Office of Arts & Culture Randy Engstrom, Director

ARTS is committed to ensuring that Seattle's arts and cultural organizations reflect our community and have the tools and trainings they need to remove barriers to participation, and involve diverse cultures and underserved audiences and artists. As one tool to address these inequities, ARTS is offering workshops addressing racial equity.

“Art Interruptions” makes its way to the Rainer Valley East-West Neighborhood Greenway with whimsical temporary installations. Beginning September, seven temporary installations on view in the greenway from through January 2, 2017, will inspire and enliven the route with an element of the unexpected.

This fall the 2016 Seattle Center Sculpture Walk will transform the Seattle Center Campus with eight art spectacles that will change the way visitors experience the Center grounds. Artworks range from sculptural and conceptual, to comical and surprising with an element of grandeur.

Seattle is transforming King Street Station into a hub for arts and culture. In a unique collaboration between the Office of Arts & Culture, the Seattle Department of Transportation, and the Office of Economic Development, the City will create a dynamic space for arts and culture in the heart of the city.

The collaborative program Artist Up is launching the Grant LAB, an experimental program that will test grant-making ideas and practices for greater equity and access throughout Seattle, King County and Washington State. Up to 18 artists will be selected with $3,000 awards each. Funds from the Grant LAB will support work by artists in all disciplines and in contemporary, traditional/cultural heritage, or other art forms. 9/28/2016

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation are seeking artists to create temporary art installations or social practice activities for selected Seattle parks to activate and engage their surrounding communities.10/19/2016

Increasing arts and community events in parks throughout the city by investing in the vibrant cultural work being done in and by diverse communities throughout Seattle.10/19/2016

Supporting Seattle's neighborhood arts councils and community groups that produce events to promote arts and cultural participation and build community.10/19/2016

Providing grants for Seattle-based individual artists to develop and present their work. The program focuses on different disciplines in alternating years. 07/20/2016

Digital Media Specialist: You will play a critical role in promoting the value of artistic expression in the City of Seattle and raise the visibility of the public benefit provided by the department through digital communications channels. 10/4/2016

“Your Body of Water” Poetry on Buses 2016-2017, has expanded to offer community sourced poetry in nine languages on a broad range of bus, rail and station venues. Residents in King County, Washington is eligible to submit one poem up to 50 words in length on the theme of water online starting May 15 through September 30.9/30/2016

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS), in partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) seeks a practicing, published poet, fiction, or creative non-fiction writer for a unique project-based artist residency in the northwest tower of the Fremont Bridge. The selected writer will undertake an in-depth exploration of the bridge and write a piece in response to the experience. 2/16/2016

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS), in partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) seeks a lighting artist or lighting artist team for a unique project-based artist residency in the southwest tower on the University Bridge. The selected lighting artist(s) will undertake an in-depth exploration of Seattle’s three historic bascule bridges: the University, Fremont, and Ballard bridges, and create a conceptual plan for lighting each bridge. 2/16/2016

Encouraging innovation and widening cultural participation, particularly by individuals, organizations and communities that may not qualify for other grant programs. Accepting applications year-round, smART ventures is flexible, inclusive and simple.

Looking for rehearsal space by the hour, or an old warehouse for your new theater? Looking for studio space by the month, or an empty retail space for a gallery? Check out Spacefinder Seattle.

We invite you to chart your own course through the city keeping an eye out for art in unexpected places. Art gives shape to Seattleʼs urban fabric. Since 1973, Seattle has proudly supported this endeavor with its 1% for Art program. Venture into Seattleʼs many neighborhoods and find other engaging works of art. The cityʼs collection includes more than 400 permanent public artworks. Enjoy your journey. We hope you are inspired, delighted and challenged along the way.

Resources and events related to the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative.

The Creative Advantage is Seattle Public Schools commitment to arts education for all students. The initiative is ensuring that every student has arts integrated into their education, starting in kindergarten through high school.