Thank you to everyone who attended our June 30 Mixer on New Media and Digital Arts! From playing with the definition of “New Media” to touching on NFTs, accessibility, and the wild world of the future we are making today in Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual (VR); we covered a lot of ground. We’re grateful to our panelists Abie Ekenezer, gome, Evie Powell, Julia Bruk, and Elizabeth Ralston — be sure to keep an eye on what they’re up to! 

Snapshot from The Mixer: New Media and Digital Arts on June 30

At the June Mixer, we also launched the New Media and Digital Arts survey that will guide our team in making new policies to include New Media in our awards and granting structures. If you or someone you know are New Media artists or dabblers, please make sure they/you add their voice below. We want to hear from you!

Take the New Media and Digital Arts Survey

While we are still working on finding a path to encompass the wide array of art forms under the umbrella of New Media, hearing from the participants also illustrated that: 1) many of us are in that same boat, 2) interest in incorporating modern elements like streaming was high, and 3) more information would be useful all around.

Our internal working definition of New Media is: any expression that uses “dot com technology” on any axis other than exclusively marketing or distribution. How does that resonate with you?

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Here’s a round-up of funding opportunities that were shared at The Mixer — keep these in mind for your new media and digital arts projects in the works:

CURRENT:

  • Artists Up: Focus on underrepresented artists; apply for mentorship scholarships (four on-hour online sessions with a mentor).
    • Application opens Sept. 1, 2021
  • smART Ventures: Up to $1k; funds personal or neighborhood projects; youth can apply.
    • Applications accepted on a rolling deadline
  • Neighborhood Matching Fund (Department of Neighborhoods): $5k available, funds a variety of unique and creative community projects; applicants must match their award with contributions from the community whether as volunteer time, donated materials, donated professional services or cash. Details in this virtual workshop recording.
    • Applications accepted on a rolling deadline
  • Open 4Culture (4Culture): Up to $1500; prioritizing projects within King County but NOT in Seattle (unless the project is heritage or preservation-based).
    • Applications accepted on a rolling deadline
  • 4Culture’s Round-Up of Other Opportunities: Various grants, calls and opportunities around the region and the country.

UPCOMING:

  • City Artist: $2k, $5k, $8k funding available; supporting specific, rotating disciplines each year.
    • Applications open again in 2022
  • Arts in Parks: $1300-$7800; currently on pause, check back for future opportunities
  • Artists at the Center (working title): Performance activations on the Seattle Center campus, funded by Climate Pledge Arena/Seattle Kraken. Pilot starts October 2021.
    • Open call for future years’ opportunities to come in 2022.
  • Public Art Roster: This roster of visual and public artists is used by the Office of Arts and Culture for various “fast track” projects. The roster is curated by a community selection panel that includes working artists, administrators and curators.
    • Opens every 3 years — next in mid-2022.
  • King Street Station Artist in Residence: artists/artist teams may apply for a residency award at ARTS at King Street Station. Each residency period is approximately two months long, and includes use of the studio space and a $2,000 stipend. Artists from historically under-represented communities, including communities of color, immigrant, and refugee communities are encouraged to apply.
    • Applications open again in 2022.

Please help us gather as many voices as possible so that we can help grow into the office that we know we can be. Give us your feedback by filling out the survey by July 23, 2021!

P.S. The Mixer is taking a break for the summer and is scheduled to return on September 29. See you soon!

First permanent waterfront artwork installed yesterday at Pier 62

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Land Buoy Bells, artwork designed by Stephen Vitiello for the floating dock at Pier 62, was installed yesterday, June 30. This is the first of several permanent artworks that will be installed as part of Waterfront Seattle. Photos are available here.

Land Buoy Bells by Stephen Vitiello, photo courtesy Seattle Office of the Waterfront

“We are excited to announce the installation of Land Buoy Bells at Pier 62,” said Marshall Foster, Director of Seattle’s Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. “This commission launches a program of permanent artworks that will be integrated into the Seattle waterfront to help tell the story of the environment and culture of this unique place.”

The sound-based installation, “five instruments performed by collected tidal energy,” uses the movement of the water rising and falling around the floating dock to strike five bell-like objects and create sounds that harmonize with their surroundings. Its goal is to integrate with the other sounds of the waterfront, including voices, the natural environment and industry.

Land Buoy Bells by Stephen Vitiello, photo courtesy Seattle Office of the Waterfront

“The Seattle waterfront is beautiful and ever-changing – misty, then sunny, then rainy. It inspired the idea of a piece that would be environmentally played, that would change with the weather and tides,” said Stephen Vitiello, creator of Land Buoy Bells and professor of Kinetic Imaging at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Visitors are encouraged to explore and listen to this artwork on the newly rebuilt Pier 62, a floating dock which opened to the public last September. There are nine other permanent art commissions included in the Seattle Waterfront art program that explores both the natural environment as well as the Indigenous roots of Seattle’s shoreline. There are seven artists from local tribes involved in art projects along the promenade and at the Overlook Walk. Among the artworks that will be installed in the next few years are those of Seattle artists Buster Simpson near the habitat beach, and Norie Sato, at the Union Street bridge. For more information about the Waterfront and the art program visit waterfrontseattle.org.

Land Buoy Bells was funded with Seattle Department of Transportation Alaskan Way Seawall Bond Measure 1% for Art funds and was administered by the Office of Arts & Culture and the Office of the Waterfront and Civic projects.

Beat the Heat: Stay Cool with The Arts

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With the next few days bringing record-breaking heat to Seattle, we have put together a list of air-conditioned arts organizations you can visit to experience the vibrant arts and culture in our city all while staying cool!

Courtesy of the National Nordic Museum

Henry Art Gallery 

Visiting Information: The Henry Art Gallery is open with free admission through October 1, 2021. Advance registration for timed tickets is encouraged. Beginning July 10, timed ticket reservations are no longer necessary. Plan your visit here.

Hours: Sat–Sun: 10am–5pm 

Featured Showcase: 2020 – 2021 University of Washington MFA + MDes Thesis Exhibition (May 29 – June 27)

The Henry is pleased to present the University of Washington’s School of Art + Art History + Design Master of Fine Arts and Master of Design thesis exhibition. Throughout their programs, fine arts and design students work with advisers and other artists to develop advanced techniques, expand concepts, discuss critical issues, and emerge with a vision and direction for their own work. This year’s presentation will include work by both 2020 and 2021 graduating students.

Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) 

Visiting Information: MOHAI is offering free admission for all visitors under 15 years of age and the Museums For All and Access Pass programs. The full list of discounts and other ticket options is available on their website. Masks are required for entry.

Hours: Thurs–Mon: 10am–5pm

Featured Showcase: Stand Up Seattle (Now through July 5)

Stand Up Seattle: The Democracy Project is an exploration of the power of self-government, engaging visitors in experiences that encourage them to take action now to create the change they want to see. Shaped by the evolving story of democracy in our region, and drawing on MOHAI’s extensive collection of historic artifacts, images, and oral histories, Stand Up Seattle: The Democracy Project highlights how direct participation sustains, expands, and reimagines a government of, by, and for the people. The exhibit includes rare artifacts from Seattle’s history of democracy, personal stories of democracy in action, and interactive experiences that put the power of democracy directly in the hands of visitors. 

National Nordic Museum 

Visiting Information: All visitors must reserve tickets before arriving to the Museum, including Members, complimentary pass holders, and general admission. Masks are required for entry. Plan your visit here.

Special Offer: For a limited time, use the code “heatwave” upon checkout to reserve one free ticket for every paid ticket.

Hours: 

  • Fri: 10am–5pm 
  • Sat: 10am–5pm 
  • Sun: 10am–5pm 

Featured Showcase: Among Forests and Lakes: Landscape Masterpieces from the Finnish National Gallery (May 6 – October 16)

Be transported to the beauty and drama of the Finnish countryside through 50 works of art spanning over 150 years of artistic interpretation in Among Forests and Lakes from Finland’s National Gallery. This is the only North American showing of this exhibition. 

Photographic Center Northwest 

Visitor Information: The Photographic Center Northwest is free to the public. Masks are required for entry. 

Hours:  

  • Mon–Thu: 12:30–9pm
  • Sun: 12–6pm 

Featured Showcase: Time Capsule (June 24 – August 12) 

As humanity continues to face historical reckonings in politics, science, race, class, and the arts amidst a pandemic, photography plays a critical role in our processing and understanding. Photographic Center Northwest (PCNW) asked artists to submit work that reflects this time. We received over 1600 still and moving images, from 251 artists from all over the world. Submissions came from 34 US states and international artists submitted from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Latvia, Lebanon, Spain, Turkey, and Ukraine. Juror Shamim M. Momin chose 59 works from 42 individuals to be included in the exhibition. 

Wing Luke Museum 

Visitor Information: As part of the Museums for All program, you can free admission for up to 5 individuals with an EBT card. Plan your visit here.

Hours: Fri–Sun: 10am–5pm 

Featured Showcase: A Dragon Lives Here: Bruce Lee Exhibit Part 4

Building on their popular Bruce Lee exhibit series, A Dragon Lives Here  hones in on Bruce Lee’s Seattle roots and the fact that Seattle, now known as a city for innovation, technology, and entrepreneurs, also played a key role in shaping Bruce Lee and his groundbreaking approach.

A Dragon Lives Here was created in partnership with the Bruce Lee Foundation and with the generous support of sponsors, donors, and partners.

Be sure to visit your favorite arts organizations’ websites to see what they have to offer this weekend!

American Recovery Act funding prioritizes homelessness, small businesses, direct assistance to workers and families, community health and equity

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On May 27, 2021, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, together with Council President M. Lorena González and Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, announced the “Seattle Rescue Plan”, a $128.4 million package in federal recovery funds to aid Seattle’s recovery from the pandemic and COVID-related economic impacts. 

Budget Chair Mosqueda, Council President González and Mayor Durkan crafted this legislation to respond to the most pressing needs facing Seattle. The proposed investments are informed by and are a reflection of shared priorities of the Mayor and the Council, as represented in Council Resolution 31999, which was adopted in March of this year to guide the City’s investment of ARPA funds. 

Artists, organizations and every part of the ecosystem that supports the arts has been devastated by the pandemic and the city is investing in our sector to create the region that we all envision. The arts have sustained us, uplifted our community, and provided us all with connection and belonging as we grapple through this unprecedented time. Even in the midst of devastation our sector has continued to innovate and produce phenomenal content. It is our arts and culture that help us process trauma and loss, brings joy and reminds us how we need each other. It is through the arts that we can reclaim, reimagine and rebuild our city. We need our creative and arts community to help get us through this period because they are our heart and soul and keep us connected.  

About the Seattle Rescue Plan: 

Seattle Rescue Plan Overview

In April, the City passed a nearly $18 million COVID Relief package that focused on health, food and families, following deliberations in Councilmember Mosqueda’s Finance and Housing Committee.  These funds, combined with the $128.4M in American Rescue Plan Act Funding, are integral to Seattle’s recovery from the social, public health and economic impacts of COVID-19. 

Community Recovery and arts & culture 

Our communities know best what they need to recover and the Seattle Rescue Plan will give them that support. Whether help for small businesses, investments in training, or targeted grants, Seattle is committed to building back a more vibrant, innovative, and inclusive city, together. 

$23m in funding for community and small business recovery as part of Seattle Rescue Plan to support neighborhood & downtown recovery and job training
Community Recovery  $23,000,000  
Apprenticeships and Retraining   
Retraining/Apprenticeships  $500,000  
Youth Employment internship programs  $500,000  
Downtown and Neighborhood Recovery Grants   
Downtown Recovery Grants  $22,000,000  
Neighborhood Recovery Grants   
Nonprofit and Community Organization Stabilization Grants   
Non-Profit Supports – Stabilization grants for arts/culture non-profits and other community orgs that have not had access to COVID-related funds. Investment in the cultural organizations that sustain Seattle residents and visitors throughout neighborhoods and downtown is a vital strategy for the economic recovery of Seattle. Cultural anchors will play a key role in encouraging Seattleites to re-engage with neighborhoods while attending events and return to supporting nearby businesses. As the city reopens, cultural facilities and activities will also attract tourists and regional visitors, setting us apart from other cities across the nation.      
Small Business Grants  

Celebrating Audrey Querns, The Creative Advantage Project Manager

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After nine years of work with the Seattle Public School’s arts plan and The Creative Advantage, Audrey Querns is transitioning from her role as The Creative Advantage Project Manager to a new exciting Seattle Public Schools (SPS) project. Audrey will join Assistant Deputy Superintendents Carri Campbell and Sarah Pritchett as the Senior Project Manager of SPS’s new Office of Strategy Deployment and Responsiveness. The team’s first project will be to help coordinate the many cross-functional groups working on the fall Return to School. She was asked to join this new department to carry forward the collaborative and systematic approaches we take in The Creative Advantage into other cross-division SPS projects and initiatives.

As the project manager for The Creative Advantage, Audrey managed the SPS aspects of the collaboration with City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture partners, school leaders, teachers, teaching artists, and arts administrators to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality and culturally relevant arts education. Through that collective effort, The Creative Advantage has expanded to more than 80 schools — the number of music and art programs has more than doubled — and in tandem, schools have developed their arts plans using a racial equity arts dashboard. Audrey has utilized that collective impact approach in managing other SPS partner-oriented projects such as vaccinations for educators and students and planning for long-term partnerships with Seattle Housing Authority and Seattle Public Library.

“Audrey is incredibly detail-oriented, persistent, and dedicated to ensuring that all students are seen, heard, and supported. She is gracious in her approach to sharing information, and always strives to understand both sides of a problem before proposing a solution.”

Pam Ivezic, SPS Music Coach
Ashraf Hasham and Audrey Querns of The Creative Advantage

“Not only is Audrey the epitome of cool, calm, and collected — she’s also an optimistic, joyful, and justice-minded do-gooder who I’m grateful to have worked with. Audrey’s pristine project management and influence are a big part of the reason why The Creative Advantage has shone so brightly. We’re delighted she’ll be able to infuse creativity, access, and equity into her new work at SPS!”

Ashraf Hasham, Youth Arts Manager for the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

Gail Sehlhorst, SPS’s Visual & Performing Arts Manager, will be hiring a new Creative Advantage Project Manager, and Audrey has offered to assist with the transition to train the new staff member. Stay tuned for updates, and please join us in showing congratulatory love and appreciation for Audrey in the comments.

Civic Poet, Jourdan Imani Keith, Launches Women & Whales First, Poetry in a Climate of Change Podcast

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Seattle’s Civic Poet, Jourdan Imani Keith, has partnered with Jack Straw Cultural Center for the new podcast, Women & Whales First, Poetry in a Climate of Change. Launching on June 19, this podcast will host conversations between Jourdan and local poets about how poetry can be a tool to illuminate environmental and social issues. Episodes will launch on Soundcloud every Saturday through July 30.

See the full list of upcoming episodes below: 

Saturday, June 19
Episode 1: Whales and Dragons 

Jourdan Imani Keith interviews poet, artist, and activist Jae Eun Kim who speaks about the mythological connections between dragons and whales.  
 
About the Guest: An alum of the University of Washington, Jae has worked at non-profits Powerful Voices and Young Women Empowered and facilitated many arts-based and social justice education programs for young people. Kim creates within various mediums, speculative fiction, poetry, urban mythology, performance, visual, and fiber arts. In 2015, they were invited to stay at Hedgebrook for a short-term writers residency. 

Saturday, June 26
Episode 2: The Risks of Gender

Jourdan Imani Keith interviews Aleyda Marisol Cervantes, who speaks about the risks associated with gender, colonialism, and environmental activism. 
 
About the Guest: Aleyda Marisol Cervantes is a self-identified third-world woman, who grew up in a small town in Guadalajara, Mexico. She co-wrote and published a chapter in the anthology Gendering Globalization, Globalizing Gender: Postcolonial Perspectives Edited by Gül Çalışkan. She currently works at a community college building bridges between underrepresented students and the world of higher education and serves as a board member in Mujer al Volante, an organization cultivating leadership and autonomy for immigrant women. She also makes the time to write and dream a little more in occupied Coast Salish territory. 

Saturday, July 3
Episode 3: Diving for Our Ancestors

Jourdan Imani Keith interviews Ebony Wellborn about ancestry and scuba-diving. 
 
About the Guest: Ebony Wellborn is originally from the South, but has been an active community member in King County for the last three years. As her life has progressed, Ebony has learned just how interconnected we are with our non-human friends. 

Saturday, July 10
Episode 4: Whale Song and Lullabies

Jourdan Imani Keith interviews Kamna Shastri about the lullabies of her youth and the songs of the whales.  
 
About the Guest: Kamna Shastri is a community journalist with a background in sociology and environmental studies. Shastri is especially interested in the messiness of cultural identity and breaking down the false distinction between humanity and nature. Poetry has been her lifelong method of self-expression.

Saturday, July 17
Episode 5: Mysteries of the Marine World

Jourdan Imani Keith interviews Savannah Smith about being drawn into the mystery of the marine world.  
 
About the Guest: Savannah grew up in an animal-loving home. Her early exposure to a variety of different creatures taught her that every animal — no matter the size or species — has its own unique characteristics and soul. Savannah is passionate about fostering positive outdoor experiences for BIPOC, especially in marine environments. 

Saturday, July 24
Episode 6: Stories of Migration

Jourdan Imani Keith has a conversation with Rasheena Fountain, who speaks on migration and displacement for humans and whales. 
 
About the Guest: Originally from Chicago, Rasheena Fountain is a multi-genre writer and interdisciplinary educator living in Seattle. A past Walker Communications Fellow with National Audubon, she is currently an MFA Prose Candidate at the University of Washington, where she is working on an environmental essay collection. 

Saturday, July 30
Episode 7: We Are Cousins 

Jourdan Imani Keith closes out this seven-part podcast series with a discussion on the impacts of environmental toxins on her family and whales. Jourdan Imani Keith is a storyteller, essayist, playwright, naturalist, and activist. A student of Sonia Sanchez, her TEDx Talk, “Your Body of Water,” the theme for King County’s 2016-2018 Poetry on Buses program won an Americans for the Arts award. Her poetry is largely anthologized. She has been awarded fellowships from Hedgebrook, Wildbranch, Santa Fe Science Writing workshop, VONA, and Jack Straw. Her memoir in essays, Tugging at the Web, is forthcoming from University of Washington Press.  

The Women & Whales First, Poetry in a Climate of Change Podcast was created in partnership with the Civic Poet, the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, Urban Wilderness Project, and Jack Straw Cultural Center. Visit the Civic Poet page for more information about Jourdan and her work. 

Civic Poet, Jourdan Imani Keith, Featured in Juneteenth 2021 Artist Collective

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Seattle’s Civic Poet, Jourdan Imani Keith, has joined the Artist Collective virtual showcase, which features local Black creatives as part of Northwest African American Museum’s larger Juneteenth celebrations. 

Friday, June 18, 2021; 7 p.m. 
Juneteenth 2021 Artist Collective  
Streaming Online (Visit the website below for the broadcast link) 
Website 
RSVP on Facebook 

In honor of Juneteenth, the Artist Collective broadcast will showcase Black-identifying musicians, dancers, artists, and creatives who focus on the theme Sankofa (translates to “go back and get” in Akan Twi and Fante). Jourdan Imani Keith joined a panel of experts who selected the participants of this showcase. Stay tuned for the full virtual showcase, hosted by Northwest African American Museum’s L. Patrice Bell.  

This program is presented by the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass’ collective Diversity, Equality, and Inclusivity Committee in collaboration with Northwest African American Museum, One Vibe Africa, and Wa Na Wari.