Current Calls and Funding

2020 Arts in Parks Temporary Art & Activations

Quetzalcoatl, by Angie Hinojos Yusuf, 2019

The Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) and Seattle Parks and Recreation (PARKS) are seeking artists to create temporary art installations or social practice activities for selected Seattle parks to activate and engage their surrounding communities.

ARTS is looking for up to seven artists/artist teams that are interested in engaging with the community and creating artworks or social practice activities that are culturally responsive. Artists who have experience working with residents from historically under-represented communities, including communities of color, immigrant, and refugee communities to develop their artwork are encouraged to apply. The temporary outdoor two and three-dimensional artworks would most likely be installed in the warmer, drier months of June – August 2020 and will have durations of a minimum of 45 days.

Eligibility

This call is open to artists residing in Washington State who have a documented track record of making art and are interested in creating art in public places. Applicants must be over 18 years old and interested in working collaboratively in public settings.

Artists who were awarded in the 2019 cycle are not eligible to apply for the 2020 Arts in Parks Temporary Art & Activations call.

ARTS is committed to reflecting the cultural richness of our city by promoting opportunities for emerging and diverse artists. Organizations and individual artists representing communities of color are encouraged to apply. Strong consideration will be given to artists who have experience working with residents from historically underrepresented communities including communities of color, immigrant, and refugee communities to develop their artwork. Please see the full call on CaFÉ.

Budget

Each selected artist/artist team will receive $4,500, inclusive of all fees including design development for final proposal, materials, installation, WA state sales and use taxes, insurance, and all associated project costs. Selected artists/artist teams will receive 40% of the total commission upon acceptance of the final artwork proposal, 40% percent after documented installation of the artwork, and the remaining 20% after documented de-installation of artwork, photo documentation, and a brief project summary have been delivered.

Arts in Parks is commissioned with Seattle Park District funds and administered by the Office of Arts & Culture.

Deadline

10:59 p.m. Pacific, Tuesday, November 12, 2019. Please allow ample time to complete your application. Do not wait until the last minute. Applications submitted after the 10:59 p.m. deadline will not be accepted.

Workshops

We strongly encourage you to attend a workshop, especially if you are a first-time applicant.

ARTS staff will share more information about the Arts in Parks Temporary Art and Activations call and will review the CaFÉ application process. No RSVP or registration is needed to attend a workshop.

Wednesday, October 16, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
Seattle Public Library, Rainier Beach Branch
9125 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98118

Wednesday, October 30, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Seattle Public Library, Southwest Branch
9010 35th Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA 98126

Tuesday, November 5, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Seattle Public Library, Douglass-Truth Branch
2300 E. Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98122

Application

Apply on CaFÉ. For assistance with the CaFÉ online application process, email CaFÉ tech support or call them at (888) 562-7232, Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific.

Info

For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Benjamin Gale-Schreck.

Neighborhood & Community Arts Grant

Womxn Who Rock, Photo by Jenny Crooks

This program supports neighborhood arts councils and community-based groups that have established a track record for producing recurring festivals and events that promote arts and cultural participation, celebrate diversity, build community connections, and enhance the visibility of neighborhoods or cultural communities through arts and culture. The City's investment is aimed at creating broad public access to a rich array of meaningful arts opportunities while supporting a healthy and diverse cultural community.

Arts and cultural festivals and events are an essential part of a vibrant, healthy and inclusive community. Through our support of these events, we aim to partner with arts and community groups to create a City where all artists and communities 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. Groups representing under-resourced communities including low-income, people with disabilities, immigrant and refugee communities, and communities of color are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility and Requirements

The Applicant must:

• Be a neighborhood arts council or local community-based group. Groups representing under-resourced communities including low-income, people with disabilities, immigrant and refugee communities, and communities of color are encouraged to apply;
• Have a Federal Tax ID number and be based in the city of Seattle. Groups applying are not required to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit nor are they required to a fiscal agent;
• Not be concurrently funded through the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture's Civic Partners, CityArtist, smART ventures, or Neighborhood & Community Arts funding programs. You may receive funding via Arts in Parks, Cultural Facilities Fund and/or Youth Arts and be eligible to receive funding in this program but it must be for distinct projects.

The Project must:

• Be previously produced and recurring;
• Have a significant arts and culture component;
• Be open to the public;
• Have insurance;
• And take place within the City of Seattle no earlier than January 1, 2020 and produced in 2020 and 2021.

You may submit only one application per year to this program. Eligible applicants may submit applications for distinct projects to both Neighborhood & Community Arts (NCA) and Arts in Parks program (AIP) as long as the projects meet the respective guidelines and eligibility. If a single project qualifies for both AIP & NCA funding, the application may be submitted for both programs but will only receive funding from one of them.

Funding

Funded organizations will receive two (2) years of NCA funding support (for events in 2020 and 2021) at $1,300 per year to support direct project expenses: artist fees, marketing and promotional fees, project management and personnel costs, supplies, equipment rentals or other production-related costs, and no more than 10% for food-related costs. There is no partial funding for this program.

Read the full opportunity for more details, including what funding may not be used for.

Deadline

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 at 11 p.m. Pacific.

Workshops

Get insider tips on how to submit a strong application:

Tuesday, August 27, 2019, 5:30-7pm
Southwest Branch Library 
9010 35th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126 
RSVP here  

Thursday, September 5, 2019, 5:30-7pm 
ARTS at  King Street Station 
303 S Jackson St, Top Floor, Seattle, WA 98104 
RSVP here

Saturday, September 28, 2019, 11am-12:30pm
Lake City Branch Library 
12501 28th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125 
RSVP here  

Saturday, October 5, 2019, 11am-12:30pm 
Rainier Beach Community Center 
8825 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 
RSVP here

Application

The application and guidelines are available on our Neighborhood & Community Arts page. 

Info

For application or eligibility assistance, please contact Project Manager, Jenny Crooks.

Arts in Parks Grant

DIARAMA, photo by Jenny Crooks

The Office of Arts & Culture is partnering with Seattle Parks and Recreation to increase arts and community events in parks throughout the city. The Arts in Parks Program is an opportunity for the city to invest in the vibrant cultural work being done in and by diverse communities throughout Seattle.

This program supports neighborhood arts councils, community-based groups, and individual artists that are seeking to activate eligible Seattle Parks in underserved and economically constrained areas of the city. This grant supports new and established festivals or events that promote arts and cultural participation, celebrate diversity, build community connections, and activate parks through arts and culture while connecting with under-resourced communities including low-income, people with disabilities, immigrant and refugee communities, and communities of color.

Eligibility and Requirements

Eligible organizations must:

• Be an individual artist, neighborhood arts council or local community-based group. Organizations and individual artists representing under-resourced communities including low-income, people with disabilities, immigrant and refugee communities, and communities of color are encouraged to apply.
• Have a Federal Tax ID number and be based in the city of Seattle. Groups applying are not required to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit nor are they required to use a fiscal agent.

The Project must:

• Have a significant arts and culture component,
• Be free and open to the public,
• Have insurance,
• Provide a platform for under-resourced artists and communities, adhere to Seattle Parks and Recreation's mission statement (see full Guidelines), and take place in a city of Seattle park between April and December 2020 (see full Guidlines for list of preferred parks). Events taking place in Downtown or City Center Parks or at Playfields and green spaces immediately adjacent to community centers are NOT eligible for this funding. (See full Guidelines for list of ineligible parks.)

You may submit only one application per year to this program. Eligible groups may submit applications for distinct projects to both AIP and Neighborhood & Community Arts  (NCA) as long as the projects meet the respective guidelines and eligibility. If a single project qualifies for both AIP and NCA funding the application can be submitted for both programs but will only receive funding from one (not both programs).

Funding

Funded organizations will receive one (1) year of AIP funding support (for events in 2020) to go towards: artist fees, marketing and promotional fees, project management and personnel costs, supplies, equipment rentals or other production-related costs, required permits (see permit document) and no more than 10% for food related costs.

Funding Levels:

• $1,300 (Requires no track record for event production.)
• $2,600
• $5,200
• $7,800 (Events/projects previously funded at the $7,200 level in years past may only apply for $5,200 or less, EXCEPT events/projects that provide a minimum of 12 hours of public programming in an eligible park over the course of at least four (4) days. This restriction is based on feedback from community and to support more projects and help build capacity for events.)

Please read the full Opportunity for details, including what funding may not be used for.

Deadline

Tuesday, October 22, 2019, 11:00 p.m. Pacific.

Workshops

Learn how to submit a strong application:

Tuesday, August 27, 2019, 5:30-7pm
Southwest Branch Library
9010 35th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126
RSVP here  

Thursday, September 5, 2019, 5:30-7pm
ARTS at  King Street Station
303 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104
RSVP here

Saturday, September 28, 2019, 11am-12:30pm
Lake City Branch Library
12501 28th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125
RSVP here  

Saturday, October 5, 2019, 11am-12:30pm
Rainier Beach Community Center
8825 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118
RSVP here

Application

The application and guidelines are available on our Arts in Parks page. 

Info

For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Project Manager, Jenny Crooks.

Do Something at ARTS at King Street Station

Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

You are invited to DO SOMETHING at ARTS at King Street Station - a cultural space that celebrates the creativity of communities of color, and that reflects and foster the creativity and talents of people that continue to create the fabric of Seattle.

We are seeking proposals for exhibitions, performances, workshops, lectures, readings, screenings, gatherings, events, and more. You do not need to live in Seattle, and you do not need to be a professional artist to apply. All creative mediums are welcome - visual arts, design, literary, music, dance, and more. Apply any time with our rolling deadline. All selected proposals are resourced, with support ranging from in-kind staffing and space, up to $25,000, depending on scale and type.

The selection criteria used by our Advisory panel are listed in the application Guidelines, so make sure to read them. 

Eligibility

• Individuals, artist teams, curator(s), or groups seeking support for a unique exhibition/art installation involving arts and culture.
• People of all ages, especially youth and older adults, are encouraged to apply. Youth under 18 must include an adult contact.
• Proposals that reflect emerging, established and mid-career work are welcome.

Organizations:

• Mission may be focused on arts and culture or other areas.
• Organizations are NOT required to have 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
• Grassroots or business organizations are welcome to apply.
• For-profit and/or touring exhibitions are NOT eligible.

Budget

Applicants can request funding for the following set amounts:

• Exhibitions - in-kind only, under $2,500, $2,500, $5,000, $10,000, $25,000
• Events - in-kind only, under $500, $500, $1,000, $2,500, $5,000

Deadline

Ongoing; there is no deadline. Applications are reviewed every three months by the King Street Station Advisors.

Application review and contracting take time. Please share your event proposals at least three months prior to the desired date, or your exhibition/installation application at least six months prior to the desired opening date. You will receive a response within 90 days.

Application

For exhibitions and events, apply via this survey.

If you want to work on it offline, you can download the ARTS at King Street Station Portal application.

ARTS at King Street Station Portal Guidelines

ARTS at King Street Station Portal budget form

ARTS at King Street Station information packet:

• Floor plan
• Written descriptions
• Equipment list
• Gallery photos

Info

For more information or help on your application, please contact King Street Station Program Lead, S Surface, or drop in during ARTS at King Street Station programming office hours: 11am-12:30pm on the Second Wednesday and Saturday of each month EXCEPT December. We are here to support your application and provide guidance. Thank you for sharing your ideas with us.