Attention artists, organizations, and community-based groups looking to hold an event in a Seattle park! Nows the time to apply to for the city’s Arts in Parks grant. The grand program is a collaboration between the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) and helps city residents bring new and existing festivals or events to eligible parks, especially in underserved and economically challenged areas. Families are often the biggest beneficiaries of program and events that fall from the grant process.
Fostering collaboration
“Our event had a particular focus on serving the Rainier Beach community, which is predominantly composed of Black, Brown, and Muslim families,” said Claudia Villalobos, a past grantee, in a recent release. “It was heartening to see a substantial number of families with two or more children in attendance, as this fostered a collaborative atmosphere where family members could engage in creative activities together.”
The funding from the grants progra ranges from $2,000 to $8,000. That money will go toward planning and engaging artists for events held in 2025.
“Judkins Park is our old stomping grounds,” said a leader of Washington Capoeira Center LLC, another former grantee. “We have played capoeira here for over 10 years. We are happy to see that our neighborhood is still diverse. People of color and multigeneration come through.”
Photo courtesy Seattle Arts in Parks program.
Essential part of healthy community
Cultural activities and parks are an essential part of a vibrant, healthy, and inclusive community, grant program offiicals says. In 2023, ARTS gave away $205,400 in Art in Parks grants. Check out the list of 32 grants awardees from last year to give you ideas for what you and your family or community might do:
- ADEFUA Cultural Education Workshop – $7,800 for Summer Saturdays – Family Drumming & Dance Activities
- Aorta Artists Productions – $5,200 for Concerts in the Mini Park
- Claudia Villalobos – $7,800
- Conspiracy of Geniuses – $7,800 for MOVEment
- Dreaming in Color Entertainment/Hold Your Crown – $7,800 for Hold Your Crown Festival
- Experience Education – $7,800 for Future Ancient Soul Healing Festival
- Free Flo Fit – $7,800 for Fit Melanin Summer 2023
- Golden Bricks, LLC – $5,200 for Sundaes Outside: A Celebration of Black Folks
- Griot Girlz – $5,200 for The Circle: An Exploration in Rhythm and Performance
- Healthy Othello Safer Through Environmental Design – $7,800 for a community mural in an Othello neighborhood park
- Inspired Child – $7,800 for Inspired Child Movies & Shakers
- Joyas Mestizas – $5,200 for Seattle Folklorico Festival
- Malawi Seattle Association – $7,800 for A Day in the Life of a Malawian Village
- Northwest Tap Connection – $7,800 for Tap Into Your Inner Beat Cultural Education Camp
- Orquesta Northwest – $7,800 for Música for Youth Summer Program
- Othello Park Alliance – $5,200 for Othello Park International Festival
- Pratt Fine Arts Center – $5,200 for Pratt Fine Arts Center’s Fall Open House
- Seattle Chamber Music Festival – $5,200 for The Concert Truck
- Seattle Children’s Theatre Association – $5,200 for Theatre in the Garden with Seattle PlayGarden
- Seattle Composers Alliance – $5,200 for Seattle Composers Alliance: SPARKS
- Seattle Opera – $7,800 for Bilingual Youth Opera Performances
- Silver Kite Community Arts Consulting – $7,800 for Arts for All
- Somali Family Safety Task Force – $7,800 for Summer Youth Cultural Arts Workshop
- SouthEast Effective Development – $5,200 for SEEDArts Summer Series: Cinema Under the Stars and Porch Concerts
- Taking Black Pride – $7,800 for Taking Black Pride – The Cook-Out
- The Rhapsody Project – $7,800 for The Rhapsody Project Block Party featuring Panorama Jazz Band
- Umoja Peace Center – $5,200 for Umoja Fest 2023
- Washington Capoeira Center LLC – $7,800 for Free Weekly Capoeira Roda
- Whim W’Him – $7,800 for Let’s Be in the World As We Are
- Windz of Change Alliance – $7,800 for Tribute to The Seattle All American Indian Dancers: Honoring Jeannie Halliday & Sacred Waters
Application details
The guidelines for applying for a grant are available in Amharic, Chinese (Traditional), Korean, Spanish, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
The Arts in Parks grant closes Nov. 26 at 5 p.m. Pacific. First-timers should attend an information session before applying.
For more information contact Grants Project Manager, Zach Frimmel, at (206) 963-9226 or Zach.Frimmel@seattle.gov. You can also contact Project Manager Ashraf Hasham at (206) 514-1057 or Ahraf.Hasham@seattle.gov.
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