Current Calls and Funding
Students in the 2017 Jack Straw Blind Youth audio project work on their original song in the studio. Photo by Sherwin Eng.
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The Youth Arts grant is a 2-year grant that supports equitable access to arts and cultural learning opportunities for Seattle’s middle and high school-aged youth. Programs occur outside of school hours and are led by experienced artists and teaching artists working in communities across Seattle to increase arts and cultural opportunities for young people from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Eligibility
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Projects must take place between September 2024 – August 2025 and September 2025 – August 2026.
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Eligible applicants include individual artists, teaching artists, arts and cultural organizations, youth-service agencies, and degree-granting institutions.
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Programs must be available to middle and high school-aged young people and take place within Seattle city limits.
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All artists and teaching artists hired by arts and cultural organizations, youth-service agencies, and degree-granting institutions must have at least one (1) year of experience working with the project age group and arts and cultural forms.
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Projects must reflect the Youth Arts grant priorities and demographics as described in the full guidelines..
Please read the guidelines for full details.
Funding
Recipients will receive a total of $12,000 distributed over two (2) years of Youth Arts funding support for programs in 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. You will only receive funding after the program has started. Once an invoice is submitted, the City will process it in 30 days.
Due Date
Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, 5 p.m. Pacific.
Please allow ample time to complete your application; applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Information Sessions and Draft Application Review
Learn more about this opportunity and how to turn in your strongest application. We highly encourage first-time applicants to attend:
Virtual Information Sessions
Monday, Jan. 22, 2024
5 - 6 p.m.
RSVP here
Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024
12 - 1 p.m.
RSVP here
Virtual Draft Application Review
Monday, Feb. 5, 2024
5 - 6 p.m.
RSVP here
Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024
12 - 1 p.m.
RSVP here
Application
Apply online through the City of Seattle's grant portal. If this is your first time using FLUXX, you will have to create a user profile before you start your application. If you don’t have computer or internet access, contact staff as soon as possible.
Info
For information and assistance with the application, eligibility or online technical support, please contact Project Manager, Kristi Woo at (206) 727-8671 or Kristi.Woo@seattle.gov.
We can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language! Just call us and tell us what language you speak. There will be a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.
Kristi Woo
Bio + -
Creative Youth Development Project Manager
kristi.woo@seattle.gov
(206) 727-8671
Kristi serves as ARTS' Creative Youth Development Project Manager and has a passion for cultural preservation, youth empowerment, and community advocacy. Kristi is a former Arts Education Manager of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute and Education Manager for the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience. Her innovation in bridge-building amongst schools, families, and artists along with advocacy in underserved communities around arts education is well respected. She has worked and volunteered with pluralistic communities in Seattle's Rainier Valley, Chinatown International District, and Central Area neighborhoods for more than 20 years.
Public Art Artist Roster
Toka Valu and his mural HaiKU MAter saFEKEeping
Artists are invited to apply for our upcoming public art projects. The City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) maintains a Public Art Artist Roster that selects and places artists for new projects. All experience levels are welcome.
The Public Art Artist Roster will be used for commissioning new, original, and site-responsive public artwork. ARTS is seeking a diverse range of artists to work with us and various City of Seattle Departments (Seattle City Light, Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Public Utilities, and Seattle Parks and Recreation). The Public Art Artist Roster is the primary method for selecting newly commissioned artists.
Read the call for full details.
Eligibility
- You must reside in the United States or a U.S. Territory.
- You must be an artist or collaborative group that is independent. An arts organization, company, or program is not eligible.
- You must produce or present artwork that is relevant to the community and accessible to the public.
- Images submitted for review must be your own original work. If it's a team project, your role in the project must be clearly defined in the image description.
- You must be 18 years of age or older. Collaborative groups must be composed of artists who are 18 or older.
- You may submit only one application.
Budget
Public art commissions will be up to $500,000. Each new project will include information on the specific project budget and scope of work.
Information Sessions
Learn more about this opportunity and how to turn in your strongest application. We highly encourage first-time applicants to watch this recording.
You can also attend an optional drop-in application workshop where ARTS staff will be available to answer your questions.
Workshop 1
Online workshop
Friday, Jan. 12, 2024, 12 - 1 p.m. Pacific
Workshop 2
In-person workshop, ARTS at King Street Station, 303 S Jackson Street, Top Floor
Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, 4 - 7 p.m. Pacific
Workshop 3
Online workshop
Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, 7 p.m. Pacific
Workshop 4
In-person workshop, Wa Na Wari, 911 24th Ave., Seattle 98122
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, 6 - 7:30 p.m. Pacific
Learn more about the Public Art Artist Roster and future opportunities for the ARTS at King Street Station gallery.
Workshop 5
In-person workshop, Nepantla Gallery, 9414 Delridge Way SW, Seattle 98106
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, 1 - 3 p.m. Pacific
Attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops to go through the application process with staff. A Spanish interpreter will be available.
Due Date
Wednesday, March, 6, 2024, 5 p.m. Pacific.
Please allow ample time to complete your application. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Application
Apply online through Submittable.
If you have trouble with Submittable, check their FAQ for step-by-step guides. You can also contact Submittable tech support at support@submittable.com.
Info
For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Project Manager, Maija McKnight at (206) 684-7311 or Maija.McKnight@seattle.gov.
We have interpreters who can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language via video. Just call us and tell us what language you speak. Expect a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.
Maija McKnight
Bio + -
Project Manager
maija.mcknight@seattle.gov
(206) 684-7311
Maija has worked in the arts field for more than 15 years including serving as the Arts Coordinator for the City of Auburn, Washington and within the education departments of Tacoma Art Museum, Seattle Art Museum, and Seattle Asian Art Museum. With an undergraduate degree in East Asian Studies from Western Washington University and a master's degree in Museum Studies from the University of Washington, this former Montanan enjoys spending time at the beach with her family and making things out of metal in her studio.
Maija also speaks Mandarin.
The Creative Advantage Community Arts Partner Roster (Rolling Deadline)
The Creative Advantage is a city-wide initiative to establish equitable access to arts learning for every student in Seattle Public Schools. The Creative Advantage is made possible through a public-private partnership with Seattle Public Schools, the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, the Seattle Foundation, and over 100 community arts partners.
The Community Arts Partner Roster consists of individual teaching artists and community arts and culture organizations approved to work in Seattle Public Schools through The Creative Advantage. Community Arts Partners collaborate with schools to provide:
- Student Art Residencies
- Teacher Professional Development
Please Note: An applicant can apply to lead student arts residencies and/or teacher professional development.
Visit the Creative Advantage website for more information.
Eligibility
Open to teaching artists, community arts organizations, and cultural institutions serving students, teachers, and schools in Seattle with three (3) or more years of teaching experience. Applicants must be over the age of 18.
The Roster application is open, and will stay open year-round for new artists, teaching artists, community arts organizations, and cultural institutions to apply. Applications will be vetted and approved by Creative Advantage Advisors, through a panel process three times annually (March, June, October). Roster Advisors are Seattle Public School teacher leaders and current Roster partners.
Review Deadlines:
- Applications submitted between 10/11/23 and by 5 PM (PST) 3/1/24 will be reviewed during the March review cycle
- Applications submitted between 3/1/24 and by 5 PM (PST) 6/7/24 will be reviewed during the June review cycle
- Applications submitted between 6/7/24 and by 5 PM (PST) 10/11/24 will be reviewed during the October review cycle
An applicant can apply to provide both student art residencies and/or professional development opportunities for teachers and will have the option to indicate that on the application.
Application
If you have trouble with Submittable, check their FAQ which offers step-by-step guides. For further assistance with the Submittable online application, please contact Submittable tech support at support@submittable.com.
Info
For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Project Manager, Tina LaPadula.
We can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language. Just call us and tell us what language you speak. Expect a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.
Tina LaPadula
Bio + -
Arts Education Project Manager
tina.lapadula@seattle.gov
(206) 518-4205
Tina LaPadula is an East coast transplant and warrior for equitable art-making and learning opportunities. For more than 15 years she poured most of her creative energy into Arts Corps, the award-winning arts and social justice nonprofit she helped found. She has collaborated with The Frye Museum, The Museum of History and Industry, and Bumbershoot Arts and Music Festival to curate exhibitions and events that elevate the art and perspectives of young people. As a teaching artist, Tina has taught for Centrum Arts, Seattle Children's Theatre, The University of Washington, and in a multitude of schools and afterschool programs. She has served as a consultant to many cultural organizations facilitating workshops on racial justice and the arts. Tina supports the growth and development of teaching artists locally and nationally, most notably as the founder of the Seattle Teaching Artist Network, as a faculty member for the WA State Teaching Artist Training Lab, as the former chair of the Association of Teaching Artists, and on the national advisory team for the Teaching Artist Guild. Her writing and opinions have been featured by Americans for the Arts and The National Guild for Community Arts Education.
smART Ventures Grant (Rolling Due Date)
Black Arts Love by Jenny Crooks
smART Ventures is flexible, inclusive, simple, and encourages innovation by individuals, organizations, and communities that may not qualify for other funding programs. smART Ventures provides support ranging from $500 to $1,000, proving that small investments can have big impacts.
Eligibility
- Individuals or groups of people – including youth and older adults – seeking support for a unique project, opportunity, or event involving arts and culture and not currently funded by our office
- Organizations – arts and culture and others – organizations do NOT have to have 501(c)(3) non-profit status
- emerging (less than 3 years old), OR
- not currently funded by our office, OR
- grassroots or business organizations
- Practicing artists not currently funded by our office and who have never received a CityArtist grant before
Due Date
The application is open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Application
Info
For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Project Manager, Kristi Woo.
We can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language. Just call us and tell us what language you speak. Expect a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.
Kristi Woo
Bio + -
Creative Youth Development Project Manager
kristi.woo@seattle.gov
(206) 727-8671
Kristi serves as ARTS' Creative Youth Development Project Manager and has a passion for cultural preservation, youth empowerment, and community advocacy. Kristi is a former Arts Education Manager of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute and Education Manager for the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience. Her innovation in bridge-building amongst schools, families, and artists along with advocacy in underserved communities around arts education is well respected. She has worked and volunteered with pluralistic communities in Seattle's Rainier Valley, Chinatown International District, and Central Area neighborhoods for more than 20 years.
Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute (LHPAI) Facility Grant
The LHPAI Facility Grant aims to create community impact by broadening arts and culture participation at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, a historic landmark cultural facility in the heart of the Central Area neighborhood of Seattle. The LHPAI Facility Grant seeks to celebrate, nurture, present and preserve African American and Diaspora performing arts and cultural legacies.
The LHPAI Facility Grant provides in-kind support for public projects, opportunities, or events presented by individuals, groups, organizations, or communities. The grant takes the form of up to 40 hours of staffed building use for a public arts or cultural event at LHPAI. The LHPAI Facility Grant consists solely of facility use and staff time.
There is no monetary investment associated with this grant.
Eligibility
- Individuals, organizations, communities, or groups of people - including youth and older adults - seeking support for a unique public project, opportunity, or event involving African American and Diaspora arts and culture may apply.
- Only events open to the public may receive the LHPAI Facility Grant. Private events are ineligible. Public events may still charge an entrance fee for their events.
- Organizations — arts and culture and others — are NOT required to have 501(c)(3) non-profit status
Due Date
The application is open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Application
Info
For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Sandra Boas-DuPree.
We can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language. Just call us and tell us what language you speak. Expect a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.
Jahi Bouvier McGhee
Bio + -
jahi.mcghee@seattle.gov
206-684-4758
Jahi Bouvier, born and raised in Seattle with family ties to the Central District, is a visual artist and activist. While pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications at Eastern Washington University, Jahi ran D1 track & field and joined the first African American fraternity, the highly esteemed Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity Inc.
With a background in digital photography Jahi combines their technical skills with their passion for activism to create thought-provoking pieces that are both aesthetically pleasing and socially relevant and has exhibited their work in various locations including Caffe Zingaro, Boston Consulting Group, Belltown Artwalk, and Seattle Credit Union to name a few.
When Jahi isn't creating art, they can often be found volunteering in their community, working behind the scenes of various esports productions as an assistant broadcast engineer, advocating for social/economic/environmental change, and performing as a legacy member of the kickball organization BaseGods.
Sign up for updates to hear about future calls and grants, or visit our Other Opportunities page to view artist calls and job openings from other organizations.