Michelle Gehlman-Teeter from the Greater Kent Historical Society shares a sneak peek of what you can expect from this much-loved, month-long annual event! We’re proud to help fund Experience Historical Kent through our Heritage Projects grant program.

Experience Historical Kent is coming together under this year’s new coordination of the Greater Kent Historical Society! There will be many returning favorites, including the Downtown Walking Tour, the Soos Creek Botanical Garden’s event, the popular Cemetery Tour and the All Kent Reunion.

This year, the Neely-Soames open house and historical garden tour will be in July to better highlight the plants when they are in peak season. The yearly car show has had some big changes and this year it will be located at Showare Center on an even larger scale than before. This year it will be called “The Pacific Cascade Mustang Club All Ford & Mustang Roundup” and they are planning some surprises for us.

They will again have a historic churches open house day and this year they are adding a historic barn tour, including tours of the Sidekick Distillery, Mary Olson Farm and the Carriage Barn at the museum is having an historic quilt show.

The Greater Kent Historical Society will have its annual open house to kick off the month. Look for “Hounds Meet History,” where you can learn about famous pets of King County with your leashed pet.

Mark your calendars to learn about Kent’s history and have some fun meeting your neighbors! Details of the month’s schedule are available online. All events will be free, however, donations will be accepted.

King County residents: what’s working and what’s not as you engage with culture? As part of a year-long study, we’re hosting Listening Sessions in each of King County’s 39 cities and unincorporated areas to help us better understand the cultural health of our region and how we can support you. We’d love to hear from you!

What to know about the sessions: 

• Space is limited! RSVPs are required, and we ask that you only RSVP if you are sure you can join us.
• Each Listening Session will be focused on a particular city or area—please only RSVP and attend if you live and/or work in that area. Don’t see your city represented here yet? Stay tuned! We’ll be holding sessions through the end of the year, and they’ll get posted as they are scheduled.
• For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations, translation services, or activities for children, please contact us—you’ll find a name, number, and email on the RSVP page for your city or area. Two weeks advance notice of need is requested.

We’ll be hosting sessions through fall 2019, and will update this page as they’re scheduled. If your city’s Listening Session is full, has passed, or you can’t attend, make your voice heard by filling out the online survey.

2019 Listening Sessions

Woodinville
Tuesday, February 19, 4:00–6:00 pm, Woodinville Heritage Museum

North Bend
Thursday, February 21, 2:30–4:30 pm, Meadowbrook Farm Interpretive Center

Des Moines
Monday, February 25, 4:00–6:00 pm, Des Moines Activity Center

Mercer Island
Wednesday, February 27, 5:00–7:00 pm, Stroum Jewish Community Center

SeaTac
Monday, March 4, 6:00–8:00 pm, SeaTac Community Center

Black Diamond
Thursday, March 21, 1:30–3:30 pm, Black Diamond History Museum

Issaquah
Tuesday, May 21, 10:00 am–12:00 pm, Issaquah City Hall, Eagle Room

Seattle, King County District 1
Thursday, May 30, 5:30–7:30 pm, Lake City Library, Lake City Meeting Room

Lake Forest Park
Tuesday, June 4, 2:00–4:00 pm, Lake Forest Park Civic Club

Covington
Wednesday, June 5, 6:30–8:30 pm, Covington City Hall, Council Chambers

West/Central Seattle (King County District 8)
Monday, Jun 10, 2:30 pm–4:30 pm, Gay City

Fall City
Wednesday, June 19, 6:00–8:00pm, Fall City Library

Carnation
Wednesday, June 19, 11:00 am–1:00 pm, Carnation Library

Tukwila
Thursday, June 20, 5:30–7:30 pm, Tukwila Community Center

Snoqualmie
Monday, June 24, 1:30–3:30 pm, Snoqualmie City Hall, 1st Floor Council Chambers

Algona
Friday, June 28, 12:00–2:00 pm, Filipino American Community of Puget Sound

Pacific
Thursday, September 5, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Pacific Community Center

Clyde Hill, Yarrow Point
Monday, September 9, 5:00–7:00 pm, Chinook Middle School Library

Milton
Thursday, September 12, 6:30–8:30 pm, Milton Activity Center

Skykomish
Monday, September 16, 3:30–5:30 pm, Great Northern & Cascade Railway Passenger Depot

Snoqualmie Valley
Wednesday, September 18, 1:00–3:00 pm, King County Fire District 27 Station Meeting Room

Newcastle
Thursday, September 19, 6:00–8:15 pm, Newcastle Library Meeting Room

Kenmore
Monday, September 23, 3:00–5:00 pm, Kenmore City Hall

2018 Listening Sessions

Kent
Tuesday, July 31, 6:00–8:00 pm, Kent Commons, Mt. Rainier Room

Sammamish
Tuesday, August 7, 5:30–7:30 pm, Sammamish City Hall

Shoreline
Tuesday, August 7, 10:00 am–12:00 pm,Shoreline Chamber of Commerce

Seattle, King County District 4
Wednesday, August 8, 5:30–7:30 pm, Seattle Center Armory Loft

Maple Valley
Thursday, August 9, 7:00–9:00 pm, Maple Valley Creative Arts Center

Burien
Monday, August 13, 6:00–8:00 pm, Moshier Arts Center

Seattle, King County District 2
Wednesday, August 15, 5:00–7:00 pm, El Centro de la Raza, Room 309

Federal Way
Thursday, August 16, 6:00–8:00 pm, Federal Way Community Center, Senior Lounge

Bellevue
Tuesday, September 25, 5:30–7:30 pm, Crossroads Community Center, Community Room

Kirkland
Tuesday, October 30, 3:00–5:00 pm, Kirkland Arts Center

Bothell
Wednesday, November 7, 2:30–4:30 pm, Bothell City Hall

Enumclaw
Thursday, November 8, 7:00–9:00 pm, Enumclaw Library

Normandy Park
Wednesday, November 14, 3:30–5:30 pm, Normandy Park Recreation Center

Redmond
Thursday, November 15, 4:00–6:00 pm, Redmond City Hall

Renton
Tuesday, November 27, 10:00 am–12:00 pm, Renton Civic Theatre

Skyway/West Hill Unincorporated
Thursday, December 6, 7:00–9:00 pm, King County Fire District 20 Administration Building

What was once a two-mile stretch of industrial buildings is transforming into an urban art gallery of incredible murals, created by artists from King County and around the world. As we finish our third and final year of painting, celebrate with us! Enjoy drinks and bites, shop a SODO Track artist print show, catch a walking tour of the Track, and meet some of the artists:

Alex Gardner / Angelina Villalobos / Brian Sanchez / Celeste Byers / Evah Fan / Fernando Chamarelli / Franco Fasoli / Gabriel Marquez / Gage Hamilton / Georgia Hill / Jeremy Nichols / Jesse Brown / Jillian Evelyn / Kristen Ramirez / Saddo Jdero / Rather Severe / Ricky Lee Gordon / Yok & Sheryo

This event is free and all-ages. Please RSVP online. Learn more about the program at sodotrack.com!

Produced by 4Culture, the SODO Track is curated by Gage Hamilton and led by Tamar Benzikry with support from the SODO BIA, King County Metro and Sound Transit, Urban ArtWorks and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

Since announcing our longtime Executive Director Jim Kelly’s retirement in December 2017, our Board, Advisory Committees, and staff have been hard at work filling this essential role. It’s a daunting task, especially as we’ve contended with other big changes and new initiatives this year. 2018 has not been boring! As we get closer to selecting and announcing our new Executive Director, we’re taking a moment to put a spotlight on the person largely responsible for holding it all together: Deb Twersky.

While the network of people helping 4Culture navigate this challenging and exciting time has been vast, Deb has truly been at its center. As the manager of all our funding programs, Deb tirelessly tracked and interpreted the evolution of King County Ordinance #2018-0086, helping our community understand its impacts. She stepped into the role of Acting Director in April after Jim’s retirement, guiding us through the process of evaluating applications and interviewing candidates—all while overseeing the day-to-day tasks of running 4Culture.

4Culture staff, Board, and Advisory Committees thank Deb for her incredible leadership. Stay tuned for more information on our new Executive Director, coming soon!

Beyond Integrity is a group of preservation professionals and community advocates concerned with inequity in historic preservation practices in Seattle and King County. 4Culture has hosted and supported Beyond Integrity since 2014. Claudia Kiyama, a new member of our Historic Preservation Advisory Committee and a preservation architect who has been a part of the group since its inception, recently presented at the Revitalize WA conference, as part of a panel about “Telling Difficult Stories.” This post is a condensed version of her presentation.

What are difficult stories? They may be stories that remind us of a shameful past, or that bring back a painful collective memory. These stories are obviously not easy to tell, but most people can agree on their relevance. But what happens to the stories that not everyone knows, that not everyone is interested in remembering? What happens to the stories not of the majority, but of only a few? Time and time again, these stories are either not told, or deemed as not relevant to our historical narrative.

In the Fall of 2014, 4Culture convened what we now call Beyond Integrity. The group was formed with three initial goals. Our first priority was to gather data on currently designated landmarks in Seattle and King County—particularly related to their association with underrepresented communities. Second, we aimed to engage local decision makers, such as historic preservation boards and commissions, on issues of equity. And ultimately, we want to foster a stronger voice for the public in the historic preservation process, especially for those from underrepresented or marginalized communities.

The members of Beyond Integrity maintain that places are important for much more than their mere physicality. Buildings are more than a conjunction of construction materials, parks are more than a collection of vegetation and structures. We know that places have served as witnesses to the lives of people, multiple generations at times; places hold stories, and stories hold places in people’s memories.

However, within the field of historic preservation, the intangible qualities of places are often overlooked or minimized. Too often architectural significance is emphasized over cultural significance, and architectural integrity is deemed more important than people’s stories, memories, and associations with a place. This is particularly common with places connected to underrepresented communities—modest houses, rural farms, neighborhood spots, community banks.

Our group is called Beyond Integrity because in our initial discussions we came back to the observation that in many cases, preservation boards and commissions denied landmark designations based on the lack of architectural integrity of buildings. We talked about how heartbreaking it was to watch places that were so important in their communities not achieving landmark protection, because they lacked qualities that in our estimation, did not seem as relevant to the significance of those places.

We discussed endlessly the realization that in many cases, preservation standards were written to describe only a certain type of place, to protect a specific narrative. As a group, we aim to get the preservation process to look beyond the architectural integrity of buildings; we wish to motivate decision makers to realize that people’s stories, their memories, and their connections to a place are as relevant, if not more so than the physicality of structures. A place doesn’t necessarily lose its meaning when a wall is lost or a room added.

We, the members of Beyond Integrity felt strongly about all this. But, were we right about local preservation practices? In order to discover this, with the support of 4Culture, an internship was set up with the goal of gathering data to test our ideas. For research purposes, groups defined as underrepresented communities included: people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, veterans, the homeless, the working class, and those of low-income.

We felt that due to the historically marginalized position of these groups, there have been barriers to their participation in the landmark designation process. We also felt their lack of representation was reflective of the reality that the narrative and experiences of these groups historically had not been considered to be significant.

During the summer of 2016, Beyond Integrity intern Jialing Liu began an assessment of whether the diverse communities in King County are reflected in the historic landmarks that have been designated. Jialing compiled data for 128 King County properties and 348 Seattle properties that were designated as local landmarks. This information was used to produce maps showing the distribution of landmarks and whether they have a documented association to an underrepresented community.

Some general observations emerged from reviewing this data. First, LGBTQ, Native American, and Latin American immigrant communities are largely absent from the histories in nomination and designation reports. During this first review, it was unclear if this meant that these associations were not being presented as part of a property’s significance, or if properties associated with these communities simply were not being nominated. Similarly, women’s stories are rarely found in nominations and where women are mentioned as part of the significance of a place, it is only briefly.

The next phase of the project was carried out by our second intern, Kirsten Freeman during the summer of 2017. The goal of her research was to add to the data collected in the previous internship, and also identify properties for more detailed examination. Kirsten wrote five case studies, including the history of the properties, their associations with underrepresented communities, and an analysis of how they fared in the nomination and designation process. Four case studies address some of the reasons properties associated with underrepresented communities are not nominated or designated as landmarks. One case study is of a designated landmark with a strong association with an underrepresented community that was not acknowledged as part of its significance.

The findings of our two summer interns backed up the concerns and fears of the members of Beyond Integrity. Their research suggests that in Seattle and King County, we have not done a good job telling the stories of all. We are not doing that good of a job protecting places that are meaningful to certain communities. We are not doing that good of a job acknowledging the multiple stories many of our designated landmarks hold.

Beyond Integrity is now sharing our research findings more broadly, both with local preservation decision-makers and with the general public. We are committed to continuing in our mission to make preservation more equitable and inclusive, so that we can better recognize, protect, and learn from places that are significant to diverse communities.

Interested in attending the 2018 Western Museums Association conference? We can help!

WMA’s annual conference—happening this year October 21–24 in Tacoma—is an excellent opportunity for those involved with the museum industry to exchange ideas, network with colleagues, and learn from each other by attending valuable sessions. This year’s conference theme is “INSPIRE”—the focus is on ways museums inspire action, change, and unity.

We’re excited to offer $400 stipends to King County residents who are a staff member, volunteer, or board member of a heritage organization also located in King County. The stipends may be used for conference registration, travel, and lodging costs.

To apply, please submit your resume detailing your commitment to action, change, and unity within King County heritage museums or organizations as an email attachment to Chieko Phillips at  no later than Friday, July 13, 2018 by 11:59 pm PDT. We’ll notify you by August 1, 2018. Checks will be presented to awardees at the conference.

Saturday, June 9, 11:00 am—2:00 pm
Preston Community Center, 8625 310th Ave SE, Preston

Join photographers Jenny Riffle and Melinda Hurst Frye on a unique look at King County Regional Trails! Jenny and Melinda will talk about their work on Picturing Trails, a collaborative project with 4Culture and King County Parks. After the talk, explore the Preston-Snoqualmie Trail with Jenny and Melinda and post your own #picturingtrails photos to Instagram for a chance to win prizes! Visit picturingtrails.com for details.

Jenny and Melinda will talk from 11:00 am–12:00 pm inside the Preston Community Center. We’ll head outside for a nature walk from 12:00–2:00 pm.

Bring your camera or camera phone, wear weather appropriate attire and comfy shoes for exploring! Coffee, tea, water, and trail snacks will be provided. This event is free, no registration required.

Parking: lower parking accommodates several vehicles. When this area is full, please use the overflow parking just down the street at the old Preston Mill site. Please do not park along the roadway by the facility.

Saturday, June 23, 2:00—4:00 pm
Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave, Seattle

Celebrate the very first cohort of 4Culture Arc Artist Fellows at this free event! The Arc Fellowship is a new grant program providing financial and promotional support to King County artists. This year, we’re proud to honor:

Angel Alviar-Langley, Performing Artist
Earl Debnam, Visual Artist
Tara Hardy, Literary Artist
Mickey Rowe, Theatre Artist

Hear from and learn more about each Arc Fellow, connect with other artists, and enjoy light refreshments.

This event is free, but we do ask that you RSVP on Eventbrite.

Did you know that 4Culture manages the King County Public Art Collection? This incredible body of over 2,000 works includes sculptures, installations, portable pieces like photographs and paintings, and so much more—and you can find it all over King County. Currently, we share a small, curated selection of these works on our website. As part of our ongoing mission to make our website a great experience for everyone, we’d love to get your feedback on how we’re sharing this collection! If you’re interested in sharing your opinions with us, please fill out this short form, and we’ll get in touch with you.

Thank you for helping connect King County with its public art collection by making the 4Culture website the best it can be!

Melinda Hurst Frye is one of two photographers to receive our Picturing Trails commission in 2017, a project in partnership with King County Parks to comprehensively capture and interpret the King County Regional Trail System through fine art photography. Melinda has been out on the trails photographing since October of 2017—here, she shares an update:

Hello, King County! My name is Melinda Hurst Frye, and you may have seen me setting up my scanner and making images along the trails in the last few months. Say hi if you spot me! You can also follow my Instagram account to keep track of where I am and what I am photographing during the year. I am excited to share a few sneak peaks of the work in progress from Picturing Trails and to tell you a bit more about my intent and process.

I photograph in a combination of methods, though mainly making images that combine the use of a flatbed scanner and a camera to create small environmental scenes. I am curious about how place, memory and varying ecosystems occur in one physical space, such as the grass that my children play in while the worms below the surface refresh the soil.

Photographing the trails has allowed me to look at the idea of home in a larger context. I scan small environments, insects, and objects found along the trails to create a sense of wonder based on our immediate natural world. When we are still, the natural world reveals itself. I want these images to reveal the viewer’s own stillness and observation. The initial heart of my previous work was my home in Seattle, though Picturing Trails has been a remarkable experience for a greater exploration of our region. The trails have taken me to places that I have not been aware of even though I was born and raised here in King County. This is as much of an exploration of my home, as it is a portrait of our regional trails.

There are so many pockets of wetlands, forest and natural areas to explore in both the urban and rural areas. What has surprised me the most is how our system of trails connects nearly all of King County, and while connected, each region has a defining look, attribute or environment. I have been particularly interested in the trails that are high use, intersect with bordering counties, cross municipal borders, and/or the areas where multiple trails come together.

The Greenlake trail was a favorite place this fall, as well as a total surprise. I assumed with its use and location it wouldn’t offer nearly as much ecodiversity as it does. I was wrong, and I ended up making one of my favorite images of a katydid perched on a fir tree with several small mushrooms growing out of the bark. The Mercer Slough along I-90 also offers gorgeous trails spotted with skunk cabbage (surprisingly pleasant smelling) and salmonberry flowers in the spring. I am looking forward to photographing in southern King County as well as the more urban areas around as we enter the most beautiful time of the year. See you out there!

On Monday night, we gathered with current and past staff, board, and advisory members underneath the stunning ceiling of the Paramount Theatre to celebrate Jim Kelly’s 25 years of leadership at 4Culture. The location was fitting—a historic building that hosts artistic performances of all disciplines, run by an organization that, while based in Seattle, works tirelessly to share their programming with all of King County. The Paramount is emblematic of how the four disciplines of 4Culture—arts, heritage, preservation, and public art—are intertwined. Our agency’s vision of supporting culture on all of these levels is a product of Jim’s leadership.

Throughout his tenure as Executive Director, Jim’s focus has been on the individuals, cultural organizations, and communities of King County. True to form, Jim put those we serve at the center of his comments on Monday night: “What we do is try to help them do their work. What could be greater than that? Is there a job that’s better than helping people who are trying to bring beauty to community?”

Jim’s commitment has set the tone for how we work at 4Culture. As our colleague Charlie Rathbun said on Monday, “Jim always showed up, in every way.” It’s impossible to deny that Jim’s retirement represents the end of an era, but our core belief that all of King County deserves access to arts and culture will not change.

We thank Jim for building our organization on that foundation.

Jenny Riffle is one of two photographers to receive our Picturing Trails commission in 2017, a project in partnership with King County Parks to comprehensively capture and interpret the King County Regional Trail System through fine art photography. Jenny has been out on the trails photographing since October of 2017—here, she shares an update:

Hello! Jenny Riffle here to share some of my work with you. I am a native of the Pacific Northwest and have been working with the landscape of this region for the last few years in my photography. The natural world is a beautiful and sometimes unsettling place. It can be full of mystery and unknown forces. The vastness of the forest and the ocean can be scary, but also full of beauty and calm. The connection people have with the natural world in this area is strong and it is easily accessible here in King County. This is one of the reasons that every time I left the Pacific Northwest, I found myself being called back.

Exploring the Regional Trail System over the last few months has introduced me to many new green areas within the county. I find that you do not need to go far to find yourself in the middle of what seems like wilderness, but is in fact very urban. I have been photographing what you see from the trails and how you can feel transported to a different place as soon as you step on the trail. These trails traverse the whole county and go through many diverse surroundings.

One of my favorite moments was on the Springbrook Trail, which goes along the brook not far from IKEA—in one direction I could see the neon glow of the IKEA sign, but in the other direction a blue heron was flying along the waterway. It was a stormy day with rain on and off and I had my rain poncho on with my camera gear under it. I was walking through a portion of wetland and the trail was on a raised wooden boardwalk and the rain had stopped so I was setting up a shot, then suddenly a huge rainbow appeared! I knew I only had a few moments to catch it and got very flustered and realized I was out of film and had to reload my camera—it was a hectic few moments but I reloaded, got a few shots, and then it was gone.

Another favorite spot of mine is on the trail closest to my house on Beacon Hill, the Mountains to Sound Trail. I have been on this trail many times over the last few months. If you start at the south end of the trail, there is a huge forest off to one side while I-5 and all of SODO stretches out to the other side; then you reach a turn and suddenly the downtown skyline is in front of you. Here there is an amazing lush forest in the middle of the city, and I love the contrast of the built world peeking through the trees.

I have been on about half of the trails and I’m looking forward to exploring the next half in the coming months. Check out my Instagram account to see regular updates from Picturing Trails!

Since 2008, the Storefront Media Gallery (formerly known as e4c) has given artists the opportunity to present dynamic electronic works of art that enliven Seattle’s urban core. Selected through a national call, video works are exhibited on four monitors with exterior directional speakers. Located adjacent to Gallery 4Culture, this street-level gallery is visible by foot, bike, car or bus to more than 20,000 people each day.

Panelists Tess Martin and Sri Prabha selected 12 artists from across the U.S. to display their work.

Julius Brown, Seattle WA
Solarjul
April 2018
In 2017, Julius Brown traveled to Illinois to witness the totality of the August solar eclipse. The remote location provided a magical, solitary experience, inspiring Brown to create Solarjul, an archival interpretation of the cosmic event. Each screen in this 4-channel video represents a time zone of the continental U.S. and its total length—2 minutes and 40 seconds—parallels the duration of the eclipse.

Barbara Robertson, Seattle WA
Architectonic 2
April 2018
Architectonic is a series of animations created from scans of drawings, exploring the theme of shifting perspectives in our built environment of constant change. The videos incorporate digitally-generated imagery with traditional methods of drawing, painting, and printmaking.

Seth Sexton, Seattle WA
DYBBUK
May 2018
Seth Sexton presents a reimagined version of DYBBUK, a dance art film loosely based on a play written by S. Anskey and adapted to film in 1937 by Mical Waszynski. The films draw inspiration from artists William Kentridge, Jackson Pollack and John Cage.

Michelle Lassaline, Seattle WA
Pelican
June 2018
Michelle Lassaline’s new work is based on a series of masked performances in specific settings. Pelican, filmed in historic Seattle parks that represent the city’s unique maritime geography, addresses history through humor, calling attention to the past through a contemporary lens.

Carson Rennekamp, Seattle WA
Aequalis, Northern Home II, and Saralia
June 2018
Inspired by kaleidoscopic imagery, Carson Rennekamp’s videos present excerpts from an infinite journey into an unknown atmosphere. They slowly evolve and organically create new patterns that envelop the viewer into an ethereal state. Each video is created from a single image.

Alyse Delaney, Lafayette NJ
Santa Clara, Cuba
July 2018
Alyse Delaney recorded slow-motion footage out a tour bus window as it drove through Cuba’s urban streets. The result is a multi-channel video portrait of a city and its inhabitants, but also an examination of the outsider’s perspective on Cuban culture. It calls attention to and questions boundaries between resident and visitor, insider and outsider, the observed and the observer.

Emmeri Bock, Seattle WA
July 2018
Emmeri Bock’s video brings light to the displacement of Seattle artists due to the rise in the cost of rent and studio space brought about by unprecedented growth. The piece is a meditation on moving out–the acts of sorting through, disposing of, and packing up possessions and memories.

Clyde Petersen, Seattle WA
Torrey Pines
August 2018
Torrey Pines is a stop-motion animated feature film based on a true queer punk coming-of-age tale, taking place in Southern California in the early 1990’s. Clyde Petersen shows segments of the film on all four screens simultaneously.

Ellen Garvens, Kenmore WA
Newton Yellow String, Milk, and Olives
September 2018
Ellen Garvens’ three videos explore the movement of objects associated with touch—pins, threads, fabric and clay—set up in ways that defy logic and gravity. They move by their own volition, suggesting the nature of the artist’s fleeting memories.

Matthew Keff, Brooklyn NY
Air Castle
September 2018
Matthew Keff’s Air Castle is an original art game that plays itself. Using game engine software, characters and objects bounce from screen to screen creating a seamless panoramic dreamscape.

Aubrey Nehring, Seattle WA
Botanical Geometry
October 2018
Aubrey Nehring’s new animated short film focuses on the theme of botanical geometry. A visual poem dedicated to the lush green life force that surrounds and sustains us, 2 and 3-D animation techniques create moving patterns inspired by the natural world.

Neely Goniodsky, Bellevue WA
Vacuum
Fall 2018
Vacuum is a video installation about suburban boredom and isolation, designed to allow those who pass by to interact with it. Neely Goniodsky’s animated vignettes move viewers through scenes—for example, one can get lost in a field of tall carpet or scrutinized by a bored kid in an aquarium.

As we move forward through 2018 and its exciting challenges, we are sharing some changes to our leadership staff:

On March 31, Jim Kelly retired as Executive Director, a position he held for 15 years. In that time, Jim built an incredibly strong team of cultural advocates here at 4Culture, making the challenge of navigating this transition easier as we welcomed Deb Twersky to the role of Acting Director on April 2. Deb has overseen our funding programs since 2000, managing millions of dollars in grant funds, helping organizations build capacity so they can thrive, and strengthening the network of cultural resources in King County and beyond. Deb will serve as our Acting Director until a permanent Executive Director is hired near the end of May.

We’re also starting the process of saying goodbye to another longtime 4Culture leader who has helped shaped our organization: Public Art Director Cath Brunner. Cath has led our Public Art department since 4Culture was the King County Arts Commission, and in that time has helped build our region’s international reputation for outstanding public art. We were thrilled to have her honored at the national level last year with an Americans for the Arts National Leadership Award. Cath stepped down from her role as Director on March 31—she’ll stay with us as a Project Manager until August, when she’ll move into her own private consulting practice. We’re thrilled to welcome our own Kelly Pajek as Public Art Director! Kelly’s two years at 4Culture as a Project Manager are the latest chapter in a public art career that spans more than two decades and several cities, including New York.

We know our community joins us in congratulating Jim, Deb, Cath, and Kelly and in thanking them for their amazing work on behalf of King County!

Gallery 4Culture has a 39-year history of exhibiting innovative and underrepresented artists and art forms in solo and small-group shows.

Jurors Satpreet Kahlon, Paul Rucker, and Emily Zimmerman reviewed applications submitted through our recent open call process and selected 10 King County-based artists for our next season, which runs from September 2018-July 2019:

Lawrence Pitre
September 6—27, 2018
Opening: Thursday, September 6, 6:00—8:00 pm
Lawrence Pitre’s series of historical paintings We Are One honors the legacy and diversity of Seattle’s Central District from 1840 to the present day.

Haein Kang
October 4—25, 2018
Opening: Thursday, October 4, 6:00—8:00 pm
Illusion is an instrument controlled by Alpha brain waves, which originate from the visual cortex during wakeful relaxation with closed eyes. Haein Kang’s interactive installation integrates percussion instruments, video projection, and EEG signals.

Kristen Ramirez
November 1—December 7, 2018
Opening: Thursday, November 1, 6:00—8:00 pm
Closing: Thursday, December 6, 6:00—8:00 pm
Kristen Ramirez brings together screen prints, neon, and a suite of sandwich boards in Mapping & Mocking the Anthropocene, a darkly humorous installation that explores the profound impact of the human hand on our planet.

Ruth Kazmerzak
January 3—31, 2019
Opening: Thursday, January 3, 6:00—8:00 pm
Through the calculated staging of marine debris and related photography and sculptural objects, Ruth Kazmerzak opens a forum to critically examine and understand our relationship to both the natural and the non-natural.

Jite Agbro
February 7—28, 2019
Opening: Thursday, February 7, 6:00—8:00 pm
Nigerian-American artist Jite Agbro presents Armor, a series of large-scale mixed-media wall hangings that explore the complexities associated with markers of status and class distinction. She draws direct inspiration from the human form and everyday objects, especially wearable accouterments.

Katherine Groesbeck
March 7—28, 2019
Opening: Thursday, March 7, 6:00—8:00 pm
Before a boxer enters the ring, a cutman applies Vaseline to their face. The relationship between the cutman and the fighter is intimate, one person touching the other. Katherine Groesbeck’s sculptures reflect on this exchange and similar moments—rites, rituals, and careful markings.

Leah Gerrard
April 4—25, 2019
Opening: Thursday, April 4, 6:00—8:00 pm
Leah Gerrard will populate Gallery 4Culture with a collection of sinuous, abstract wire sculptures informed by memories of full moon walks through forests and playgrounds.

Kate Roberts
May 2—30, 2019
Opening: Thursday, May 2, 6:00—8:00 pm
Inspired by the architectural fragments that remain from previous incarnations of Gallery 4Culture, ceramic sculptor Kate Roberts will create a body of work that explores change, impermanence, and reinterpretation.

Peter Rand
June 6—27, 2019
Opening: Thursday, June 6, 6:00—8:00 pm
In A to B, Peter Rand constructs “toolsets” for the purpose of moving forward. The process of shifting and reassembling these crude sculptures becomes a study in getting from here to there.

Bill Whipple
July 8—August 8, 2019
Opening: Thursday, July 11, 6:00—8:00 pm*
Closing: 1st Thursday, August 1, 6:00—8:00 pm
Spontaneous and abstract, Bill Whipple’s new sculptures are a departure from the viewer-activated, message-driven constructions that characterized his studio practice for the last 40 years. He now allows his material choices, primarily discarded wood and found objects, to suggest their own combinations of shape and texture.

4Culture would like to thank all 120 gallery applicants for their interest in exhibiting with us and the panel for their diligence in making these selections. Artists who were not awarded shows are encouraged to reapply next year. The 2019-2020 Gallery 4Culture season application cycle will open on December 3, 2018 with a deadline of January 14, 2019.
Congratulations to our 2018-2019 exhibiting artists!