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Art Beat

Office of Arts & Culture news and events

Neighborhood arts and cultural events supported through city investment

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Forty neighborhood arts festivals and events will receive funding through our Neighborhood & Community Arts (NCA) program. The program will invest $48,000 ($1,200 per organization) in events taking place throughout the city over the next year. We received 71 applications for the program; of the 40 funded projects, 14 represent organizations that have never before been funded by the office and 23 specifically serve immigrants and communities of color.

“Seattle’s neighborhoods are home to a wealth of cultural events that forge connections and create community,” said Randy Engstrom, interim director of the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. “We’re pleased to support creativity at a grassroots level and help build community through arts and cultural participation.”

The varied slate of neighborhood events includes the 9th Anniversary of 206 Zulu, a national hip hop/urban arts summit celebrating Latino, Asian and African American visual arts, musicians and dancers; Word Play, an LGBT-targeted spoken word poetry festival; Beacon Rocks!, a half-day celebration with concerts, dance performances, haiku competition and more; and the Filipino American History Month celebration, featuring new chorale music and a traditional Filipino string orchestra.

A number of the supported programs are festivals that take place through Festal at Seattle Center including the Tet Festival, Pagdiriwang – Phillippine Festival, Festival Sundiata Black Arts Fest, Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival, Hmong New Year, 7th Annual Evening of Sevdah, Spirit of West Africa and the Piestas Patrias Community Celebration.

NCA supports neighborhood groups that produce recurring festivals or events that promote arts and cultural participation, build community and enhance the visibility of neighborhoods through arts and culture.

Go here for a complete listing of events and festivals funded for 2013.

Image: Pista sa Nayon Festival, funded through Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs’ Neighborhood & Community Arts program, 2012. Photo by Jenny Crooks.

Weekly Art Hit: ‘Quarry Rings’ by Adam Kuby

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Winter is coming…and the holidays…and maybe even more snow. Here’s a snowy depiction of Adam Kuby’s artwork Quarry Rings (2010) at Thomas C. Wales Park, a new city park intended to be an urban bird habitat on the site of an old gravel quarry on the west side of Lake Union. The park is at Dexter Avenue North and Sixth Avenue North.

The quarrying left an amphitheater-shaped bowl that developed a small wetland at its center. The artwork’s five raised gabion rock rings reflect the site’s past while also creating a bird and bat nesting habitat in the park, with 79 separate bird houses and 19 bat boxes.  Bird nest canisters of varying sizes are integrated into rings to accommodate a variety of species. Slots on the underside of the rings provide access to bat nest boxes incorporated into the rings. Kuby states, “The sculpture and landscape design reinforces the concentric shape of the land and focuses attention on the jewel of a wetland at its center.”

The cylindrical bird houses are made of non-toxic HDPE plastic pipe and recycled plastic polyboard. Some are designed for cavity-nesting species; others are for open-shelf nesters. Bat and swallow nest boxes are located internally and are accessed from the underside of the rings. As the landscape matures and vegetation continues to grow around and through the rings, the nest sites should become even more desirable for wildlife. Audubon Society volunteers and local residents help maintain the nest sites, cleaning them out annually.

The artwork was funded by Seattle Parks and Recreation 2000 Pro Parks Levy 1% for Art and construction funds.

IMAGE: Photo by Mark Brands.

 

 

Seeking atmospheric or weather-related artwork

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We’re seeking two-dimensional or three-dimensional artworks depicting weather-related or atmospheric phenomena for a competitive, direct purchase for Seattle Public Utilities‘ Portable Works Collection.

Artwork should reference air, water, temperature or light and may or may not be representational. All types of media will be considered. Artists working in color are encouraged to apply. The call is open to professional artists residing in Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho or Alaska. Applications close 11 p.m., Jan. 28, 2013 (Pacific Standard Time).

To apply, artists may submit up to 10 images of artworks that are available for purchase. Multiple artworks by an individual artist may be purchased.

Go to the Call for Artists for more information and the online application.

A total of $125,000 for all artworks is available for the direct purchase. The purchase is made possible with SPU 1% for Art funds administered by the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Purchases will be chosen by a panel of arts professionals who are charged with selecting high-quality artwork that reflects diversity of expression.

SPU’s rotating collection is exhibited throughout the utilities’ offices, engaging both employees and the public by helping to create an interesting and diverse work environment.

IMAGE: Mary Ann Peters, In and instant—cluster to star burst (detail), 2007, gouache, watercolor, pencil on polypropylene paper, 20″ x 70″. Photo by Spike Mafford.

Applications available for Youth Arts funding

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We’re now accepting project applications for our Youth Arts program. The program supports arts training opportunities for Seattle’s middle and high school youth outside of school hours in a variety of artistic disciplines, including visual and literary arts, theater, music, dance and film. The application deadline is 11 p.m., Monday, Feb. 4, 2013.

Go here for a link to the Youth Arts online application.

Individual teaching artists, artist teams, arts and cultural organizations, and youth-service agencies with nonprofit status or fiscal sponsorship are eligible to apply. Youth Arts prioritizes youth or communities with limited or no access to the arts. Funding opportunities range up to $10,000 for projects that will take place between September 2013 and September 2014.

“We know that many students do not receive arts education and training during the school day, which is what makes this program so vital,” said Randy Engstrom, interim director of the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. “All students deserve access to the arts – through Youth Arts funding we are helping to close that gap.”

In the most recent funding cycle, spanning September 2012 to September 2013, the Youth Arts program awarded $175,000 to 34 artists, cultural organizations and community organizations serving youth. It’s estimated the funded projects engaged more than 5,400 youth in about 42,400 hours of arts training throughout the city. The funded projects were chosen from a pool of 62 eligible applicants. The average award was $5,175.

Information Sessions

Applicants can learn about the Youth Arts program at an upcoming informational workshop. Staff will also offer feedback on draft applications at a review session.

Program Overview
Monday, Jan. 7, 2013, 2 to 4 p.m.
Beacon Hill Branch, The Seattle Public Library, 2821 Beacon Ave. S.
Learn about the program and online application, plus meet and get advice from past award recipients. First-time applicants are strongly encouraged to attend. No registration required.

Application Draft Review
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Filipino Community Center, 5740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (Rainier Valley)

Schedule a 15-minute appointment to receive feedback on your draft application. Advance registration is required. Contact Irene Gomez at irene.gomez@seattle.gov or (206) 684-7310. Space is limited.

For information or assistance in applying, contact Irene Gómez at (206) 684-7310 or irene.gomez@seattle.gov.

 

Seeking waterfront art program manager

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The Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs and Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) are seeking a senior project manager to coordinate arts activities and implement public art projects for the Central Waterfront. This position is currently funded at half-time and is a term-limited position (two years) with benefits.  At the end of two years, the position may or may not be converted to a regular city position.

A bachelor’s degree in fine arts, arts administration or related field, or a combination of appropriate education and training is required. Also required are three years of professional level experience, including one year of lead experience, administering projects related to public art; and knowledge of contemporary art theory and history, artistic media, and arts program administration.

Applications are due 4 p.m., Wednesday, January 2, 2013 (Pacific Standard Time). Go here for more information or to apply.

Weekly Art Hit: ‘Pat (Vivian) and Sue (Woehrli)’ by Cecilia Cooney-Wickett

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Congratulations to all the same-sex couples who married at City Hall on Dec. 9, and to all the couples now able to marry in the future. To celebrate, here’s Cecilia Cooney-Wickett’s charcoal drawing Pat (Vivian) and Sue (Woehrli).

Cooney-Wickett was commissioned in 1986 to create a series of drawings of Seattle area couples. Her project included couples of various ages, ethnic groups, sexual preferences and handicapping conditions. Six of the drawings are in the city’s Portable Works Collection.

In her artist statement, Cooney-Wicket wrote “My interest in the family is now shifting to focus on the couple, the basic family unit. The urge to commit to a life shared with another human being is certainly central to this culture, but the nature of the relationship between two lovers has stirred more controversy than any other contemporary social issue. I do not propose to make value judgments on these relationships, but to document their physical evidence, i.e. the faces, body language, and surrounding paraphernalia of the participants.”

Pat (Vivian) and Sue (Woehrli) is part of Seattle City Light’s 1% for Art Portable Works Collection.

IMAGE: Cecilia Cooney Cooney-Wickett, Pat (Vivian) and Sue (Woehrli), 1986, charcoal on paper.

– Tamara Gill, Community Development & Outreach


 

 

Seeking artist to create artwork for Landsburg Park, southeast of Seattle

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We’re seeking an artist or artist team to create artwork for Landsburg Park as part of Seattle Public Utilities’ (SPU) Landsburg Facilities and Chlorination Project. The Landsburg Facilities site is a pristine forested area in the western foothills of the Cascade mountain range, 28 miles southeast of Seattle in the Cedar River Municipal Watershed. The artwork will recognize and honor the original residents of the area and should be reflective of the Coast Salish cultures, especially tribal nations, that have a historic connection to this territory.

The call is open to established professional artists residing in Washington state, Oregon and British Columbia who are eligible to work in the United States.  Artists who have a historic and artistic connection to the tribal nations that have a connection to this area are encouraged to apply. Artists may apply individually or as a team of two. Applications are due 11 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013 (Pacific Standard Time).

Go to the Landsburg Park call for artists for more information and to apply.

SPU is planning improvements for the Facilities and Chlorination Project and the park, including ADA accessibility. The artwork could reinforce the entry to Landsburg Park, enhance the interpretive elements conveying the history and importance of the site for people and fish, and enliven the pathway and visitor experience in the park. Events at the park include an annual kayaking competition on the Cedar River white-water kayak and the annual Cedar River Salmon Journey.

The selected artist will receive a commission of $50,000, inclusive of all fees, taxes, fabrication, delivery, installation, travel and additional site work necessary to accommodate the artwork. The artist will receive an initial design contract for $7,500 to develop the artwork design. If the proposal is accepted, the artist will receive a contract for $42,500 to fabricate and install the artwork.

The artist will join the project team in February 2013. Construction will begin in December 2013, with completion scheduled for 2015.

The artwork is funded by SPU 1% for Art funds and administered by the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.

December 2012 SmArt Venture Awardees

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SmART ventures is a Seattle-based, flexible small awards program that aims to encourage innovative ideas, create community impact, and provide new access for individuals and groups not served by our other programs.  Planting small seeds can yield big outcomes. SmART ventures seek to widen arts and culture participation, particularly of diverse or underserved communities. Listed below are the SmArt Venture awardees for December 2012.

Mourning Market

Mourning Market is Seattle’s premiere dark themed market, artist’s collective, featuring the Pacific Northwest’s spookiest artists, crafters and vendors. In partnership with El Corazon, Seattle’s premier dark-themed exhibitionist will present their day-long market. Mourning Market features over forty emerging gothic artists. Hosted at El Corazon, Mourning Market is not your average show.  It is an experience that encourages artists and support of its unique culture and dark romanticism.

 

 

 

Date: December 9, 2012

Time: 12:00 PM

Location: El Corazon

Contact: info@mourningmarket.com

Ballard House Duet by Custom Made Play Project

The Custom Made Play Project, created by local actress Rebecca Olson, developed in response to Seattle’s “locally grown play” movement. Unlike other script development projects, the Custom Made Play Project begins with a blank page. The actors are the basis for the play and work directly with the script from conception through performance.

In Ballard House Duet, two estranged sisters reconnect at a house in Ballard to rescue their Great Aunt from a premature death at the hands of her own compulsive hoarding. As they wade through a lifetime of accumulated possessions, and personal grudges, they must decide: What has value and what are they better off just throwing away?

Dates: December 6, 2012-December 17, 2012

Time: 7:30 PM

Location: Washington Ensemble Theater

Purchase Tickets

Contact: Washington Ensemble Theater

String : A Dance & Object Theatre Show for Young Audiences featuring Mary Margaret Moore

 In String, collaborators Isabelle Kessler and Mary Margaret Moore create a journey of discovery through movement and simple objects. The set is a metaphor of a blank page, and upon it, a brilliant red rope leads to a huge canvas bundle.  When the show begins, Key, the character waits, playing cat’s cradle. She discovers the red winding rope. Following the rope, Key finds the large bundle and unpacks seven brown paper bags. Each bag holds a new emotion.

This gentle presentation of object theater, performed by movement artist Mary Margaret Moore, takes very young children on a simple and magical journey of discovery. String aims to stimulate children’s imagination and stretch their capacity to decipher emotions. These free presentations of String are made possible through partnership with ROCKiT Community Arts in Beacon Hill as well as funding from Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.

Performances of “String,” a show of dance and object theatre for young children ages 2-6 at the Beacon Hill Garden House, in partnership with Beacon Hill community arts organization ROCKiT.

Dates: December 27, 2012 and December 31, 2012

Time: 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM

Location: Beacon Hill Garden House

Purchase Tickets

Contact: marymargaret.moore@gmail.com

 

City Hall transformed to wedding chapel

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On Sunday, Dec. 9, 140 same-sex couples will wed in City Hall on the first day they are eligible to do so.

Seattle artist and designer Jennifer Zeyl is transforming City Hall for the event.

Award winning set designer Jennifer Zeyl stands in her temporary work space listening to Macklemore, preparing herself for the work ahead. Standing over the newly mixed silver pearl paint, Jennifer reminisces about the night she was asked to create the installation. It was for more than business reasons. Jennifer knows 25% of the couples getting married, many close friend and colleagues. For her, it’s personal.  All five podiums were fabricated within five days. Even the test stroke of silver paint glistens in the light, exemplifying joy. After mixing the paint twice more the finishing touches begin.

There are several components to the temporary art installment for Seattle City Hall, all designed by Jennifer. Hand-cut paper designs have been created by Celeste Cooning to hang over each podium. Platforms have been built at ACT theatre by Steve Coulter. Bouquet flowers standing three feet tall are scheduled for pick-up. This is no ordinary event. This is long awaited, hard fought for and symbolizes unity within a city long overdue.  Spectacle is limited and is replaced by dignity, unity and pure love. “They don’t need confetti canons; they have waited years, and some, decades for this. We’re going for beauty,” says Jennifer. 

Beauty is exactly what those 140 couples will see as they step into Seattle’s City Hall on Sunday, Dec. 9. Each altar has its own unique location, all of which exude a solemn and private beauty. “Making scenery delights others and delights me,” says Jennifer with a smile. This environment is created for them.

Please note that due to activities on Sunday, City Hall will only be accessible to those who are invited members of wedding parties. The community will be celebrating this historic day on City Hall Plaza, on 4th Avenue, where we encourage you to cheer and congratulate each couple as they exit the building. Ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. Please join us on 4th Avenue at any point during the ceremonies to help make this an extra special moment. Some of Jennifer’s creations will remain on view the week following Sunday’s events. We invite you to come down and see her creations.

 

 

 

‘Blue House’ final performance Dec. 8 at Green Lake Pathway of Lights

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The mobile artwork There’s No Place Like Home, known as the Blue House, will travel to the Green Lake Festival of Lights for its final performance at 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8 on the northwest side of Green Lake near Duck Island. Created by Lucia Neare’s Theatrical Wonders, the nearly 14-foot-tall Victorian house is accompanied by singing bears and gnomes delivering messages of energy conservation and sustainability. The performance is free. Watch a video of the performance here.

Neare, recipient of a 2012 Mayor’s Arts Award for her large-scale, whimsical performances, created the mobile installation to celebrate home stewardship through energy conservation in recognition of Seattle City Light and Community Power Works, the city of Seattle’s energy upgrade program.

There’s No Place Like Home is inspired by Community Power Works, a program helping homeowners and businesses save energy, often with specialized rebates, incentives and financing. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Neighborhood Program, the program complements the energy efficiency and conservation work of City Light. Community Power Works runs until June 2013 and businesses and homeowners must sign up in the next few months to take advantage of the program. The Blue House is taking its message to the streets now to encourage enrollment.

The project is funded by City Light 1% for Art funds and is administered by the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.