ARTS at King Street Station
ARTS at King Street Station is a dynamic space for arts and culture in the heart of the city dedicated to increasing opportunities for people of color to generate and present their work. Housed above Seattle’s historic King Street Station, this 7,500-square-foot gallery and cultural space includes a studio for artists-in-residence and offices for the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS).
In 2018, we published a community feedback report drawn from focus groups hosted citywide. It outlines the public's hope that ARTS at King Street Station might serve as an accessible arts space and hub for community-building through the arts with a race and social justice lens as its guiding principle.
Now On View
DREAM TEMPLE (for Octavia)
March 7 - May 23, 2024 - Who can afford to dream? Given the systemic racism and racial trauma that Black people often face in society, DREAM TEMPLE (for Octavia) aims to counteract the exhaustion and stress that is carried intergenerationally while also creating a portal of healing and imagining.
Journey to Serenity
April 4 - May 23, 2024 - Nahom Ghirmay's work explores the complexities of identity and emotional experiences through a range of mediums. Central to his artistic vision is a desire to capture our shared humanity, inspired by the stories and sentiments of those around him.
Manifestations
April 4 - May 23, 2024 - June Sekiguchi‘s work addresses cultural identity, cross cultural exchange, and personal narratives through an interplay of surface pattern and structural form. She makes pattern-based sculptures, large scale immersive installations, and public art.
Learn more about DREAM TEMPLE (for Octavia), Journey to Serenity, and Manifestations.
Call for ARTS at King Street Station Advisors
The ARTS at King Sreet Station Advisors are a group of 12 individuals who build, guide, and sustain robust arts and cultural programing at KSS through a race and social justice lens. Serving a two-year term (with the opportunity to reapply for an additional term), the KSS Advisors assist ARTS in selecting exhibitions and events, foster a robust residency program, create dynamic technical and social programming, and provide outreach to the broader community.
Please read the guidelines for full details.
Eligibility
Artists, arts and cultural workers, activists, and culture keepers who reflect the diverse communities they are seeking to support and uplift should apply.
We seek to build a diverse group of Advisors, representing a broad range of experiences, identities, backgrounds, ages, and cultures with demonstrated experience in community outreach and/or the arts.
- Advisors must be at least 15 years old by selection on May 30, 2024. Signed parental/guardian permission needed for applicants under 18 years of age.
- Advisors must work in or be a resident of King County.
- Advisors must be able to commit to an onboarding orientation and once-per-month Advisor meetings (hybrid in-person and virtual) for the duration of the 2-year term.
- Advisors must be able to work well in a collaborative, supportive, and positive cohort.
Budget
Advisors will receive a $1,000 yearly stipend.
Due Date
Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 5 p.m. (Pacific).
Please allow ample time to complete your application; applications submitted after the 5 p.m. (Pacific) deadline will not be accepted.
Applicants will be notified of selection in early July 2024.
Information Workshop
Learn more about this opportunity and how to turn in your strongest application:
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
4:30 - 6:00 p.m. Pacific
RSVP to James.Coley@seattle.gov or by calling (206) 684-4186.
Application
Apply online through Submittable.
If you have trouble, check their FAQ for step-by-step guides. You can also contact Submittable tech support at support@submittable.com.
Contact
For information and assistance with the application, eligibility or online technical support, please contact KSS Program Lead, James Coley at (206) 684-4186 or James.Coley@seattle.gov.
Visit ARTS at King Street Station
Hours
ARTS at King Street Station is FREE and open Wednesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m, and until 8 p.m. on First Thursdays.
COVID Safety
In accordance with King County Public Health guidelines, ARTS at King Street Station will no longer require visitors to show proof of vaccination or wear face masks when visiting. We ask that you stay home if you feel sick and remain mindful of our community’s varying levels of comfort.
ARTS Administrative Office Hours
Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Getting Here
Plan your trip and don't forget to check the traffic conditions at Seattle Traffic
King Street Station is located at 303 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104. The station is conveniently located where the Downtown Central Business District, Pioneer Square, and the Chinatown / International District all meet (on Jackson Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues South).
There are multiple options for reaching the station using public transit:
- The Sounder regional commuter train stops at the station, as do all of Amtrak's national and international lines.
- The Link Light Rail stops at the International District Station, one block east of the station.
- Many King County Metro Bus lines pass within a block of the station, including 1, 7, 36, 14.
Where do I park? There are multiple paid garages and parking lots in the neighborhood, as well as street parking. You can view the Seattle Parking Map here.
Accessibility
King Street Station has an ADA-compliant elevator that services every level of the station. Access it via the Amtrak level (1st Floor), which is on King Street. The plaze entrance is on Jackson Street and is the 2nd Floor.
ARTS at King Street Station also has ADA-compliant, all-gender restrooms. We have two wheelchairs available in the gallery, and folding stools you can use if you'd like to sit in front of an artwork.
Do Something at ARTS at King Street Station
ARTS at King Street Station call for art and events
ARTS at King Street Station gallery, photo by Benjamin Benschneider
Applications for ARTS at King Street Station are currently on pause.
Please follow us on social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) or sign up for email updates and announcements.
Studio Residency Award
Photo by Benjamin Benschneider
Applications for ARTS at King Street Station Studio Residencies are currently on pause.
Please follow us on social (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) or sign up for email updates and announcements.
ARTS at King Street Station Advisors
About The Advisors
The ARTS at King Street Station Advisors are a group of community leaders and arts/culture enthusiasts who work with ARTS staff to ensure that the programming at ARTS at King Street Station centers racial equity, represents and welcomes diverse communities, and showcases many creative disciplines. Advisors serve a two-year term.
ARTS at King Street Station Advisors
To come
How We Got Here
King Street Station Programming Plan
ARTS staff worked with the University of Washington Evans School Consulting Lab to produce a research report, "Reimagining King Street Station through a Racial Equity Lens" (May 2018), which is an aspirational document about best practices in cultural space programming.
About King Street Station
King Street Station is a public asset that is an important part of Seattle's history. For over one hundred years it has improved connections, serving as a gateway for millions of travelers coming into Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. The station has spurred economic growth and helped establish Seattle as a major metropolitan city.
King Street Station first opened to the public in May 1906. Reed and Stem, the architectural firm responsible for New York City's historic Grand Central Terminal, designed the station. The San Marco bell tower of Venice, Italy, served as the model for the building's familiar clock tower. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
King Street Station, located on Jackson Street between Third and Fourth Avenue S., is a brick and granite three-story building with a twelve-story clock tower. The ground floor, accessed from King Street, is clad in granite. The walls of the second and third floors, as well as the clock tower, are faced in pressed brick with decorative terra cotta elements such as cornices and window lintels.
While much of the exterior of King Street Station has remained intact since the building was constructed in 1906, parts of the interior have been substantially altered and others have suffered neglect. Similarly, while nearly half of the facility's original finishes remain intact, most of the significant finishes in the lower portion of the station have been removed. In March 2008 the City of Seattle purchased the landmark building from the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway Company.
Under city ownership, King Street Station underwent a $50 million renovation that achieved the following goals:
- Restore the building's historic character and grandeur
- Upgrade facilities to meet present and future needs of rail and transit users
- Enhance passenger safety and security
- Promote sustainable design with a LEED building certification
- Support efforts to transform the station into a modern transit hub
- The station is served by Amtrak Cascades, Coast Starlight and Empire Builder long distance rail lines and Amtrak intercity buses. It includes convenient connections to Sound Transit commuter rail, local and regional buses, Sound Transit Link light rail, and the First Hill Seattle Streetcar.
- The restoration of King Street Station ensures it remains a critical transportation hub and gateway into Seattle for the next hundred years.