Organizer Information
The City of Burien is a municipality in King County, Washington, situated in the greater Seattle metropolitan area. The city has maintained a formal commitment to arts and culture since 1998, when it established its 1% for Art Program, dedicating a portion of selected city project costs to public artworks. Its cultural infrastructure includes two symphonies, theater companies, a heritage museum, dance organizations, the 800-seat Highline Performing Arts Center, and the Moshier Community Art Center. The city also operates an annual Arts and Culture Grants program, distributing funds to individuals and organizations that provide arts and cultural programming for Burien residents.
Arts-A-Glow, also known as Arte Luminoso, is produced directly by city staff in collaboration with community artists and has grown into one of Burien's signature annual events. The festival is co-presented with 4Culture, the cultural development authority of King County, which retains reproduction rights over accepted works. Now entering its 19th consecutive year, Arts-A-Glow is free to the public and draws audiences from across the South King County region.
Title & Description
Arts-A-Glow 2026 — Open Call for Light Artists
Arts-A-Glow is a free, annual, outdoor light arts festival staged across the streets and public spaces of downtown Burien, Washington. The festival fills the downtown core for one evening each September with illuminated installations, projection mapping, roving performers, and hands-on experiences for audiences of all ages.
The 2026 call invites individual artists and artist teams to submit proposals for light-based work across four formats: projection mapping on buildings, walls, or murals; light-based art installations or sculptures; interactive installations involving light; and roving, light-based costume, movement, or dance artists or groups. Works may be newly created for the festival or previously exhibited elsewhere. The festival foregrounds energy, spectacle, interactivity, and celebration, and is committed to representing a diversity of voices, viewpoints, and life experiences.
A portion of available funding is reserved for first-time artists and community groups. Micro Grants are available for existing artworks returning to the festival — to cover costs such as batteries, minor repairs, or transportation. The Arts-A-Glow team also offers one-on-one virtual consultations for artists who want support developing their proposal.
Categories
- Light Art
- Installation
- Public Art
- Performance
- New Media
- Site-specific
- Dance
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Multimedia
Eligibility
- Open to all artists and artist teams
- New and emerging artists are especially encouraged to apply
- Artists from traditionally or currently underserved communities — including rural communities and communities of color — are especially encouraged
- All artworks must be illuminated and feature light prominently
- Works must leave no lasting physical impact on the site ("no trace" requirement)
- All works must be family-friendly
- All works must be fully waterproof and weather-ready; the event proceeds rain or shine
- No fire, candles, or open flames are permitted
- Sound use is considered on a case-by-case basis and is location-dependent; soundscapes must be contained to the specific site
- Artists must be present as art docent for the full duration of the festival, plus all setup and teardown hours
- Note: stipends are generally not sufficient to cover travel from outside the region or lodging in Burien
Program Benefits & Awards
- Stipend awards available; amounts determined individually following site assignment and review of technical requirements
- Micro Grants available for small fixes to existing artworks (batteries, minor repairs, or transportation costs)
- One-on-one virtual consultation with the Arts-A-Glow team, available upon request for new artists
- Artist names listed on all promotional materials
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Information about the artist or artist group
- Description and documentation of the proposed artwork
- Documentation of artistic experience and past work
- Preferred or ideal site description, if the artist has one in mind
(Full field specifications are contained within the online Google Form application; the source does not enumerate individual required documents beyond these categories.)
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Submission Deadline: 6 July 2026
- Festival Date: 12 September 2026
- Artwork installation Deadline: 7:00 pm on September 12, 2026
- Artwork removal window: 10:30–11:30 pm on September 12, 2026
Location
Downtown Burien, Washington, United States
Additional Details
- Artists are encouraged to submit proposals in multiple categories
- Special arrangement may be made for projection works to be set up on the evening prior to the festival (September 11, 2026)
- Power access may be available depending on location; artists are required to have a backup plan using a quiet-running generator (below 60 dB)
- Accepted artists must sign a contract and submit tax information to receive payment
- The City of Burien and 4Culture retain the right to graphically reproduce accepted works through print, film, or electronic media for documentary, educational, and promotional purposes