Current Calls and Funding
Artists Up Mentorly Scholarship
Artists Up is pleased to offer Mentorly Scholarships—funded by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, 4Culture, and ArtsWA—to artists living in Washington State who would like to elevate their practice, learn more about a certain skill, or explore a new field by receiving peer-to-peer mentorship from another artist.
Eligibility
To qualify for this opportunity, you must:
- Be an artist residing in Washington State
- Be over the age of 18
- Not be currently enrolled in a degree program (ex: pursuing a high school, college, or graduate degree)
- Practice in one or more of the following artistic disciplines:
- Arts Administration
- Arts Education
- Craft
- Dance / Choreography
- Film / Media
- Folk / Traditional / Heritage
- Literary
- Multi-disciplinary
- Music / Composition
- Public Art
- Theater / Opera
- Visual / Design
- Not have received an Artists Up Mentorly Scholarship in the past 12 months
Funding
Awarded artists will receive four one-hour-long sessions with a mentor of their choice. Awardees can select from a list of Artist Up-recommended mentors. The value of these sessions is $340. You will not receive a check, only access to the online platform to book your prepaid sessions.
Due Date
Monday June 26, 2023, 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
Info
For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact helloartistsup@gmail.com.
Ashraf Hasham
Bio + -
Partnerships, Education, and Grants Manager
ashraf.hasham@seattle.gov
(206) 615-1879
Ashraf oversees the City's youth investments in arts education, creative youth development, and career-connected learning. He comes to this role from The Vera Project, a homegrown, nationally-renowned, participatory, all-ages, volunteer-fueled music venue & DIY arts space at the Seattle Center, where he served as Executive Director. Prior to that, he spent time with Chicago's largest arts education provider, Urban Gateways, where he was Program Manager for Advocacy & Engagement, as well as Seattle's TeenTix, a revolutionary arts access & youth empowerment organization where he has played multiple roles over the years, most recently as Director of Partnerships & Programs.
Ashraf earned a bachelor's degree in Arts Administration from Wagner College in New York City, and gained his chops in the editorial department at Aperture magazine, the external relations department at the Henry Art Gallery (a contemporary art museum on the University of Washington campus), and as the front-of-house manager at On the Boards (Seattle's renowned contemporary performance mainstay).
Nationally, Ashraf serves on Americans for the Arts (AFTA)'s Arts Education Advisory Council, and locally serves on the Central Waterfront Oversight Commission. His writing has appeared on AFTA's ARTSblog, The Seattle Globalist, City Arts, The Stranger, and the Staten Island Advance. Ashraf can be seen in the wild on various dance floors as well as at arts events, thrift stores, and live music venues around town.
Ashraf also speaks Urdu.
Artists At the Center
Artists at the Center introduces emerging and established artists to a revitalized Seattle Center campus, while broadening the arts and cultural experiences in the Uptown Arts & Cultural District. Selected artists reflect the city’s cultural diversity and have the unique opportunity to perform at Seattle Center, enjoy technical production support, connect with new audiences, and showcase their talents. Visitors to the campus and the surrounding neighborhood benefit from surprising and delightful pop-up performances throughout the year.
Artists At the Center is a multi-year collaboration between Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) and Seattle Center, with support from Uptown Arts & Culture Coalition and the communities surrounding the Seattle Center campus. This project is made possible by a 10-year community benefit grant from Climate Pledge Arena and Seattle Kraken, starting in 2021.
Read Frequently Asked Questions.
Eligibility
Performing arts disciplines of all genres may be considered, including music, dance, theatre, spoken word, cultural exhibitions, hands-on-learning experiences, and multi-disciplinary projects.
Visual art exhibitions are not the intended use of this grant, however, may be an element if included as part of a larger performance.
Funding
Applicants can apply for the following levels of funding:
- $2,000 award (typically 1-2 performers), plus $600 in-kind production support
- $4,000 award (typically 3-5 performers), plus $1,100 in-kind production support
- $6,000 award (typically 6+ performers), plus $1,600 in-kind production support
Due Date
Tuesday, June 27, 2023, 5 p.m. Pacific
Please allow ample time to complete your application; applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Information Sessions
Learn more about this opportunity and how to turn in your strongest application. We highly encourage first-time applicants to attend one of these hybrid sessions:
Session 1
Thursday, June 1, 1 - 2 p.m.
In-Person: Seattle Center Armory
Virtual: Webex
RSVP to 6/1
Session 2
Saturday, June 17, 10 - 11 a.m.
In-Person: Seattle Center Armory
Virtual: Webex
RSVP to 6/17
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 questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Project Manager, Alex Rose.
We have interpreters who 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.
Alex Rose
Bio + -
Creative Economy Advocate
alex.rose@seattle.gov
(206) 459-6517
Alex Rose brings her passions for music, culture, and community to her work at the City of Seattle. As Creative Economy Advocate, Alex connects young people to creative careers, supports the Seattle Music Commission, and brings creative entrepreneurs together to network and access resources. With a background in digital marketing, Alex is drawn to the magic that happens at the intersection of creativity and technology. She is also a singer, producer, bandleader, and mom.
Alex also speaks Spanish.
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.
Eligibility
Open to teaching artists, community arts organizations, and cultural institutions serving students in Seattle.
Due Date
The application opens on January 10, 2023, and will stay open.
Applications will be vetted and approved by Creative Advantage Advisors, three times annually in March, June, and October.
Virtual Application Info Sessions
Session 1: Friday, January 20, 10 a.m. (Pacific)
Session 2: Friday, April 28, 10 a.m. (Pacific)
Session 3: Friday, Sept 29, 10 a.m. (Pacific)
Register for Sessions 1, 2, or 3 here.
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.
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