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Gallery 4Culture 2020-2021

Hugo Cruz-Moro. Healer, 2019. Mixed media. 22 x 34 x 6 inches.

Gallery 4Culture has exhibited innovative and underrepresented artists and art forms for over forty years. Our seasons typically run from September – July with ten, month-long solo or small-group shows. We are dark in December and August.
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Gallery 4Culture has exhibited innovative and underrepresented artists and art forms for over forty years. Our seasons typically run from September – July with ten, month-long solo or small-group shows. We are dark in December and August.

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, however, all on-site programming is temporarily suspended and previously scheduled shows have been postponed. Nichole DeMent’s aptly titled Future Memory still hangs in our closed space.

When we reopen, we will pick up where we left off with the work of Nate Clark, Mia McNeal, Carlos Brache, and Philippe Hyojung Kim. This will very likely push our next season into 2021, although specifics are yet to be determined.

While we don’t have a set schedule, we are thrilled to announce that the following King County-based artists have been awarded shows:

Erin Elyse Burns
Lucy Copper
Hugo Cruz-Moro
Rebecca Cummins + Stephanie Simek
Kelsey Fernkopf
Elisheba Johnson
JoSaTo (John Osebold, Sara Osebold, and Tor Lee)
Tyna Ontko
Tatjana Pavićević
Junko Yamamoto

Many thanks to selection panelists Lucile Chich, Ko Kirk Yamahira, and Jennifer Zwick, Public Art Advisory Committee representative Janet Galore, and to the 109 artists who submitted applications for consideration. More information and new digital initiatives will be coming soon!

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COVID-19: Ongoing Resource List

*Update: this list has been expanded and reformatted to make it easier for you to find what you need, here.*
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*Update: this list has been expanded and reformatted to make it easier for you to find what you need, here.*

As we experience ever-greater effects on the cultural sector due to COVID-19 restrictions, our staff continue to compile resources available to members of our communities. Please reach out via the links below if you need a hand, or if you can offer support. We’re all in this together!

Check back often—we’ll continue to update this list. For up-to-date information on how 4Culture is responding to COVID-19, click here. Special thanks to Kelly Lyles, Rad Care, SoCoCulture, and Janet Galore.

AGGREGATE RESOURCE LISTINGS

Artists & Creatives

Historic Preservation

Museums and Collections

Nonprofits & Small Businesses

Our Community

 

EMERGENCY FUNDING: APPLY

Artists

Musicians

Nonprofits & Small Businesses

Our Community

 

EMERGENCY FUNDING: DONATE

Local

Regional

Washington

National

 

COVID-19 IMPACT SURVEYS

 

WEBINARS AND ONLINE INFO SHARING

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Finances & Un/Employment

Food Security

Mutual Aid

Our Community

Public Health

General Resources

 

CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY

Education & Entertainment

Virtual Tours

Keep Moving

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COVID-19: 4Culture Responds

Like you, we are closely monitoring the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In this evolving situation, we see and are inspired by all the artists, organizations, and individuals finding new ways to be responsive. We thank Seattle and King County Public Health for their diligent work to keep us informed, and encourage you to check their webpage often. We’ve also compiled a resource list for cultural organizations and practitioners in our region, which we’ll continue to update regularly.
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Like you, we are closely monitoring the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In this evolving situation, we see and are inspired by all the artists, organizations, and individuals finding new ways to be responsive. We thank Seattle and King County Public Health for their diligent work to keep us informed, and encourage you to check their webpage often. We’ve also compiled a resource list for cultural organizations and practitioners in our region, which we’ll continue to update regularly.

We want to keep you informed about the ongoing steps we are taking:

*Updated October 14, 2021.*

4Culture is pleased to announce that cultural producers residing in King County may be eligible to apply to the Individual Recovery Fund beginning on January 5, 2022.

*Updated September 23, 2021.*

King County cultural organizations can now apply to 4Culture Sustained Support, the 4Culture Recovery Fund, and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Recovery Fund through a single application. Grant guidelines, workshop dates, and the application are all available online now. The deadline to apply is November 5, 2021 at 5:00 pm PDT.

*Updated September 9, 2021.*

We’ve spent the past few months working with our partners at King County to build new COVID-19 relief programs for the cultural sector, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Thank you for your patience during this process. Our shared goal is to put these federal dollars to work supporting as many King County cultural organizations and producers as possible. Here’s what we have to share with you at this time:

For organizations with 2019 revenue over $1 million:
Today, King County Executive Dow Constantine shared information about Revive and Thrive Together. If you are an arts, heritage, or historic preservation organization with 2019 revenue of more than $1 million, please refer and apply to this program for disaster relief and business interruption funds.
For organizations with 2019 revenue of $1 million and under:
Later this month, 4Culture will open the first phase of our Recovery Fund. Cultural organizations with 2019 revenue of $1 million and below that experienced revenue loss between 2019 and 2020 will be eligible for this program. Using a single application, these organizations can apply for both ARPA disaster relief grants and 4Culture 2022 Sustained Support funds.Additionally, we’ve partnered with the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture to share this application process to better serve cultural organizations within Seattle. This will allow eligible organizations to submit one application to be considered for funding by both agencies.Full details about eligibility, federal grant contracting requirements, and more will be released when this grant opens on September 23. Some actions you can take in the meantime include:

  • Make sure you can access your account on our online grant portal. Request a new password on the sign-in page if needed.
  • Make sure that your organization’s demographic update is complete for 2021. You can find this in your account profile.

It’s important to note also that this organization-focused funding is the first phase of our full federal COVID-19 relief program. We will also offer support for individual cultural producers in early 2022; please stay tuned for more information by ensuring that you are subscribed to our enews.

Not sure where to apply?
Organizations are eligible for either King County’s Revive and Thrive Together program or 4Culture’s Recovery Fund, not both. If you need help figuring out where to apply, answer this short series of questions about your organization: ARPA Questionnaire for Organizations.

As always, we know navigating pandemic relief funding can be confusing and overwhelming! We’re here to help. Please contact us at hello@4culture.org or 206-296-7580, or check out our Staff page to find contact information for specific 4Culture grant managers.

This project was supported by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Points of view in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

*Updated May 25, 2021.*

Today, the King County Council passed its seventh emergency supplemental budget. In this budget, the council appropriated $9.4 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to 4Culture to support our ongoing response to COVID-19.

We are grateful to the Council and Executive Dow Constantine for this much-needed support for King County’s cultural workers and organizations, who continue to be deeply impacted by the pandemic. Details about the disbursal of these funds will be available shortly—please subscribe to our email list to be notified as soon as grant programs are open.

*Updated December 1, 2020.*

In November, the King County Council allocated an additional $350,000 of CARES Act funding to 4Culture for our ongoing COVID response to the cultural sector. This brings 4Culture’s total CARES Act funding to $4.35 million since March, supporting both our Reopen Fund and Cultural Relief Fund for individuals and organizations. We are grateful to have this support and we look forward to working with the Council and all our elected officials in 2021 to bring more federal relief to King County cultural workers and organizations.

*Updated September 28, 2020.*

Additional CARES Act funding from King County will provide $500,000 for ou relief program for King County cultural workers suffering financial losses due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. We are now accepting applications for grants of up to $2,000 to help cover costs of necessities, including housing, utilities, groceries, childcare, and transportation. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, October 21 at 11:59 PDT. If you are planning to apply, please read the guidelines carefully and in full and contact us with any questions!

*Updated September 1, 2020.*

Today, the King County Council voted to approve an additional $2 million towards our ongoing COVID-19 response efforts. We thank King County Executive Constantine and the Council for this critical support. These funds will help address already identified, unmet need demonstrated by applicants to our Cultural Relief and Reopen Funds. Please watch for more details about these additional funds as they are confirmed.

*Updated May 21, 2020.*

The COVID-19 crisis has deeply changed our world and been heartbreakingly hard on cultural workers and organizations. We’ve pivoted our funding focus to respond to the needs of our community. This strategy provides a framework for 4Culture’s programs and services moving forward, so we can respond to your needs as they emerge over the coming months:

  • Relief: Create and adapt programs that immediately respond to the crisis and provide relief for cultural workers and organizations.
  • Reopen: Offset the financial risks of restarting cultural activities while adapting to social distancing guidelines.
  • Recovery: Help cultural workers and organizations rebuild and withstand an economic downturn.

To support this new focus, we are re-allocating funds from some programs, while continuing to offer the remainder of 4Culture’s 2020 grant roster:

2020 Grant Programs – Cancelled

Upcoming 2020 Grant Deadlines – NOT Cancelled as of Now

Help Shape Our Response
In partnership with regional funders, we will be launching a survey in June to find out what your issues and needs are as you look to resume cultural activities. This information will guide us as we develop plans for the Reopen and Recovery phases.

*Updated March 25, 2020. Please read entire post.*

CULTURAL RELIEF FUNDS AVAILABLE APRIL 1
As closures, cancellations, and loss of work due to COVID-19 impact the King County cultural sector, our Cultural Relief Fund will distribute $1 million over the coming months. The first round of funding will be distributed beginning April 1 through May 15; apply at any time within that time frame. You’ll apply through a simple application that will take about 15-30 minutes to complete. Applications will be reviewed by a panel weekly and we will notify you within 10 business days about the status of your application.

Projects grant applicants (deadline: March 4, 2020)
Our review process will continue as planned, with necessary modifications. As always, our panelists will be asked to assess your projects in accordance with the criteria outlined in the guidelines. we understand the dates of your project and events will likely change. Program Managers will work with you if your project is selected for funding to accommodate those changes. The Board’s final approval and contracting will still take place on the dates indicated in the guidelines of the program you applied to.

All other current  awardees
Artists and cultural practitioners are experiencing postponements and cancellations of performances, exhibitions, screenings, and readings which we are currently supporting. Let us work with you to come up with creative updates that allow you the flexibility you need during this stressful time. Please email your Program Manager or contact Jackie Mixon at hello@4culture.org for assistance.

4Culture Public Art, ongoing work, upcoming commissions and calls
Ongoing public art projects are being coordinated remotely via phone and Skype. Artists should communicate directly with their public art team contact. Upcoming panels for the Jameson Project with King County Wastewater Treatment Division have been delayed—artist applicants and panelists will be notified with specifics. The South County Recycling + Transfer Station deadlines have been moved to Thursday, April 30. Questions or concerns about artworks in the King County Public Art Collection can be directed to collection staff.

Public events and livestreaming:
The cultural community has had to immediately respond to COVID-19 by postponing or canceling public events. Artists and arts groups have creatively responded by modifying their events, educational offerings, and other public events through live-streaming, radio broadcasting, webinars, and social-distance activities. We honor this crucial effort to support public health. If you are adapting your event and you need assistance spreading the word, please let us know. We will do what we can to assist in connecting with our community. Contact your program manager or reach out to Jackie Mixon at hello@4culture.org.

*Updated March 17, 2020. Please read entire post.*

Deadlines Extended
The following deadlines have been extended:

Deadlines Postponed
To allow cultural organizations time and resources to focus on immediate concerns related to COVID-19, the following application deadlines are on hold until further notice. New deadlines will be announced on our website, via email, and on social media channels when they are rescheduled.

Cultural Relief Fund
We’ve pivoted our funding focus and will be offering a Cultural Relief Fund of $1 million. Full details and timeline are not yet finalized, but here’s what we can share at this time:

  • Funds will be available for cultural organizations and practitioners affected by COVID-19 closures and cancellations.
  • Deadlines will be rolling; funding rounds will take place multiple times throughout the year with simplified application processes.
  • Stay tuned via email, our website, and social media channels for information on how to apply for the Cultural Relief Fund once it is launched.
Apply for a Small Business Loan
Most non-profits are eligible for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s low-interest loans that are part of a coronavirus relief package announced last week and available as of March 16.

  • Read the overview and apply online.
  • Wondering whether your organization is eligible? Contact the SBA’s customer service center at (800) 659-2955.

 

*Posted March 11, 2020. Please read entire post.*

Invoice Early for Sustained Support Funds

  • We are adjusting the timeline of our Sustained Support grant payments in an effort to mitigate the financial impact of COVID-19 on our region’s cultural organizations. Sustained Support recipients for the 2018-20 cycle may request payment now.
  • Please contact your grant manager to discuss this option:
  • At this time, we are only able to offer early invoicing for recipients of our Sustained Support grant, NOT all grants. We thank you for your patience.

Other Grant Contracts

  • The State of Washington and King County have prohibited large gatherings and restricted smaller gatherings. If you are a grant recipient and need to cancel or postpone a 4Culture-funded event: please prioritize your health and the health of your community and know that we are happy to be flexible in adjusting your contract.
  • If you cancel or postpone an event, please contact your grant manager as soon as possible so that we can best assist you. Not sure who your grant manager is? Call us at 206-296-7580 and we’ll direct you to the right person.
  • 4Culture staff are currently reviewing possibilities for emergency funding to help provide relief for cultural organizations and practitioners. We will share more information as soon as it is available.

Meetings, Events, and Workshops

    • Starting March 16, all 4Culture staff will be working remotely, and all essential business meetings will take place via teleconference. This includes board and advisory committee meetings and grant panels. If you are scheduled to participate in a 4Culture business meeting, you will receive teleconference details via email shortly.
    • Starting March 16, Gallery 4Culture is closed through April 30. Watch our website for updates past that date.
    • All currently-scheduled public events are canceled. This includes:

Supporting Community

      • This is an extremely difficult time for the cultural sector. Cancelling events, refunding tickets, and closing doors all have major repercussions for our region’s cultural organizations and practitioners—please consider supporting them in whatever way or amount you can.
      • In addition to staying up-to-date on KCPH’s public health recommendations, we also urge you to review their resources on fighting racial discrimination and upholding workplace rights in the wake of COVID-19.

Basics

Thank you for your patience and flexibility during this time. We will announce any further updates on our website, via email, and on social media channels. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

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Attending WaMA? Stipends are Available!

The Washington Museum Association (WaMA) was established to represent and serve museums of all types and sizes throughout Washington State. WaMA offers an annual conference for peer-to-peer learning, networking, and idea exchange. The 2020 Washington Museum Association Conference will take place June 17 – 19, 2020 in Olympia, WA. This year’s theme is Museums and Democracy: Advocate, Educate, Participate.
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The Washington Museum Association (WaMA) was established to represent and serve museums of all types and sizes throughout Washington State. WaMA offers an annual conference for peer-to-peer learning, networking, and idea exchange. The 2020 Washington Museum Association Conference will take place June 17 – 19, 2020 in Olympia, WA. This year’s theme is Museums and Democracy: Advocate, Educate, Participate.

To support professional development of heritage professionals in King County, we are offering three $350 stipends to individuals attending this year’s WaMA conference. The deadline to apply is April 17, 2020 at 5:00 pm PST.

To be eligible for an Attendee Stipend, you must attend the conference and be a King County resident, as well as a staff member, board member, volunteer, or intern at a heritage organization in King County, or a consultant, service provider, or independent historian who primarily works with King County heritage. 4Culture stipends may be used for conference registration, and to defray travel and lodging costs. To receive the stipend, you must attend the conference and be prepared to write a brief statement about your experiences.

To apply, please submit a letter of interest via email. The letter should be no longer than two pages, including your daytime phone number, mailing and email addresses. The letter should include the following:

  • Itemized budget of conference attendance.
  • Your current status with a King County heritage museum or organization.
  • Please share how your conference participation will impact your career, your affiliated institution, and the heritage field. How will you utilize the information, connections, and inspirations you gain from attending the conference for your professional goals, your institution, and/or future of the heritage field?

Email your letter of interest to Megumi Nagata at megumi.nagata@4culture.org with the subject line WaMA 2020 Attendee Stipend.

4Culture staff will review and select applications based on:

  • Evidence of research on the cost, the conference, and WaMA.
  • How clearly your interests or goals for career, affiliated institution, and the heritage field are articulated.
  • How well your interests and goals align with the conference offering and WaMA’s mission.

We will notify stipend recipients via e-mail by April 24. Please contact Megumi Nagata, 4Culture Heritage Support Specialist, with any questions at megumi.nagata@4culture.org or 206-263-3474.

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Information on Coronavirus

*PLEASE READ OUR UPDATED COVID-19 RESPONSE INFORMATION HERE*
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*PLEASE READ OUR UPDATED COVID-19 RESPONSE INFORMATION HERE*

Like you, we are closely monitoring the spread of novel coronavirus in our region. This is a difficult, ever-evolving situation—we see and are inspired by all the artists, organizations, nonprofits, and individuals finding new ways to be responsive and flexible. We also thank everyone at Seattle and King County Public Health for their diligent work in keeping us informed, and encourage you to check their webpage often for updates and instructions on how to prevent the spread of this virus. Additionally, we recommend reviewing the information and resources shared by Americans for the Arts for how the arts and culture sector can prepare at this time.

We want to let you know about some specific steps we are taking to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus:

  • 4Culture staff are aware of and following the personal health and hygiene guidelines provided by King County Public Health. Our office and gallery are cleaned nightly.
  • Currently, all 4Culture meetings and events—both at our Pioneer Square location and throughout the county—will take place as planned. If you are sick or in a high-risk group, we ask that you please stay home. Everyone else: please use your best personal judgment about attending, and keep in mind that our office and gallery are open to the public.
  • We are offering an option to call in for any meetings and workshops held at our office. If you are unable to attend a meeting in-person, please contact the 4Culture meeting organizer to arrange a conference line. For all upcoming on-site grant workshops, we will post the call-in number and pin to the workshop listing on our website at least 48 hours in advance.
  • We are only able to offer a call-in option for meetings and workshops taking place at our office at 101 Prefontaine Place in Seattle. If you are unable to attend an off-site event, please contact us; we will connect you with the appropriate staff person to provide any information and materials you may have missed.

If you are a grant recipient and considering canceling a 4Culture-funded event: please prioritize your health and the health of your community, use your best judgment, and know that we will be flexible with adjusting your contract. If you cancel an event, please contact your grant manager as soon as possible so that we can best assist you.

As one of our region’s arts and culture funders, we are also attuned to the financial impact of coronavirus on our region’s culture providers. Cancelling events, refunding tickets, and closing doors have major repercussions—we encourage you to consider supporting these organizations in whatever way or amount you can.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility during this time. Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions, and please follow Seattle and King County Public Health for up-to-the-minute information on coronavirus. We’re proud to be one part of a diverse network of people and organizations working to keep our community healthy.

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Artist Team Selected to Design 2-D Art for Fence at the King County International Airport/Boeing Field

Tommy Segundo and Toka Valu, 2020. Photo by 4Culture staff.

We are thrilled to announce that Tommy Segundo and Toka Valu have been awarded a unique commission at the King County International Airport/ Boeing Field (KCIA). They will create a 2-dimensional artwork for permanent installation along a fence adjacent to the planned public access road to the Georgetown Steam Plant Museum (GSPM). It will be influenced by the rich history and contextual narrative of the surrounding neighborhoods, communities, industry, and Duwamish River basin. Over the coming months Tommy and Toka will work closely with 4Culture and KCIA to research the history of the area and identify important aspects of the built and cultural environment; this will help them develop concepts for the artwork.
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We are thrilled to announce that Tommy Segundo and Toka Valu have been awarded a unique commission at the King County International Airport/ Boeing Field (KCIA). They will create a 2-dimensional artwork for permanent installation along a fence adjacent to the planned public access road to the Georgetown Steam Plant Museum (GSPM). It will be influenced by the rich history and contextual narrative of the surrounding neighborhoods, communities, industry, and Duwamish River basin. Over the coming months Tommy and Toka will work closely with 4Culture and KCIA to research the history of the area and identify important aspects of the built and cultural environment; this will help them develop concepts for the artwork.

Born and raised in South Seattle, Tommy is enrolled Kaigani Haida and Katzie (Coast Salish) and Filipino. He calls himself an “Urban Native” and says, “Growing up in the city, formline art has always been one of the few ways I’m able to stay connected to my Haida culture.” He has practiced traditional Northwest Coastal Formline Art since a very young age but later learned and studied with the late Marvin Oliver while earning his degree at the University of Washington. He spent the past 15 years as an educator working with Native youth across the state of Washington. As a full-time father of three, Tommy’s art practice not only helps to carry on cultural traditions, it has also given him an opportunity to continue to support his family, while allowing him a more flexible schedule to keep up with the daily demands of parenting.

Toka is an indigenous Pacific Islander artist and illustrator with years of experience facilitating workshops and organizing communities. His artistic and design influences are deeply rooted and informed by his cultural upbringing as a Tongan. A visual storyteller, his practice is rooted in culture, driven by narrative, and centered around a unique voice, which has situated him in a position to provide astute perspectives on today’s geopolitical and social climate though his art and design. “I am committed to creative design solutions, community driven art- and meaning-making, and a collaborative design process built on dynamic back-and-forth dialogue and old-school hustle,” says Toka.

Tommy and Toka’s journey together began in 2009, when they met while working as recruiters for the University of Washington’s Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity. As two indigenous males in higher education, they immediately developed a bond which led to a strong working relationship. They developed, coordinated, and carried out several large scale conferences and workshops that supported underrepresented students of color in their higher education endeavors. They continued to work in education until 2019 when they both decided to pursue art full-time; they believe that this was not by coincidence and that their paths were meant to cross again. Tommy and Toka are thrilled to embark on their first artistic collaboration in creating art that intertwines traditional forms with contemporary elements. Stay tuned for updates as this project moves forward!

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2020 Cohort of Creative Consultancies Announced

In the 2018-19 Creative Consultancies cohort, artist Susan Robb collaborated with the City of Redmond to engage homeless youth in art projects, resulting in works like this.

Creative Consultancies began in 2019 as a pilot initiative to connect artists and cultural planners with local arts agencies in cities across King County. The program continues a long collaborative history between 4Culture and the LAAs to increase opportunities for artists and audiences in suburban and rural King County.
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Creative Consultancies began in 2019 as a pilot initiative to connect artists and cultural planners with local arts agencies in cities across King County. The program continues a long collaborative history between 4Culture and the LAAs to increase opportunities for artists and audiences in suburban and rural King County.

Cities across King County shared their challenges and hopes for what artists could bring to the table. We then invited artists, organizations, and creative planners to respond. Cities and creatives were paired, creating project proposals that have now been evaluated by a panel and awarded funding. The full list of funded collaborations is below—watch for these projects to get underway across King County later this year:

Auburn + Kathleen Frugé Brown
In this second phase of a downtown alley improvement project the artist has facilitated a new partnership between the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and the city of Auburn by engaging native carvers and artisans to create a cedar welcome (totem) pole as well as a land acknowledgement plaque, incorporating traditional tribal designs into the environmental design, benches, street mural and lighting elements for the alleyway between the new Arts and Culture Center and the Auburn Avenue Theater. This new partnership represents a step forward for the city and the Muckleshoot Tribe in building a collaborative relationship. “Kathleen Fruge Brown will liaison with Muckleshoot Tribe Cultural Director Willard Bill Jr. and traditional carvers Keith Stevenson and Tyson Simmons to produce a sculpture that will bring an iconic symbol of the Muckleshoot culture into the heart of downtown Auburn.”

Bellevue + Katie Miller
The City of Bellevue’s Cultural and Economic Development division requests support from 4Culture to host a creative consultant to facilitate the development of a Community Group that will help identify opportunities for the art district and integrate BelRed’s creative community into a model of sustainable neighborhood development. The project will begin with two distinct phases facilitated by the consultant, Katie Miller, for nine months between April and December 2020. The project’s third phase, to be initiated in 2021, will focus on building a community-based art district action plan. The long-term nature of this collaborative project is crucial because it offers time to meaningfully investigate the central questions guiding the project, as well as time to network with and engage BelRed’s creative community.

Bothell + Una McAlinden
This proposal seeks a Creative Consultancy grant to develop an Implementation Plan for the Cultural Strategic Plan completed in November 2019 for the City of Bothell. Established in April 2017, the Bothell Arts Commission (BAC) was charged with leveraging the arts to improve quality of life by providing arts access to Bothell residents. Local arts commissions play an important role in civic leadership; however, many encounter a range of challenges and BAC too struggles with these challenges as a new entity. This consultancy will take the arts commission and the city of Bothell from the strategic plan to a first year of implementation and evaluation.

Kent + Lucia Neare
This will be the second year of a community development effort to seek out and engage the various cultures and communities in one of the most diverse cities in the county. The artist will continue to seek out various community leaders, businesses and organizations and connect them with funding programs including 4Culture and the Kent Arts Commission and develop opportunities for exhibitions and performances, community celebrations and activating the downtown core of the city.

Mercer Island + George Lee
The artist will create a new vision and arts plan for the restoration of the Greta Hackett Outdoor Sculpture Gallery located along I-90 and the future light rail station on Mercer Island. The project presents the opportunity to build on GHSG’s strengths to evolve it into an outstanding, contemporary arts destination at the core of a cultural corridor through Aubrey Davis Park. Together with a potential MICA performing arts center housed in the TCP and heavy pedestrian circulation to the adjacent Link station, the gallery and the surrounding area have the potential to become a cultural gateway to Mercer Island, an arts- and culture-centric space for residents and anyone else in King County to easily access and enjoy arts-based experiences.

Redmond + Angie Hinojos Yusuf and Carlos Jimenez 
The City of Redmond will partner with artists Angie Hinojos Yusuf and Carlos Jimenez of Centro Cultural Mexicano to serve as the Creative Consultants who will engage with their constituents to promote and encourage participation in the Census Count as an immediate outcome but also is responsive to Council’s vision for Cultural Inclusion – A Redmond in which all residents can fully and effectively access city services, influence city policy and direction, and feel a sense of belonging and safety. This community engagement process will be used to inform the direction and approach for the design and development of either a social practice or visual art piece.

Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council and Beverly Aarons
A multi-disciplinary artist has been working with the Shoreline historical museum and Arts Council to conduct a series of interviews and oral histories with various ethnic communities in the City of Shoreline and create a theatrical production based on stories of their past and imagined future. The first phase of interviews and research took place in 2019 and this award will support the theatrical production and development in spring of 2020.

Published by Lauren Semet on

Storefront Media at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Storefront Media artists' work playing on the Digital Display at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation © 2014 4Culture. Photo by Andrew Pogue

Every day, our Storefront Media Gallery screens showcase dynamic media art from all over the United States to the thousands of commuters who pass by our Pioneer Square offices on Prefontaine Place South. We’re excited to continue a long-running partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to bring this urban art experience to another Seattle neighborhood! Pass by their media screen, located at 500 Fifth Avenue North, to encounter these works, selected from applicants to the Storefront Media Gallery program:
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Every day, our Storefront Media Gallery screens showcase dynamic media art from all over the United States to the thousands of commuters who pass by our Pioneer Square offices on Prefontaine Place South. We’re excited to continue a long-running partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to bring this urban art experience to another Seattle neighborhood! Pass by their media screen, located at 500 Fifth Avenue North, to encounter these works, selected from applicants to the Storefront Media Gallery program:

Ahree Lee, Permutation
Slices of individual photographs function like the genetic code we inherit from our ancestors. They also represent the genetic material we have in common. Lee’s work often examines race, community, family, and migration. Lee lives and works in Los Angeles, California.

Viviane Silvera, See Memory
A stop-motion film of 10,000 paintings challenges how our memories define who we are, how we remember, and the link between memory and imagination. This version has been edited for outdoor viewing. Silvera works with researchers and neuroscience in developing much of her work. She grew up in Hong Kong and Brazil and now lives in New York, New York.

Ezra Wube, Pattern Synthesis and Gela 2
These stop action animations layer past with present, and attempt to make a third entity that is in both, where place and time shift. Belonging in displacement and emplacement, in past and present, both here and there, Wube’s work reflects his home in Ethiopia, and now Brooklyn, New York.

 

 

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Presenting at WaMA? Stipends are Available!

The Washington Museum Association (WaMA) was established to represent and serve museums of all types and sizes throughout Washington State. WaMA offers an annual conference for peer-to-peer learning, networking, and idea exchange. The 2020 Washington Museum Association Conference will take place June 17 – 19, 2020 in Olympia, WA. This year’s theme is Museums and Democracy: Advocate, Educate, Participate.
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The Washington Museum Association (WaMA) was established to represent and serve museums of all types and sizes throughout Washington State. WaMA offers an annual conference for peer-to-peer learning, networking, and idea exchange. The 2020 Washington Museum Association Conference will take place June 17 – 19, 2020 in Olympia, WA. This year’s theme is Museums and Democracy: Advocate, Educate, Participate.

To support professional development of heritage professionals in King County, we are offering four $500 stipends to individuals presenting at this year’s WaMA conference. The deadline to apply is March 13, 2020 at 5:00 pm PST.

To be eligible for a Presenter Stipend, you must present at the conference and be a King County resident, as well as a staff member, board member, volunteer, or intern at a heritage organization in King County, or a consultant, service provider, or independent historian who primarily works with King County heritage. 4Culture stipends may be used for conference registration, and to defray travel and lodging costs. To receive the stipend, you must attend and present at the conference and be prepared to write a brief statement about your experiences.

To apply, please submit a letter of interest via email. The letter should be no longer than two pages, including your daytime phone number, mailing and email addresses. The letter should include the following:

Itemized budget of conference attendance.

  • Your current status with a King County heritage museum or organization.
  • Title and abstract of your presentation.
  • State the significance of your presentation subject to the heritage field. Connection to the key findings of 4Culture Heritage Report is a plus but not required.
  • Please share how your conference participation will impact your career, your affiliated institution, and the heritage field. How will you utilize the information, connections, and inspirations you gain from attending the conference for your professional goals, your institution, and/or future of the heritage field?

Email your letter of interest to Megumi Nagata at megumi.nagata@4culture.org with the subject line WaMA 2020 Presenter Stipend.

4Culture staff will review and select applications based on:

Evidence of research on the cost, the conference, and WaMA.

  • How clearly your interests or goals for career, affiliated institution, and the heritage field are articulated.
  • How well your interests and goals align with the conference offering and WaMA’s mission.
  • How well you illustrate the significance of their presentation to the heritage field.

We will notify stipend recipients via e-mail by March 20. Please contact Megumi Nagata, 4Culture Heritage Support Specialist, with any questions at megumi.nagata@4culture.org or 206-263-3474.

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Congratulations to the 2020 Arc Fellows

The 2020 Arc Fellows from left to right: Anastacia-Reneé Tolbert, Interdisciplinary Artist; Storme Webber, Interdisciplinary Artist; Dani Tirrell, Dancer and Choreographer; E.T. Russian, Comic and Multi-Sensory Artist; Bernadette Merikle, Visual, Sound, and Performance Artist.

We are honored to announce the recipients of the 2020 Arc Artist Fellowship!
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We are honored to announce the recipients of the 2020 Arc Artist Fellowship!

The 2020 Fellows are:
Dani Tirrell, Dancer and Choreographer
Bernadette Merikle, Visual, Sound, and Performance Artist
E.T. Russian, Graphic Novelist and Multi-Sensory Artist
Anastacia-Reneé Tolbert, Interdisciplinary Artist
Storme Webber, Interdisciplinary Artist

The Arc Artist Fellowship provides critical—but rare—unrestricted awards of $12,000 to artists residing in King County. This year we received 35 highly competitive applications from King County artists working in dance, music, theater, media, literature, and the visual arts.

4Culture Executive Director Brian J. Carter says, “I am incredibly proud of the Arc Artist Fellowship program, including its past award recipients and this year’s Fellows. The arts provide the perfect opportunity to grapple with and engage the wide spectrum of human emotions and experiences—but this is only possible if artists, who have lived that full range of humanity, are adequately supported. 4Culture is thrilled to be partnering with artists at the center of this work.”

Each year, a new cohort of Arc Fellows are selected, with an eligibility requirement that changes annually. This year, eligible applicants are artists over 40 years of age who identify transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, Two-Spirit people, and anyone whose gender identity or gender expression is nonconforming.

Arc Fellows will assist in determining the Arc Eligibility Requirement for next year’s fellowship as well as participate in a public cohort presentation organized by 4Culture and in planning and community engagement for the 2021 program.

Marketing support has been identified as a top priority for today’s working artist. The Arc Artist Fellowship will provide each Fellow with a page on the 4Culture website to use for promotional purposes, featuring a description of their work, biography and images.

Congratulations to Dani, Bernadette, E.T., Anastacia-Reneé, and Storme! Stay tuned to learn more about the 2020 Arc Fellows and how you can connect with their work.

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Guest Post: Bothell’s Downtown Landmark and Historic District Feasibility Study

Main street looking west, Bothell, c.1960. Courtesy of Bothell Historical Museum collection.

The Bothell Landmark Preservation Board (LPB) is a seven-member advisory board tasked with identifying and encouraging the conservation of the city’s historic resources. In addition to maintaining the Bothell Register of Historic Landmarks and reviewing new downtown development, some of their projects include a survey of Bothell’s mid-century resources, their book Bothell Then and Now, and a downtown walking tour. Here, they share how 4Culture fundind has supported those efforts this past year:
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The Bothell Landmark Preservation Board (LPB) is a seven-member advisory board tasked with identifying and encouraging the conservation of the city’s historic resources. In addition to maintaining the Bothell Register of Historic Landmarks and reviewing new downtown development, some of their projects include a survey of Bothell’s mid-century resources, their book Bothell Then and Now, and a downtown walking tour. Here, they share how 4Culture fundind has supported those efforts this past year:

Downtown Bothell is changing! Over the last several years, the LPB has watched as multi-story, mixed-use buildings have replaced many of the historic homes and commercial buildings in the city’s downtown core. While necessary to accommodate an influx of new residents, the danger of losing Bothell’s sense-of-place is very real. Last year, the LPB tasked their staff consultant with developing a project that would examine the area’s remaining historic resources with the hope of guiding some property owners toward rehabilitation rather than demolition.

Bothell’s Downtown Landmark and Historic District Feasibility Study was devised to take a look at all of the pre-1980 buildings downtown, especially the ones along Main Street, and determine how many of them would qualify for the local register. Yes, that says pre-1980! In a broad study like this it was important to look at buildings that could become eligible in the next few years. Not to mention that some of the building styles from the 1970s and 1980s are now recognized as historically significant.

Three Lions Pub, 10111 Main street, Bothell. Photo by Sarah Desimone, 2019.

The study found that downtown Bothell could support a local register historic district centered around Main Street. Of the 54 buildings studied, half are potentially eligible either individually or as a contributing property in a historic district. Nearly half of those were either built or “modernized” during the mid-20th century period. When people think about a city’s historic Main Street or downtown core, the earliest buildings often come to mind but their midcentury counterparts and modernizations can often be just as significant on their own.

Looking through photographs of Bothell’s Main Street from before 1900 through the 1970s and ‘80s up to the present told an interesting story of evolution. Small wooden buildings constructed at the end of the 19th century were replaced with brick and concrete storefronts in the early decades of the 20th century. A little later, in the late-1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, many of those brick storefronts on Main Street were “modernized,” meaning that outdated historic styles were covered with new Streamlined Moderne, Art Deco and Googie facades. Some of those remain, like at Three Lions Pub and Hana Sushi, but others were covered again later in the century with Mansard-esque facades. Today, there are a mix of building styles and eras represented downtown.

Main Street looking east, Bothell, c. 1960. Courtesy of Bothell Historical Museum collection.

Another part of the study’s mission was to inform property owners about the various financial incentives available to help with building rehabilitation: Special Tax Valuation, Federal Historic Tax Credits and, of course, the 4Culture Landmarks Capital grant! Each building was evaluated with a brief section about which incentives might apply. Telling the story of Bothell’s downtown development, the study is a vehicle that will help residents and property owners see the significance of individual buildings, both old and not-so-old, and how they fit into the history of downtown. Hopefully, owners of downtown properties will be inspired to nominate their buildings to the local register and take advantage of some of the financial incentives available for rehabilitation.

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New Stipends for King County Heritage Professionals and Practitioners

In 2016, we published a survey study on the state of the Heritage field in King County. The findings showed a need for skill-based training and professional development opportunities for practitioners in the field. While many conferences and trainings are available nationwide, attending can be cost-prohibitive—our expanded stipend program aims to close the gap.
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In 2016, we published a survey study on the state of the Heritage field in King County. The findings showed a need for skill-based training and professional development opportunities for practitioners in the field. While many conferences and trainings are available nationwide, attending can be cost-prohibitive—our expanded stipend program aims to close the gap.

Stipends of $200 to $600 are now available to subsidize the cost of registration, travel, and lodging for conferences or trainings provided by a heritage professional association. Eligible applicants must be over 18 years old, a King County resident, and a staff member, board member, volunteer, or intern at a heritage organization in King County, or a consultant, service provider, or independent historian who primarily works with King County heritage. There is no deadline—applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. You may apply multiple times, but can only receive one award per year. Please note that we offer a separate stipend to attend the Washington Museums Association annual conference.

The application will consist of the following questions:

  • Name of the presenting organization and title, date, and location of the professional development opportunity.
  • Will you attend this conference as a presenter? If yes, title of your presentation and presenting format (panel, keynote, tabling, poster session, etc.).
  • Your current status with a King County heritage museum or organization. If you are not affiliated with a specific institution, please describe your connection to King County heritage field.
  • Volunteer or Intern applicant – Name and contact information of Volunteer Manager or your supervisor for reference
  • Please explain how this opportunity and your participation will address new thinking or solutions to one or more key findings of the Heritage Report.
  • Please explain how your participation will impact your career and your professional development. How will you utilize the information, connections, and inspirations you gain from attending this opportunity for your professional goals?
  • Please explain how you plan to share information or use the training in your affiliated institution or your practice. How will your colleagues, your clients, or your affiliated institution benefit from you attending this opportunity? Alignment with your affiliated institution’s strategic goals is a plus but not required.
  • Itemized budget of conference attendance and how you plan to subsidize the cost if the requested amount does not cover the entire cost. Please explain your institution’s policy on funding staff’s professional development.

To apply, please contact Megumi Nagata at megumi.nagata@4culture.org to begin the process, and include “Heritage Professional Development Stipends” in the email subject.

We will review applications based on the following criteria:

  • Evidence of research on the cost, the conference/training, and the presenting organization.
  • How clearly your interests and goals for your career, affiliated institution, and the heritage field are articulated.
  • How well you connect your interests to the conference or training.
  • How well you demonstrate your plan to share information or use knowledge for your affiliate institution.
  • How well you draw connections between your reasons for attending the conference or training and the Heritage Report key findings. Presenting in some capacity is a plus but not required (includes tabling).
  • Whether your affiliated institution funds professional development for staff.

We will notify all qualified applicants via email within four weeks of recevining an application. To receive payment, recipients must provide an attendance report and a final expense sheet to 4Culture. The attendance report should include a narrative about your experience at the training or conference, findings or lessons learned, and, if presenting, how many attended your session.

For questions, please contact: Megumi Nagata, 4Culture Heritage Support Specialist, megumi.nagata@4culture.org or 206-263-3474.

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Guest Post: Latino Heritage Sites in King County

The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation holds an event at El Centro de la Raza in Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood. Photo by Kristy Conrad.

Revisiting Washington is a web-based update to the 1941 Washington, A Guide to the Evergreen State, published through the Federal Writers’ Project American Guide Series. With support from 4Culture and other unders, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has complemented the original text with new tours focused on Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander heritage, and a tour highlighting sites associated with African-American heritage is in the works for 2020. Here, Chris Moore, Executive Director of the Washington Trust, provides insight into how the project took shape:
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Revisiting Washington is a web-based update to the 1941 Washington, A Guide to the Evergreen State, published through the Federal Writers’ Project American Guide Series. With support from 4Culture and other unders, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has complemented the original text with new tours focused on Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander heritage, and a tour highlighting sites associated with African-American heritage is in the works for 2020. Here, Chris Moore, Executive Director of the Washington Trust, provides insight into how the project took shape:

Over a decade ago, we began work to digitize the rich content included in the 1941 Federal Writers’ Project American Guide Series: Washington, A Guide to the Evergreen State. As part of this special project beneath the umbrella of the Works Progress Administration, writers and photographers set off across the state to capture a moment in time and to document 1941 life in Washington. Predating the interstate freeway system, intrepid travelers took what today we call the “slow roads.”

It turns out these slow roads – what today essentially constitutes our state route system – provided a poignant portrait of the state. Tours in the guidebook meander through dense forests, agricultural areas, river valleys, and high plains, with associated text providing an informative backdrop as you travel from one landscape to the next. Traversing all 39 counties, these tours often terminated (or originated, depending on which direction you were headed) in our county seats. The guide text includes descriptions of key buildings and landmarks in these cities and towns, providing a true sense of main street life in our smaller, more rural communities.

We distributed the first iteration of Revisiting Washington as a CD-ROM which, given the speed technology progresses, proved to be obsolete nearly the day it was completed. Learning from this, we set out to develop a web-based version, available as a phone app with the capability to be updated and added to. Working on this version of the project, it became very clear that elements of our state’s history were glaringly missing. The narrative voice from 1941 did indeed provide rich content – valuable information for understanding that point in time. But it was not an especially diverse illustration of Washington State life. Aside from brief mentions, communities of color, non-European immigration, and tribal representation are relatively absent from the guide.

To address this, we envisioned a series of tours focused on sites associated with communities that have impacted Washington in deep and transformative ways. Maintaining the 1941 guidebook protocol, the new tours would be geographically discrete and focused on actual locations able to still be experienced by road trippers. The first of these focused on Japanese-American heritage on Vashon Island, highlighting nine sites, several of which are farms documenting the Japanese and Japanese-American impact on the island’s agricultural practices and economy. The second endeavored to highlight sites in the Yakima Valley associated with Latino heritage. Another 10 sites were added, again largely agricultural but including places important as social gathering spaces and cultural centers for the valley’s burgeoning Latino community.

Most recently, we completed a King County-based tour of sites representing Latino heritage. Given migration patterns, there are clear ties between the county’s flourishing Latino communities and the history of migrant labor supporting agriculture in the Yakima Valley. Over two dozen sites cover education, civil rights, religion, local business, and education. From South Park to White Center, from the Central District to the University District, extant sites featured on the King County tour cover a broad range of issues. Exclusive video interviews provide additional insight for those interested.

These tours are critically important elements of our Revisiting Washington platform. They highlight existing places and buildings that serve as anchors for the communities they represent despite being overlooked as “architectural” landmarks. They give bricks-and-mortar presence to stories too often hidden from mainstream narrative. This work coincides with efforts by the National Park Service to more fully understand and acknowledge the contributions of underrepresented communities. NPS funding has supported survey work for Latino and Asian/Pacific Islander heritage in Washington State, and our tours benefited greatly from these surveys. In fact, three of the sites included in our King County tour will be added to the National Register of Historic Places. There are so many Places That Matter across Washington. Yes, we should preserve the stately manors and monumental civic buildings. But we should also work to save the farmsteads, labor camps, social halls, and places of worship associated with all people whose legacy have enriched our state.

Published by Lauren Semet on

Artists Selected for the Storefront Media Gallery’s 12th Season

Rachel Lodge, Inhale/Exhale (digital still), 2019.

Our Storefront Media Gallery is a video art exhibition space, displaying dynamic work from across the U.S. to an audience on the go. Comprised of four screens, the Storefront Media Gallery is located in 4Culture’s large windows, facing Prefontaine Place South in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle. Two directional speakers are mounted on the exterior of the building, broadcasting sound to passers-by. Artworks are scheduled to play through a playback system, which loops daily from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm. The entire program usually rotates about once every hour.
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Our Storefront Media Gallery is a video art exhibition space, displaying dynamic work from across the U.S. to an audience on the go. Comprised of four screens, the Storefront Media Gallery is located in 4Culture’s large windows, facing Prefontaine Place South in the Pioneer Square neighborhood of Seattle. Two directional speakers are mounted on the exterior of the building, broadcasting sound to passers-by. Artworks are scheduled to play through a playback system, which loops daily from 7:00 am until 10:00 pm. The entire program usually rotates about once every hour.

Earlier this year, jurors Gazelle Samizay and Ezra Wube reviewed applications submitted through a national open call process and selected eleven new artists, beginning in 2020. The next time you find yourself on our street, take a break in front of the Storefront screens to experience their work!

Jake Couri, Alpine, NJ
Couri will utilize the multiple screens format to expand upon their work, Find Your Ritual, with the build out of animation in a way that utilizes each of the screens as if it has its own camera angle within the animation. Couri will also explore the use of subtitles.

Lauren Dake, Seattle, WA
Dake will expand a series of video vignettes entitled, Monoliths. This project is based on personal feelings of isolation, detachment and a sense of impending doom. It is influenced by 90’s science-fiction and fantasy films, and is a response to the post-internet static hum of our current culture.

Leslie Foster, Los Angeles, CA
Foster’s work is rooted in queer and Black futurity. They will adapt and present recently created work entitled, Etude #1, 59.9 and 59.10 sequentially playing across all four screens.

Adam Jabari Jefferson, Seattle, WA
Jabari will simultaneously display the interwoven themes of recent work, which includes: I Was, I Am, and I Will, which explores grounding and memory as a means of moving forward.

Rachel Lodge, Seattle, WA
For most people carbon is an abstraction. Lodge will create an animation sequence that lets people see the actual flow of carbon dioxide all around us, both in nature and through our own actions, which is normally invisible to us.

Chris Lowery, Brooklyn, NY
Lowery will create videos of their collection of Rolodexes. Set to music, which will be playing through a computer, these videos will show Lowery’s hands flipping through their Rolodex.

Berette Macaulay, Everett, WA
Macaulay will create new two and three channel abstract narrative work, which will explore their interest in transcultural identities. She is interested in examining collective interpretations of belonging, (re)connection, (in)visibility, and media (re)presentation in any work that strives to resolve objectified ideas of “difference’—specifically when coded as either “dangerous” or commodifiable.

Sri Prabha, Hollywood, FL
4Culture welcomes Sri Prabha back to the Storefront Media Gallery. Prabha is a multidisciplinary artist originally from Hyderabad, India who integrates into his aesthetic process tenants of geography, nature, time, human origins, and the cosmos. Prabha asks how our intellectual understandings compare with our emotional responses to scientific discoveries. They will be exhibiting Brahama 3, a three channel 1080P video.

Rebecca Shapass, Staten Island, NY
Shapass will create a silent, three-channel work that meditates on forms of symmetry found in living organisms. Using a green screen technology, they will construct these images using vibrantly colored, digitally abstracted videos of truncated parts of their own body. Through the combination of abstract images, whole forms will emerge.

Emily Tanner-McLean, Seattle, WA
Tanner-McLean will share their work, Flower/Thorn, a video resembling Victorian-style wallpaper, a work-in-progress, this work will arrange footage of a hand caressing the petals of red roses then gripping their thorny stems in a repetitious pattern.

Gordon Winiemko, Long Beach, CA
Filmed in Seattle, this work by Winiemko addresses gentrification and development that is displacing residents and businesses, exacerbating homelessness, and transforming the character of the city.

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