4Culture News

King County Metro’s Northgate Transit Center opened to the public on June 6, 1992. Artist Cris Bruch was a member of the original design team. He worked closely with architects Zimmer Gunsul Frasca of Portland and Barbara Oakrock of Seattle to influence the overall look and feel of the site. In addition, he created fifteen free-standing Corten steel sculptures for the urban landscape – eight larger animal silhouettes and seven smaller animal cutouts. These Silhouettes and Cutups represent his first-ever public commission.

To offer a capacity-building and professional development opportunity during the pandemic, our Heritage department implemented the King County Heritage Virtual Internship Program as a 3-month virtual program. Three host organizations were selected through a competitive panel process in early 2021: StoryBoards in Sammamish, the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle, and the Kenmore Heritage Society. Interns have been working on their projects since June; as they near the end of the program, we asked them to share what their experience has been like this summer.

Our Arc Artist Fellowship provides critical—but rare—unrestricted funding to a new and unique cohort of King County artists every year. The six 2021 Fellows are all between the ages of 18 and 25 and are creating art that challenges structures of power in the global fight for social justice. Here’s your chance to meet this incredible group! Join us for a two-part virtual showcase to hear from each artist about their work:

For those of you who are current Sustained Support recipients or interested in applying to 4Culture’s Sustained Support program for funding in 2022, we want to let you know of some significant, temporary changes to the program. We historically have been, and will continue to be, deeply committed to supporting the cultural sector with operating funds. With this year’s significant reduction of the lodging taxes that make 4Culture’s grant programs possible and the approval of the American Rescue Plan Act, operating support will look different in 2021 for funding in 2022.

Robert Morris’ celebrated Untitled Earthwork (Johnson Pit #30), one of the first ever publicly-funded Land Art projects, is now listed in the Washington Heritage Register.

Doing cultural work amidst a global pandemic is no easy feat. King County creatives of all disciplines have faced closures, loss of work, and uncertainty—and we at 4Culture are navigating COVID-19-related financial challenges as well. Throughout it all the cultural sector’s creativity shines through undiminished, and that’s especially evident in our 2021 Projects grant awardees!

This year, Washington State recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday after the dedicated advocacy of many. This day is commemorated on June 19 as a day of remembrance for the day enslaved African-Americans living in Texas learned of their freedom. The new law also encourages Washingtonians to use the day to revisit our solidarity and commitment to antiracism, educate ourselves about slave history, and continue having conversations that uplift every Washingtonian. Here are some ways to do that:

This summer, art meets vaccines! We’re thrilled to partner with Public Health—Seattle & King County to use art to help get King County closer to its vaccination goals.

The Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority (RTA) is celebrating the uniqueness of our place through a new storytelling campaign called Seattle Southside Scenes, designed to share extraordinary local stories with the world:

We are honored to announce the recipients of our 2021 Arc Artist Fellowship!

As many of you are aware, most of the grant funds 4Culture distributes to the cultural sector come from King County Lodging Taxes. These tax proceeds are generated whenever people stay in local hotels and motels. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the current economic recession, people are understandably not staying in hotels and motels with the same frequency. As a result, 4Culture recently learned that it will receive significantly less Lodging Tax revenue than anticipated in 2021. This does not impact 4Culture’s Public Art program, which is funded through a separate revenue source.

This month, we get ready to say goodbye to Charlie Rathbun, who is retiring after nearly 30 years at 4Culture—which was known as the King County Arts Commission at the time Charlie joined! Here, 4Culture staff and friends share their thoughts and wishes for our Arts Program Director: