Arts: Bringing Creativity to the Center of Everyday Life
4Culture believes the arts are critical to a healthy community, that arts experiences should be accessible to all residents and visitors, and that all individuals have the potential to express themselves through art. Art provides opportunities for citizens to come together, to reflect, and to express their ideas and emotions. Art stimulates the imagination, awakens the senses and offers a meaningful connection to our environment.
4Culture staff works with the volunteer Arts Advisory Committee to develop policies and programs that reach all King County residents and communities, from urban centers to the most rural areas. The Arts Program provides annual funding for more that 240 arts organizations, for individual artist projects, for new collaborative initiatives and for arts activity in a variety of community settings. Special programs like Site Specific, e4c, 4cTV and the Touring Arts Roster seek to reach beyond the walls of traditional art making to new audiences in a wide variety of public locations. 4Culture encourages agencies, businesses, local governments and residents to get involved with producing and showcasing the remarkable talents and imaginations of our artists and arts organizations.
The Cultural Facilities Program supports capital arts building projects by organizations and local governments throughout King County. Remodeling, new construction, relocation and facility development are eligible projects. The deadline for this program varies from year to year based on available program revenues.
The Arts Equipment program is offered at least once each year and supports the purchase of equipment by arts organizations and local arts agencies. Production needs such as lighting, sound equipment, temporary staging or seating as well as office equipment related to the administration of arts programs are eligible for this program.
Projects created by art groups ensure that King County residents and visitors have access to engaging, quality exhibitions, performances and festivals all year in every corner of the county. Artist organizations, groups and cooperatives working in all artistic disciplines are encouraged to apply to Group Arts Projects for support of projects and events that can help provide greater public access to the arts.
Art begins with the artist. Supporting artists is the most direct way to ensure art is accessible to citizens and visitors in our region. 4Culture's Individual Artist Projects provides project funding for King County artists of all disciplines, creating work that will be presented in King County.
Support for operations is the backbone of any organization and often the hardest funding to raise. The 4Culture Sustained Support program maintains consistent levels of support for operations related to the production of public programs for more than 240 arts organizations and 21 local arts agencies in every corner of King County.
In partnership with King County TV, 4Culture produces 4CTV, an award-winning series of television programs highlighting arts and culture throughout the County. Programs air regularly on KCTV (Channel 22), municipal cable channels and can also be streamed directly from 4Culture's website. Our catalog includes feature-length documentaries as well as half-hour shows featuring discussions with arts and heritage leaders.
Walk, drive or ride by - e4c is 4Culture's storefront gallery for electronic art in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood. Through an open call to artists across the US, media makers working in all genres (including documentary, animation, experimental) may apply to have their work exhibited in rotation for up to a year. Selected works represent a diverse sampling of electronic media.
4Culture's SITE-SPECIFIC program supports the creation and presentation of visual and performance art in non-traditional settings. The annual deadline solicits innovative ideas from artists and organizations working in all disciplines and encourages new collaborative projects between public venues and artists. Potential venues may include any public location as well as exploring non-traditional approaches to established exhibition spaces.
4Culture's Touring Arts Roster is a diverse directory of some of King County's most talented performing artists. A 4Culture program since 1967, the Roster is now an online directory that includes audio and video clips and a calendar of upcoming performances by TAR artists. New artists are added each year following an application and juried audition process. This service is provided at no cost to artists or presenters.
