Organizer Information
Formed in 1971, the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (OAC) manages the City's public art program, grants for individuals and arts and culture organizations, The Creative Advantage arts education initiative, and cultural facilities including the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute and ARTS at King Street Station, and is supported by the 16-member Seattle Arts Commission, citizen volunteers appointed by the Mayor and City Council. The office's mission is to activate and sustain Seattle through arts and culture, under the tagline "Making Art Work."
The office supports eight granting programs offering resources to local artists and arts organizations, with each program using peer review and a social justice lens in its selection process. Roughly two-thirds of the office's funding comes from the City's Admissions Tax — an approximately $6 million annual revenue stream drawn from a 5% tax on for-profit ticketed entertainment events — supporting overhead, grant programs, and arts education programming. The CityArtist grant is one of the office's individual-artist funding programs.
Title & Description
2027 CityArtist Grant
The CityArtist grant supports Seattle-based individual artists and curators in the research, development, and presentation of creative work. The 2027 cycle is open to artists and curators working in Dance, Music, and Theater (including Playwriting); CityArtist alternates discipline clusters by year, with Literary, Media/Film (including Screenwriting), and Visual Art covered in the 2028 (even-year) cycle. Awarded artists are required to offer a public presentation within Seattle city limits. The application, panel review, and notification all take place in 2026, while the contracting, project work, payment, public event, and final report span 2027–2028.
Categories
- Dance
- Sound/Music
- Theatre
- Playwright
- Art
Eligibility
- Must be an individual, generative artist/curator who produces or presents art
- Must be a Seattle resident, or have a permanent studio/workspace in their own name within Seattle city limits where they receive mail (a P.O. Box, temporary rehearsal space, or studio under another name does not satisfy this requirement)
- Must be at least 18 years of age by the application due date
- If the applicant is the lead artist/curator of an arts or cultural group/organization, the proposed work for this award must be clearly distinguished from the group/organization's ongoing or seasonal work
- Not eligible: applicants who reside outside Seattle city limits with no permanent work/studio space in Seattle
- Not eligible: applicants enrolled in a degree-granting program related to their own artistic work or career
- Not eligible: current award recipients from any of the office's programs with an active contract
Program Benefits & Awards
- A single award amount of $8,000 per recipient
- Funding may be used for direct expenses (research, development, professional development, presentation), salaries and fees, supplies and materials, online platform/app/service costs, equipment or space rentals, insurance/licenses/permits, publicity/graphics/marketing, transportation/mileage, and documentation (photography/videography)
- Funding may not be used for organizational administrative costs, purchase of equipment, purchase of food, or fundraising/benefit activities
Application Fee
None
Application Requirements
- Online application through the City of Seattle's grant portal
- Narrative Question 1A: a summary of the applicant's last body of work and the approach taken to complete it
- Narrative Question 1B: a description of the inspiration and scope of the applicant's next work compared to the last, and how it will stretch their practice
- Narrative Question 2: a description of the steps the applicant will take to plan and develop new skills, knowledge, or networks for their next/current work
- A work sample from the past seven years, in eligible single or mixed formats up to the equivalent of five minutes (e.g. 10 pages literary; five minutes media/audio; eight images visual; or listed mixed-format combinations); voiceover and montage/collage-style samples are discouraged
- Resume
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 14 July 2026
- Virtual Information Session 1: Monday, June 8, 4–6 PM Pacific
- Virtual Information Session 2: Monday, June 15, 1–3 PM Pacific
- Open Phone Hours (no appointment needed): Tuesdays June 9, 16, 23, 30, 3–4 PM Pacific
- Panel Review: September 2026
- Notification: November 2026
- Contracting/Payments Begin: February/March 2027
- Public Presentation and Final Report Due: 30 November 2028
- Contract Expiration: 31 December 2028
Location
Seattle, Washington, United States
Additional Details
- Evaluation is based on three criteria, each worth 20 points (60 points total): Inspiration/Challenge + Background Information, Plan/Potential, and Work Sample, scored by an independent peer review panel of artists, curators, arts administrators, and community representatives
- Applicants are encouraged to submit at least 45 minutes before the deadline to address technical issues, and to attend an information or draft review session, especially first-time applicants
- Proposed project scope and budget are determined after awards are announced, during the contracting phase — not as part of the initial application
- Recipients must acknowledge the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture's support in printed materials, signage, social media, or other appropriate means, using wording/logos supplied by the office
- Recipients must provide public benefit to Seattle residents as a condition of funding
- A Seattle business license and Washington State UBI number are required prior to receiving award payment (not required to apply)
- Grantees are paid on a reimbursement basis after project completion and submission of a final report with promotional materials, approximately 4–6 weeks after paperwork is received
- Recipients may be responsible for securing Event Liability Insurance and listing the City of Seattle as additionally insured
- Recipients are responsible for all applicable taxes and must submit an updated W-9 upon notification
- Decisions of the peer review panel may be appealed in writing to the Office of Arts & Culture director within 30 days of formal notice; appeals must be based solely on the original application, and the director's decision is final
- Application materials are public records under the Washington Public Records Act (Chapter 42.56 RCW) and may be subject to third-party disclosure
- City-funded projects must comply with Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 20.44 (discrimination prevention) and Chapter 5.44 (license requirements), as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Interpretation services, including American Sign Language via video, are available by contacting the project manager