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:
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.
If you’re wondering how to spend these cold winter months, you’re in luck—this year brought an influx of incredible new heritage experiences to our region. Across King County, long-planned projects came to life as four much-loved heritage organizations moved collections, installed exhibits, and finally opened the doors to their new facilities.
As 2019 comes to a close, we’re getting ready to dive into a new year of grants, starting with Projects, one of our biggest funding programs. We checked in with some our grant managers to find out what advice they have for folks planning to apply this coming year. Even though the grants they manage all differ, we heard strong common themes that can help you not only with Projects, but all 4Culture grants—and probably even with grants from other funders. Happy applying!
Get involved with this project! Wednesday, December 11, 3:00—6:00 pm Hop on a parked Metro bus for interactive art, music, poetry and wellness (more details) RapidRide C Line, 2615 SW Barton Street across from Westwood Village
Through annual internships, we support research on King County historic properties to inform the work of our Beyond Integrity group—visit that page to explore the work of previous interns. This past year, intern Tera Williams tackled surveys and inventories, which are often the first step in identifying significant historic properties in an area. How do local survey methods line up with national standards? Here, she shares about her process and findings:
Our Rural Heritage Internship Program connects skilled interns with heritage organizations located outside of Seattle. In its second year, we have partnered with Des Moines Historical Society and Issaquah History Museum as the host sites of the internships. Three students from University of Washington Museology Graduate Program and Museum Studies Certificate Program started their internships in June 2019, and have been working on various projects such as evaluation, collections management, and public relations at their host sites. Here, we have asked them to share their experiences:
In September we welcomed Laura Elizabeth Becker as Senior Project Manager in our Public Art Department. Laura has been a champion for arts and culture for nearly 20 years, producing public art projects in Seattle, Spokane, Santa Monica, Beaverton, and more—so we weren’t surprised when she opted to introduce herself via some of the artists she’s partnered with.
It’s been a bittersweet month at 4Culture! After 20 years managing our funding programs Deputy Director Deb Twersky retired, leaving an incredible legacy of compassionate and expert support for cultural organizations in King County. Stepping into the role is Joshua Heim, who comes to us from the City of Bellevue’s Arts Program and Community Development Department. In the midst of reviewing budgets and project files as they passed the baton, the two sat down for a conversation to look back as well as forward. The edited transcript is below:
“We have lived a few blocks from the store for the last 15 years and have always wanted to see someone give this obvious piece of history the attention it deserves. ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing if someone fixed that up!’ we would say every time we drove by. We eventually thought that maybe that ‘someone’ could be us.”
Throughout the process of managing public art funds for the new Children and Family Justice Center, we’ve focused on supporting youth impacted by the facility and the juvenile justice system. Now, as we get closer to the building’s opening later this year, we’re sharing the ways in which the artists commissioned for work at the CFJC are doing the same.
