Over 500 attendees flooded into McCaw Hall at Seattle Center on Tuesday, October 14th for the 2025 Creative Economy Career Day, a free, annual, one-day educational program hosted by The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and the Office of Economic Development. The morning featured panels, presentations and live demonstrations… [ Keep reading ]
The 2025-2026 Proposed Budget for the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture is now available for public viewing. The Seattle Arts Commission, a group of citizen volunteers appointed by the Mayor and the Council to support and advocate for the Office of Arts & Culture (OAC), issued the below response… [ Keep reading ]
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 ]
Did you know that when you attend certain events and venues in Seattle, 5% of your ticket price goes towards the City’s Arts and Culture Fund? It’s called the Admission Tax. This is the fund that we use to support artists and organizations through our grants. If you were one… [ Keep reading ]
If you squint at the bottom of a playbill or art exhibit description at a Seattle theater or gallery, you’ll often see the characters A&C written in purple, surrounded by a circle. That’s the logo of the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, or OAC, which funds some $13 million worth… [ Keep reading ]
The 2025-2026 proposed budget adjustments for the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) are available for public viewing. The Seattle Arts Commission, a group of citizen volunteers appointed by the Mayor and City Council to support and advocate for the ARTS office, issued a response to these budget proposals,… [ Keep reading ]
In nearly every profession, there is a chicken and egg problem: experience helps applicants get a job, but without the first job, how does one acquire experience? Public art is no different in that regard. Public art, and the art world overall, are predominately White in terms of administration, policy,… [ Keep reading ]
May 28, 2024 Re: Written comments required by Seattle Municipal Code 3.14.830G, as amended by Ordinance No. 123460 (2010) Dear Mayor Harrell, As our city continues to recover from the impacts of the pandemic, we appreciate that you are working to navigate civic challenges that range from economic stability to… [ Keep reading ]
“Youth are the future and creativity is the future,” said Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) Director Gülgün Kayim during her opening remarks at Creative Economy Career Day. On Friday, Feb. 9, more than 500 students were welcomed to McCaw Hall in Seattle Center to attend the sold out… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle, WA – Today, Gülgün Kayim was sworn in as the Director of the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS). ARTS staff, wearing Director Kayim’s favorite color as a surprise, crowded the chamber in shades of red, joking that they should arrange themselves from cool to warm tones. This… [ Keep reading ]
