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2023 CityArtist Awardees

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The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture selected 25 artists for the 2023 CityArtist program, investing $182,000 in artists working in Seattle. The CityArtist program supports Seattle-based individual artists/curators in the research, development, and presentation of their work. The 2023 cycle received 90 proposals from dancers/choreographers, musicians/composers, or theater-makers (including playwrights). To best serve the needs of the diverse artistic community eligible disciplines rotate every program cycle. 

“Individual artists are the center of our arts and culture sector. Their work creates the fabric through which we weave our lives and brings our lens of the world into focus. This is why it’s so important that we support artists with our public funds. It allows us to work towards a just and equitable society.”

royal alley-barnes, Interim Director for Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

Meet the 2023 CityArtist Awardees

  • Rachel Atkins, Theater 
  • Andrew Creech, Theater 
  • Daniel Degene, Music 
  • Thione Diop, Music 
  • Francesca Eluhu, Music 
  • Chad Goller-Sojourner, Theater 
  • Alice Gosti, Dance
  • Aaron Grad, Music
  • Olisa-Mequella Johnson, Theater 
  • Paul Kikuchi, Music 
  • Vladimir Kremenovic, Dance 
  • Lauren Marshall, Theater 
  • Nia-Amina Minor, Dance 
  • Danielle Mohlman, Theater 
  • Alicia Mullikin, Dance 
  • Peggy Piacenza, Dance 
  • Angelique Poteat, Music 
  • Naeim Rahmani, Music 
  • Robert Roth, Theater 
  • Bennyroyce Royon, Dance 
  • Syed Taqi, Music 
  • Harold Taw, Theater 
  • Timothy Turner, Theater 
  • Mirta Wymerszberg, Music 
  • Gretchen Yanover, Music 

To learn more about the CityArtist grant program, please visit our website.

Seattle Office of Arts & Culture selects inspiring projects for Hope Corps funding

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30 artists and organizations will bring their proposals to life 

Graphic listing Hope Corps 2022 Awardees. The 30 names are listed in the blog post.

In the wake of the global pandemic and resulting economic crisis, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) created Hope Corps, an economic recovery program connecting under- and unemployed workers in the creative industries with career opportunities that benefit the public. ARTS will award 30 artists and organizations a total of $1.3 million dollars through its Hope Corps program. 

“The need is great and the demand for supporting the arts sector is clear. We received 300 applications from artists and arts organizations who focused on integrating the arts into social cohesion, economic renewal and healing needs for the underserved in our communities. The award funds are just three percent of the $38 million in total project proposal requests.” 

royal alley-barnes, Interim Director, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

Hope Corps is a work program created to provide economic and social opportunities for Seattle’s extensive creative workforce. Inspired in part by the New Deal’s Works Progress Administration, it employs artists and cultural and creative workers whose ability to work has been disrupted due to COVID-19.  

“Awardees presented proposals that are outstanding and inspiring in their scope, creativity and potential impact on our city. We believe that these projects will inspire and serve as examples to public and private funders in the region regarding what can be achieved if you work with the community to move us all forward.”

Mayor Bruce Harrell

The 30 Hope Corps proposals were selected based on the ability to generate career opportunities for the local creative workforce and successfully address one or more of the six Hope Corps focus areas: public health, mental health and healing, food security, storytelling, social connection and belonging, and arts education. Panelists also evaluated how projects proposed to engage creative workers, audiences, and the community from Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian and diaspora, immigrant, refugee, and other unserved and underserved communities. Additional key elements of the selection process gauged proposals’ ability to complete their projects and artistry exhibited through work samples.  

“I am so pleased and grateful to have been selected for the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture’s (ARTS) Hope Corps program. With the City’s generous support, I look forward to creating work that Seattle residents, workers and visitors will hopefully enjoy and gain a great deal from in the future.”

Helen K. Thomas 

Awardees will work with ARTS staff to refine their projects’ scope of work. These Hope Corps projects will begin in 2022 and continue through 2023. A full list of awardees can be found below.

Hope Corps Awardees 2022

  • Anna Banana Freeze  
  • Bennyroyce Royon 
  • Casa Surya Healings   
  • Christina Dietz  
  • danceDaigre  
  • David Toledo 
  • Experience Learning Community dba MoPOP   
  • Futsum Tsegai 
  • Grace Athena Flott 
  • Helen K. Thomas  
  • Ian Shearer  
  • J.R. Rhodes 
  • Jean-Paul Builes  
  • Jeffrey Lee Cheatham II  
  • Julian Peña 
  • Miya Sukune 
  • Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery  
  • Phillippia Goldsmith / PhillySoCreative 
  • Resilient In Sustaining Empowerment (RISE)   
  • Shelf Life Community Story Project   
  • Shin Yu Pai 
  • Sound Theatre Company 
  • Stewart Wong  
  • Sway and Swoon DJ Collective 
  • The Shattered Glass Project   
  • Timothy White Eagle / TWE ARTS 
  • Totem Star 
  • Urban Artworks   
  • Wa Na Wari   
  • Yes, Ma! Market

Here’s What Awardees Are Saying

“It’s sinking in. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I learned so much through the application process. So appreciate the mindfulness of it. Looking forward to our partnership.”

J.R. Rhodes

“WOW. I am so flooded with emotion — thank you from the bottom of my heart for this award! I am completely overwhelmed. You have no idea what this support means to me right now. Words cannot express how grateful I am to be able to continue this work. I can’t wait to get into the details of the project with you all and please accept my heartfelt appreciation. This opportunity is life-changing. Thank you to each of you and all the members of the jury.”

Grace A. Flott

This program is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

ARTS Seeks 2023-24 Seattle Civic Poet

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The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS), in partnership with the Seattle City of Literature, commissions and supports an experienced poet with a two-year City residency to serve as a literary ambassador for the City of Seattle. In addition to annual City events, the Civic Poet will foster community dialogue and engagement between the City, the public, and other artists, while celebrating the literary arts.   

Civic Poet Jourdan Imani Keith at the 2019 Mayor’s Arts Awards; Photo by Marcus R. Donner

“Each year Seattle’s Civic Poet brings an efficacy of innovative creativity and authentic narratives about diverse peoples and places. The Seattle Office of Arts and Culture (ARTS) looks forward to continued engagement with poets and communities as we seek the next cultural ambassador for Seattle’s rich literary tapestry.”

royal alley-barnes, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Interim Director
Learn About Civic Poet

Eligibility and Funding

This call is open to Seattle-based poets who have an established body of work including published/self-published works, reading/spoken word plus project planning experience, and applied racial equity practice. Applicants must:   

  • Be based in Seattle (residence in the City of Seattle),   
  • Be eligible to work in the U.S.   
  • Have demonstrated interest/experience in promoting equity and inclusion through the arts, and   
  • Show strong program planning and implementation with partnerships.  

The compensation for the two-year Civic Poet commission is $15,000. Funding covers a two-year period. It covers time for writing, administration, other artist fees, performances, event costs, materials, travel, fees, taxes, and other project-related costs. 

Deadline

Wednesday, July 13, 2022; 5 p.m. Pacific Time  

Application

Contact

Please direct any questions about the program to Irene Gómez, Project Manager at irene.gomez@seattle.gov or (206) 684-7310. 

The Civic Poet program is made possible by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) in partnership with the Seattle City of Literature. For questions about this program, please contact Irene Gómez, Project Manager at irene.gomez@seattle.gov, (206) 684-7310.

May: Grants, Gigs, and Opportunities

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Curated by Ashraf Hasham

It’s time for the monthly roundup of community grants, job openings, opportunities, and resources!

C.A.R.E Grant: CD Forum and Monique Franklin’s presentation of Mama’z Muezz; Photo by Melissa J Thompson

Arts Funding Programs

  • The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is opening a new funding program, Hope Corps, that connects under- and unemployed workers in the creative industries with career opportunities.  
    • Individual artists, creative workers, community groups, and arts and cultural organizations are eligible to apply for Hope Corps funding, ranging from $15,000 – $300,000, for one of the following project focus areas: Public Health; Mental Health and Healing; Food Security; Media, Journalism, and Storytelling; Social Connection and Belonging; and Arts Education. Applications for project concepts should: 1) Generate career opportunities for the local creative workforce, and; 2) Contribute to the well-being and resiliency of our communities, over the course of either 6 or 12 months.
    • Review the Guidelines. View the Application Preview.
    • Deadline: The application is open now through June 6.
  • The Lewis Prize for Music — a creative arts philanthropy that invests in youth music programs to facilitate positive community change— has opened its 2023 Accelerator Awards application.
    • Multi-year awards of $500,000 each will be awarded in January 2023. By applying for the Accelerator Awards, organizations are also eligible for funding ranging from $15,000 to $50,000. 
    • Learn more and apply here by June 3.
  • National Endowment for the Arts’ Grant for Arts Projects
    • Applicants may request cost share/matching grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.
    • Learn more here and apply by June 7.
  • The Centering Art & Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.) Grant is the new name of the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture’s (ARTS) funding program previously known as Civic Partners.
    • The C.A.R.E. grant awards three consecutive years of funding to Seattle arts and culture, heritage, and arts service organizations with a minimum three-year history of providing accessible programming for Seattle residents and visitors. To create a more equitable, vibrant, and relevant arts sector, ARTS prioritizes support for organizations with an arts-focused mission that are taking action to be anti-racist and who value, implement, and uphold inclusive practices through an intersectional racial equity lens. 
    • Learn more and apply by Wednesday, August 10, 5pm Pacific

Artist Grants & Opportunities

  • Rauschenberg Dancer Emergency Grants are open for Cycle 3.
    • These are one-time grants of up to $5,000 to professional dancers who have experienced dire financial emergencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including lack or imminent endangerment of essentials such as housing, medicine/healthcare, utilities, and food. 
    • Cycle 3 has a deadline of May 20, for emergency expenses between January 1 and September 30, 2022.
    • Learn more.
  • Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants Cycle 13 is now open.
    • These grants of up to $5,000 support direct treatment expenses for medical, dental or mental health emergencies that occurred on October 1, 2021, or later; the deadline is June 7.
    • Artists practicing in the visual arts, film/video/electronic/digital arts and choreography are eligible.
    • Learn more.

Grants/RFPs/RFIs for Organizations

Courtesy of the Seattle Department of Education & Early Learning
  • King County Seeks Organizations and Businesses to Provide Technical Assistance and Capacity Building to Recipients of Federal COVID-19 Funding. 
  • Seattle Department of Education & Early Learning (DEEL) is seeking requests for investment (RFI) from community-based organizations for Educator Diversity funding. 
    • DEEL will invest up to $700,000 in community-based programs supporting professional learning opportunities for educators of color disproportionately impacted by systemic inequities in education to increase racial and ethnic representation in the education workforce. Funded programs will provide historically underserved youth with increased access to racially, linguistically, and ethnically diverse educators providing culturally-responsive learning opportunities to support student success.
  • WA State’s Office of Crime Victims Advocacy (OCVA) just opened a By and For Victim Services funding opportunity.
    • Funding is intended to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and unserved individuals who have experienced hurt, harm, or crime. Eligibility is restricted to applicants who demonstrate they are culturally based, directed, and substantially controlled by individuals from the specific BIPOC and unserved population. 
    • Review the application, FAQs, and materials and apply by July 29, 5pm.

Small Businesses/Entrepreneures

  • Applications open for SBA’s T.H.R.I.V.E. executive entrepreneurship training serie.
    • SBA’s T.H.R.I.V.E (Train, Hope, Rise, Innovate, Venture, Elevate) is an executive-level training series designed to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses. It’s a six-month, intensive training series including in-person coaching, self-paced instruction, mentoring, and classroom time. The program allows participants to work with a network of experienced subject matter experts in core business topics like accounting, business strategy, marketing, and human resources customized for the unique needs of small business owners.
    • Learn more and apply by May 31.
  • Washington Department of Commerce launches the new Creatives Academy, part of a series of self-directed educational academies for small business owners (joining Mastering Financials, the Entrepreneur Academy, and Restart Academy).
    • Designed to teach the essential skills needed to turn a creative pursuit into a successful small business, the academy contains 11 tracks. Lessons range from developing a business mindset and accessing capital to finding customers, creating winning pitches, and negotiating terms.

Grants and Resources for Youth Development Providers

Courtesy of King County Parks
  • WA State’s Youth Development Workgroup is seeking provider input from across the state.
    • Now is your opportunity to share your perspective to help create recommendations to the legislature about future support for youth development in Washington State. It’s important all our communities have the opportunity to provide feedback to help share their vision for support for our field in the years to come. There are 2 ways to engage and provide your input:
      • Virtual Provider Focus Groups: These will be taking place between May 18 – June 7 and will be hosted by DCYF region.  
      • Provider Survey: Takes 10-15 minutes to complete. Survey available here and closes on June 15.
  • Applications are open for the 2022 Youth Sports & Recreation Relief Fund. 
    • King County Parks has partnered with the King County Play Equity Coalition to design, develop, and implement this federal Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery (CLFR) funding to nonprofit organizations providing programs and facilities that support youth access to physical activity. King County Parks will administer a one-time CLFR investment of approximately $4 million across the County to nonprofit organizations serving youth most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and furthest from play equity. 
    • Applications due on Friday, May 20 at 5pm.

Gig Alerts

Courtesy of The Residency
  • Friends of the Waterfront is hiring for event production staff:
    • Event Production and Operations Manager ($80k-86k/annually): We are seeking someone who has strong technical production skills, experience managing budgets, and is familiar with creating event layouts using Visio, CAD, or similar software.
    • Event & Facility Onsite Operations Assistant ($22-30/hr): We are seeking several roles to work flexible hours onsite at Pier 62 maintaining the Pier and ensuring it is ready for both daily guests and larger events. Includes a range of duties including moving barricades and tents, setting up game activations, customer service, and working with facilities vendors.
  • FEEST is hiring for an experienced Community Organizing & Training Manager, to train and supervise organizing staff to organize, build power, and win policy changes in their school district with student leaders. They’ve extended the application deadline until May 18.
  • Public Health – Seattle & King County is hiring a Family Planning Health Educator ($71k-91k annually) to provide sexual health education and outreach for their four clinics.
    • Learn more here and here. There are 3 positions: 2 temporary positions (Bellevue and Federal Way) and 1 permanent position (Kent). Closes May 18.
  • Public Health – Seattle & King County is also recruiting a Family Planning Referral Coordinator ($50k-63k/annually) for four family planning clinics, located in South King County (Kent, Auburn, Federal Way) and Bellevue to provide support to clients in linking with follow-up care and assistance within our clinics and as well as with health and social service resources. Closes June 19.
  • The Residency is hiring Vocal and Production Teaching Artists ($75/hr teaching, $35/hr prep) for their keystone program, the Summer Intensive Workshop Series. Closes May 22.
  • Arts Corps is hiring two program managers ($54k/annually, 32 hrs/wk). Apply by May 24.
  • Votiv, a Seattle-based media group, is hiring for a Coordinator (open until filled).
  • ArtsFund is hiring for a few positions, as well:
    • Communications & Digital Marketing Manager ($52-58k annually)
    • Annual Giving Manager ($52-58k annually)
    • Finance & HR Manager ($52k-58k annually)

Participation is Power

  • Community Members Invited to Participate in Seattle Redistricting Public Forums. Individual forums are scheduled for each City Council District starting May 15. Learn more here.
  • Provide Feedback on Seattle Transportation Plan: Help the Seattle Department of Transportation establish a renewed vision for the future of our streets and public spaces by participating in a public survey here.
  • Public Comment Period Open for City Surveillance Ordinance: The City of Seattle is looking for public input on the fifth set of draft Surveillance Impact Reports for currently existing surveillance technologies. Closes May 20.

Volunteering & Mutual Aid

  • WashMasks has a heat stress prevention donation drive going on right now. They are hoping to provide over 1,000 kits to farmworkers in Wenatchee, Lower Yakima, and Skagit Valleys.
    • Learn more about how to donate here and here.
  • Join Volunteers Across the City for One Seattle Day of Service on May 21, 2022, with over 2,200 volunteer opportunities across more than 80 different activities throughout all seven City Council Districts.

ARTS Unveils new name for organizational funding: Centering Art & Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.) Grant

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Now open, Centering Art & Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.) grant is the new name of the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture’s organizational funding program previously known as Civic Partners. The updated name highlights the evolution of the program over the past ten years and reflects the values of racial equity, social cohesion, and the importance of art to our communities.

CD Forum and Monique Franklin’s presentation of Mama’z Muezz; Photo by Melissa J. Thompson

“Arts and culture organizations are a vital part of Seattle’s ecosystem. Our cultural investments aim to leverage the collective community action of Seattle’s arts and cultural sector to create a City where all artists, performers, writers and creative workers have the freedom, agency and platform to share and amplify their stories, art, cultures and experiences, regardless of race, class, gender, age, ability, education, country of birth, citizenship, religion and sexual orientation.” 

royal alley-barnes, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Interim Director

The C.A.R.E. grant awards three consecutive years of funding to Seattle arts and culture, heritage, and arts service organizations with a minimum three-year history of providing accessible programming for Seattle residents and visitors. To create a more equitable, vibrant, and relevant arts sector, ARTS prioritizes support for organizations with an arts-focused mission that are taking action to be anti-racist and who value, implement, and uphold inclusive practices through an intersectional racial equity lens.  

Application 

Contact

For more information, visit the C.A.R.E grant page or contact Kathy Hsieh, Cultural Investments Strategist, at (206) 733-9926 or kathy.hsieh@seattle.gov. TTY: Dial 711. Tele-Braille: (800) 833-6385. 

The Centering Art & Racial Equity (C.A.R.E.) grant is made possible by the Seattle Office of Arts& Culture (ARTS). For more information, please contact Kathy Hsieh, Cultural Investments Strategist, at (206) 733-9926 or kathy.hsieh@seattle.gov.

2022 CityArtist Awardees

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The CityArtist program supports Seattle-based individual artists/curators in the research, development, and presentation of their work. The 2022 cycle accepted proposals in Literary (including Screenwriting), Media/Film, and Visual Arts. Requested amounts available are $2,000, $5,000, or $8,000. All projects and public event(s) will be produced within two years of being awarded.

A total of 215 applications were received. The 2022 CityArtist panel selected 25 awards with total funding of $185,000.

Meet the 2022 CityArtist Artists

roldy aguero ablao 
Create four regalia/wearable garments for a 7-minute fashion film that express and celebrate the queer CHamoru experience featuring nine artists. This work will culminate in a live/virtual public screening. 
$8,000 

Ebo Barton 
Rehearse, present, and record an hour-long mix of original spoken word performances by three artists focused on Insubordinate, Ebo Barton’s first collection of work. 
$8,000 

Kamari Bright 
Research, film, edit, and complete a 5-minute narrative poem video with three artists that speculates on the effect of societal trauma on land connection/stewardship. This work will culminate in a live public preview with a discussion. 
$8,000 

Dakota Alcantara-Camacho 
Produce three short dance films with six Matao/CHamoru artists detailing their healing process centered on storytelling and their practices from a history of oppression. This is part of a larger project with many iterative components that will culminate in a public screening and talk. 
$8,000 

Brian Dang 
Complete and present a manuscript of 20 poems and letters – three of which will be in Cantonese — exploring how to bridge intergenerational distance via language. Two collaborating poets with common dual language barriers will create poems that culminate in a public group reading. 
$5,000 

Calvin Gimpelevich 
Research, write, and complete the first draft of queer historical fiction of 50,000 words about Queen Christina of Sweden that culminates in a public reading with two artists. 
$8,000 

Emily Holt 
Complete a final draft collection of 10 essays from five artists about loss/grieving for all ages with five artists that culminates in a group reading and public workshop. 
$5,000 

June Ivers 
Research, shoot, and produce one 5-minute multimedia video with four artists using abstract visuals that trace an ancestor who was a revolutionist during Japanese occupation in 1950s. This work will culminate in a public screening and talk. 
$8,000 

Michelle Kumata 
Create, install, and present 15 small to large-scale new acrylic/mixed media pieces that commemorate the 80th anniversary and legacy of Executive Order 9066. This order resulted in the forced removal and incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans form the west coast of the U.S. This work will culminate in a solo public exhibition and college class tour. 
$8,000 

Fulgencio Lazo 
Produce six large-scale wooden/metal sculptures to display in celebration of the Day of the Dead public festival with a bilingual artist talk. 
$8,000 

Morgan Madison 
Design and create three medium-sized sculptural pieces using materials ubiquitous to built environments like concrete, glass, wool, steel, and bricks. These sculptures will create an accessible and engaging visual architectural language that diverges into the fantastical realm. This work will culminate in a public exhibition. 
$5,000  

Natasha Marin 
Curate, publish, and present “BLACK POWERFUL”, a book with over 200 pages about Black liberation featuring 20 local artists/voices and global intersectional, intergenerational Black folks/artists from the diaspora. This work will culminate in a multi-disciplinary event featuring local artists. 
$8,000 

Ricki Mason 
Develop, rehearse, and present a 25-minute virtual and 45-minute live country/western music performance with five artists. It will mirror The Judds and explore themes of homophobia (externalized/internalized), racism, American nostalgia, patriotism, “tolerance,” and what it means to be “good” through country parody songs. This work will culminate in live and virtual events. 
$8,000 

Kate Miller 
Research, develop, and present a new medium-scale, mixed media work exploring mining extraction processes and their socioecological impacts. The work aims to raise awareness about raw materials used in our daily lives and related uses for rapid growth and technology via a public exhibit. 
$8,000 

Haruko (Crow) Nishimura 
Film, edit, and act in a 20-minute film with four artists focused on cultural sensibilities, Shinto, and the natural world. The work will culminate in a public screening. 
$8,000 

David Quantic 
Complete an hour-long podcast and a 5-minute documentary focused on queer coming-of-age/ways queer people discover their sexual preferences. The work will culminate in a hybrid, public and virtual screening. 
$8,000 

Tivon Rice 
Complete and present a  multimedia installation related to digital communication in collaboration with five artists using sound, text-based art, video, and performance for a public event and workshop. Recognizing many A.I. and machine-learning tools are based on English datasets, the installation is designed to prevent exclusion of non-English speakers from Spanish-speaking countries. 
$8,000 

Sudeshna Sen 
Complete the post-production phase of a 90-minute film including 50 artists with themes of loss and grief focused on multiple generations, strength of community, and sweetness of childhood friendships. The work will culminate in a community presentation and public screening. 
$5,000 

Lynne Siefert 
Develop and film an hour-long experimental documentary with three artists in Arizona that envisions and explores a near-future world where night becomes a place of natural refuge while adapting to extreme heat. The work will culminate in a live public/virtual screening of film with a closing Q&A session plus a second and longer installation screening at a gallery. 
$8,000 

Ellen Sollod 
Complete and produce an edition of 50 small-scale, approximately 80-page-length, hardbound artist books titled “The Book of Small Regrets” with drawings, photographs, and text. It was conceived in response to the forced isolation of COVID when small slights seem catastrophic. The work will culminate in a community presentation and a public event. 
$5,000 

Francine Strickwerda 
Film and edit the closing 10-minute segment of an hour-long feature documentary with three artists about Seattle school counselor Jamshid Khajavi who coaches immigrant/refugee children in the world’s largest Ultimate Frisbee tournament. The work will culminate in a work-in-progress public screening including a Q&A session. 
$8,000 

Shann Thomas 
Photograph and produce eight large portraits of homeless LGBTQ+ youth using artificial/strobe lighting. Images will be informed by and will reflect rapport-building sessions with youth and agency staff that convey their individuality. The work will culminate in a public exhibition. 
$8,000 

Timea Tihanyi                   
Research and develop a new multidisciplinary installation with a performance/digital artist comprised of medium-to-large ceramic pieces, digital art, 3D printing, textile practices, and movement. The installation focuses on an embodied, human-centered approach to coexisting with technology. The work will culminate in a public gallery exhibition with Spanish subtitles. 
$8,000 

Adrienne von Wolffersdorff 
Film and edit five videos consisting of 5-minute conversational interviews with a graphics/digital artist and women experiencing miscarriages. The work will culminate in a podcast, website, and one public screening. 
$8,000 

Christopher Woon-Chen 
Design and complete two 7-minute animation components as an opener for a feature documentary film with three artists. The film focuses on a 5-year-old son’s survivor’s grief and remembrance of the 1995 murders of his Filipina mother and two friends, who were shot by her estranged husband during divorce court proceedings. The work will also be combined with immigrant women’s stories. The work will culminate in a public screening of the animation and film clips with an artists talk. 
$8,000 

April: Grants, Gigs, and Opportunities

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Curated by Ashraf Hasham

It’s time for the monthly roundup of community grants, job openings, opportunities, and resources! View the list below to find the following resources: artist grants & opportunities, grants for organizations, grants for youth-serving organizations, food equity grants, participation opportunities, gigs, opportunities for employers, resources for parents, and resources for arts educators.

Artist Grants & Opportunities 

  • 4Culture’s Project Grants: Supports both individuals and groups and are awarded in three disciplines: arts, heritage, and preservation. Visit each page for eligibility information, workshop dates, contact information, and how to apply. The deadline for all projects is April 20, 2022.  
  • NWFF’s Collective Power Fund 2022 Grant Cycle is Open! Spring 2022 grants will distribute $68,000 in increments of $2,000 – $5,000 – $10,000. Individual artists, who live in unincorporated or incorporated King County, will be eligible to self-select into either the $2,000 or $5,000 tiers and the $10,000 tier will be exclusive to artist teams or artist-run collectives within the county. Deadline April 26. More info & info sessions here. Direct application link here. 
  • Apply for the 2023 CityArtist Grant: Seattle Office of Arts & Culture’s CityArtist program supports Seattle-based individual artists/curators and the research, development, and presentation of their work. The application is open to dancers/choreographers, musicians/composers, or theater-makers (including playwrights). Awarded artists will need to offer a public presentation within Seattle city limits. Seattle’s Office of Arts & Culture supports a broad range of artistic and cultural expressions reflecting Seattle’s diversity. See guidelines for details. Applications close on April 27. 
  • The Harpo Foundation’s 2022 Grants for Visual Artists is open now until April 29. Costs $15 to apply, but you can submit for a waiver. More info here. 
  • Public Art Boot Camp 2022 – 2023: Are you a visual artist who’s interested in the public art realm, but have limited experience? We’ve got you! We’re now accepting applications for this year’s Public Art Boot Camp, a paid opportunity that offers professional development and mentorship within the public art realm. Up to 12 artists will be selected to participate in a series of monthly workshops/seminars, which will culminate in a commission for a temporary public artwork. Deadline: Wednesday, May 4, 5pm Pacific.
  • The Seattle World Tour Musician Relief Fund is open to all WA-state-based musicians. All applicants must have a current WA state address to qualify (a check will be sent there). The inaugural grants will be $500 each awarded on June 15, 2022. Thank you to Rain City Relief and those who supported the RCR campaign for making this inaugural launch possible! Apply here. Applications will be open until May 15. 

Grants for Organizations 

  • The City of Bellevue is accepting applications from human service providers in the community for 2023-2024 funding. Proposals can be submitted until 4pm, Thursday, April 28. Bellevue funds programs that address the full spectrum of human service needs, including food security, housing stability, homelessness prevention, health, behavioral health, youth services, domestic violence services, childcare subsidies, and many others. Learn more here. 
  • The City of Federal Way, similarly, will be seeking applications from non-profit and public agencies for human services. As a member of the Human Service Funders Collaborative, Federal Way is participating in this joint application process with fifteen (15) other King County cities. Approximately $536,000 will be available in Human Services General Fund grants and $116,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Services funding. Available amounts are dependent on final budgets. Deadline 4:30pm on April 28. Learn more here. 
  • Seattle Foundation’s Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) Grant: Supports grassroots efforts that increase engagement, power, and influence of community members affected by poverty and racial disparities. Serving community-based organizations in South Seattle, White Center, and Kent and focused on organizations with small budget sizes. The deadline for submission is April 30.  
  • Seattle Information Technology is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for their 2022 Digital Equity Grants. The deadline for submitting proposals is May 13. This year, there are two grant opportunities:  
    • Technology Matching Fund 
      • The City will award grants up to $25,000. 
      • Projects must be completed within one year or less. 
      • Applicants must match at least 25% of their funding request. 
    • Digital Navigator Cohort Grant 
      • The City will award grants up to $50,000. 
      • Projects must be completed within 18 months or less. 
      • No community match is required. 
      • Learn more here. 
  • Request for Proposals Open for Equitable Development Initiative: Community-based organizations working on anti-displacement efforts in high displacement risk neighborhoods are encouraged to apply for funds to support capacity building, property acquisition, and capital expenses. Applications are due June 5. For more info including guidelines and the RFP application, click here. 

Grants for Youth-Serving Organizations

  • The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture is now accepting applications for the 2022 Youth Arts Grant. Youth Arts Grant supports equitable access to arts and cultural learning opportunities for Seattle’s middle and high school-aged youth. Programs occur outside of school hours in person and online and are led by experienced teaching artists working in communities to increase arts and cultural opportunities for young people from diverse racial and socio-economic backgrounds. Recipients will receive a total of $12,000 distributed over two (2) years of Youth Arts funding support for programs in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. Deadline April 18, 5pm. 
  • School’s Out Washington (SOWA), in partnership with Best Start for Kids (BSK), is seeking proposals for the 2022-2025 King County Best Starts for Kids Expanded Learning Initiative. The RFP and application are now available on SOWA’s website. Proposals are due on Wednesday, April 27 by 11:59pm.
    • Investments in the BSK Expanded Learning Initiative will strengthen and increase expanded learning opportunities for King County young people (ages 5-13) who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and/or living in poverty. Expanded learning provides young people with high-quality programming through a range of activities including academic enrichment, cultural and social development activities, physical activity and health promotion, arts education, and leadership development. Applicants must meet one of the two eligibility criteria: BIPOC-Led Organizations or Place-Based Collaboratives.
  • The Best Starts for Kids Youth Development request for proposal (RFP) is now open! This funding opportunity closes on May 16 at 2pm. Best Starts for Kids is seeking to partner with organizations that support young people through programs that develop youth leadership and engagement opportunities, mentoring, positive identity, and/or healthy and safe relationships.
    • The focus populations for the programs are children and young people in elementary school, middle school, high school, and/or ages 18 to 24. Approximately $12,000,000 is available through the estimated contract period of July 2022 – June 2023 through Best Starts for Kids to support the work described in this RFP. The maximum award amount proposers may request is up to $375,000 for a three-year contract. Pro tip: Bookmark the BSK funding calendar! 
  • Seattle’s Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) just announced their 2022 Funding Opportunities: View their 2022 Notice of Funding Availability to view a description of each opportunity (such as Summer Learning Enhancement, Youth Leadership, Educator Diversity, etc.), who is eligible to apply and anticipated release dates. More information will be posted on DEEL’s funding opportunities page near each release date.

Food Equity Grants 

  • Tier Two of the city of Seattle’s Food Equity Fund is open now! This new grant program prioritizes projects led by and for communities most affected by limited access to healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant food: Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants, refugees, low-income individuals, families with young children, youth, and elders.
    • Tier Two grants have a maximum award amount of $150,000. During the Tier Two cycle, approximately $2 million in funding will be available for community-led projects that seek to advance food equity. Deadline April 30. More info here, including types of projects sought and technical assistance sessions. 
  • 2022 Farm to Table Support Services RFP: The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from organizations and farmers interested in food equity for Seattle Preschool Programs serving low-income children and families.
    • This Farm to Table Support Services RFP invests in healthy, local, sustainable, culturally relevant food access and education in approximately 50 Seattle Preschool Programs located across the City of Seattle serving 2,000 children ages 3-5 years old. This RFP is investing approximately $839,815 from the following sources: $766,158 in Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT) funding and $73,657 in City of Seattle General Fund. Initial funding will be for the period of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. Completed application packets are due by 4pm PDT, on Thursday, May 5.

Participation is Power 

  • Provide Feedback on Seattle Transportation Plan: Help the Seattle Department of Transportation establish a renewed vision for the future of our streets and public spaces by participating in a public survey. 
  • SoundTransit’s Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions (WSBLE) project is in the formal public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). This is an especially important time to get involved and tell them what you think! Learn more here. Open until April 28. 
  • The Seattle Redistricting Commission has begun the process of examining how to redraw the boundaries of Seattle’s seven City Council Districts and is inviting community members to learn about the process and provide feedback. You can review drafts of proposed maps and offer your feedback at the Seattle Redistricting Commission website. The designated public comment period is open from February 16 to July 31. Learn more here. 

Gigs

  • Coyote is still seeking a new Executive Director and just upped its base salary range to $85k-110k/annually. Learn more here. Open until filled. 
  • Seattle Arts & Lectures continues its search for a Marketing Manager ($56k-62k annually) The posting is here. Deadline April 18. 
  • FEEST is hiring for an experienced Community Organizing & Training Manager, ($68k-73k annually) to train and supervise organizing staff to organize, build power, and win policy changes in their school district with student leaders. The priority deadline is April 18. 
  • TeenTix is hiring for both a Deputy Director ($60k annually) and a Communications Specialist ($21/hr, 25 hrs/wk). Read about them both here. Open until filled. 
  • Friends of Children are looking for both a Development and Communications Director ($80k-90k/annually) and a Coordinator ($43-48k/annually). Learn more here. Open until filled. 
  • King County Dispute Resolution Center is looking for a Project Manager ($28/hr, 32-40 hrs/week) and Program Coordinator ($25/hr, 32-40 hrs/week) for their Public Housing Services division. People with lived experience in public housing or similar programs are encouraged to apply. Open until filled. 
  • YMCA Social Impact Center is hiring a Technology & Civic Engagement Facilitator (Min. $24/hr, F/T) in their Employment & Training division. It is a unique role teaching technology classes to Opportunity youth in Seattle, plus facilitation of two civic engagement programs.  

Opportunities for Employers

Resources for Parents

  • Looking for a preschool? Apply Now for 2022-2023 Seattle Preschool Program: The program offers high-quality, affordable preschool programming to help children living in Seattle prepare for kindergarten. In-language applications and assistance are available. Learn more here, and apply here. Tuition is free for most Seattle families, with higher-income households paying on a sliding scale based on household size and income.
  • The Creative Advantage ALL ACCESS Arts Stream Spring Classes: These free online classes are led in real-time by master-level teaching artists for elementary-aged youth. Classes available:
    • Virtual Poetry – Magic Words & Magic Powers (Wednesdays, 4/20 – 5/18, 5-6pm)
    • Virtual Dancing Our Natural World with Pacific Northwest Ballet (Thursdays, 4/21 – 5/19, 5-6pm)
    • Virtual Pop-up Books and Paper Magic (Saturdays, 4/23 – 5/21, 10 – 11am)

Resources for Arts Educators

  • Artful Solidarity for Arts Education with The Creative Advantage: Saturday, April 30, 2022, 10am – 1pm. After two long and challenging years, how can the community come together to better support arts educators and arts education? The Creative Advantage is carving out space for teachers and arts partners to reconvene and reboot. This in-person event at the Seattle Art Museum is a celebration of creative resilience, a call to action, and a time to seed new possibilities. Engage in collective learning, then tour the museum on your own time. This event is free to all educators. Three Washington State Clock Hours are available. Click here to register. 

Request for Proposals Tiny Cultural Space: a construction project

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The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with the Seattle Department of Finance and Administration, and Sawhorse Revolution, invites local cultural and community organizations to submit proposals for a new (tiny) cultural space.  

The new Tiny Cultural Space will be custom designed and built by a youth cohort under professional mentorship with you and your organization as the client. It will be built to your needs and sited on a small piece of City-owned property (a “snippet” property), at a location to be determined by the City of Seattle. 

Who can apply:  
You are eligible for this opportunity if you are any of the following: 

  • Non-profit arts, culture, and heritage organizations (nonprofits do not need to be 501(c)3’s) 
  • Community organizations and associations 
  • Applicants who represent, are led by, or are committed to pursuing equity for people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, and/or other groups that have traditionally been furthest from access to the control of cultural space  

Project applicants must demonstrate a minimum 5-year commitment to the programming and maintenance of the site. 

Deadline: Proposals are due via email by 11:59 pm on Monday, November 1, 2021 

Application and Guidelines: Please email your proposal to matthew.richter@seattle.gov, with the subject “Tiny Cultural Space Proposal. Guidelines can be found here. 

Come to a Workshop: 

Sunday, October 17, 2021, 3 – 5 pm  
Sawhorse Revolution 
3219 Martin Luther King Jr Way S,  
Seattle, WA, 98144 
RSVP here 
There will be an in-person live information session at the Sawhorse Revolution HQ, adjacent to Cafe Ibex. Masks are required for all participants in this indoor meeting. 

Thursday, October 21, 2021, 4 – 6 pm 
Virtual Tiny Cultural Space Information Session 
RSVP here 

Recovery Funds for Cultural Organizations: Apply for Three Grants via One Application

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We’ve teamed up with 4Culture to create a single application process for several grants in King County and the City of Seattle. 

About the Grants:

Eligible organizations only need to fill out one application to be considered for funding from the following programs:

  • 4Culture 2022 Sustained Support
  • 4Culture Recovery Fund
  • City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Recovery Fund

The deadline to apply is Friday, November 5, 2021 at 5:00 pm PDT. 

Who Can Apply?

King County cultural organizations with a minimum 3-year operating history should submit an application. Organizations of all budget sizes will be considered for 2022 Sustained Support.
 
4Culture and Seattle ARTS will also consider organizations with 2019 revenue of $1 million or below for Recovery Funds. To receive these funds, you must have experienced a drop in revenue from 2019 to 2020 due to the pandemic. Please read the guidelines and an FAQ for Seattle Funds for more details on eligibility and criteria.

Note: if you are a cultural organization with pre-pandemic revenue of more than $1 million, please refer to King County’s Revive and Thrive Together program for federal COVID relief funds. If you’re not sure where to apply, start with our screening tool.

Come to a Workshop

We know navigating multiple funding opportunities can be confusing and overwhelming! We’re here to help. Staff from both 4Culture and the Office of Arts & Culture will be available to answer all your questions about these funding programs.

Apply Today

This project was supported by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Estelita’s Library Opens Its New Tiny Cultural Space in the Central District

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Estelita’s Tiny Cultural Space is up and running! In 2018, ARTS in partnership with Sawhorse Revolution invited local cultural and community organizations to submit proposals for a new tiny cultural space. Estelita’s Library was chosen as the first recipient of our Tiny Cultural Space Program because of its mission to create accessibility to literature on justice, ethnic studies, and liberation movements.  

Photo by Rafael Soldi

Founded by Edwin Lindo, Estelita’s Library was first homed inside The Wine Station on Beacon Hill, which opened its doors in May 2018. Named after his daughter, Estella, Lindo created this library with a vision for it to be home to conversations you may not usually have in other communal spaces – conversations about race, poverty, and social justice. In its first year of business, Estelita’s Library hosted over 350 members and a catalog of over 1,500 books. This library’s catalog features books from notable authors like Malcolm X and Audre Lorde to Lindo’s personal collection of Black Panther Party newspapers. 

Photo by Rafael Soldi

However, with the landlord of their Beacon Hill space planning to build high-rise apartments in place of the current building, Lindo felt it was the perfect time to apply for the Tiny Cultural Space Program. 

“What Estelita’s tries to do is give us space to think critically and to think with freedom.”

Edwin Lindo, founder of Estelita’s Library (quoted from his interview with Dwell)

Sawhorse Revolution’s all-womxn design/build program for youth was integral in the entire process of building Estelita’s Tiny Cultural Space, from the selection of Estelita’s Library as the recipient to the design (with mentorship from Olson Kundig) to the actual build (with mentorship from Sawhorse Revolution’s builders).  

  • Photos by Rafael Soldi

After almost two years of collaborative work, Estelita’s Tiny Cultural Space has its new home on Martin Luther King Jr. Way South in the Central District where it continues to serve the community. This new space stands at 225 square feet with a 330-square-foot outdoor deck. It will be home to many community gatherings, book readings, and more. 

“The City of Seattle currently owns over three million square feet of buildings and land that it considers to be ‘excess to its current needs.’ These surplus properties, which could be enormous assets in community hands, are often considered to be liabilities to the City, which needs to mow, and maintain, and insure them.

Tiny Cultural Space is an exploration of what can happen if the City returns some of these surplus assets to the community-based arts and cultural organizations who could transform them. The program takes invisible and overlooked municipal liabilities and turns them into living, thriving, community assets.” 

Matthew Richter, Cultural Space Liaison for the City of Seattle
Photos by Rafael Soldi

While the library is still closed to the public due to COVID-19, you can show your support by shopping on their online bookstore. You can also stay up-to-date on their hours and future public openings on their website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The Tiny Cultural Space Program is made possible in partnership with Finance and Administrative Services and the Department of Construction and Inspections.