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From the Hammering Man at the Seattle Art Museum, to the Wall of Death in Wallingford, Seattle’s streets are filled with a wide array of public art (AKA: Art that anyone can see without having to pay for it). While some, like the giant Popsicle sculpture in Belltown, are just fun to look at, other pieces have truly helped to transform the community. The 18-foot cement Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge, for example, has been around for nearly three decades and helped to infuse life into the area. The space was once fairly desolate, but now the crime and littering it was once known for have been replaced by a virtually endless array of tourists and locals eager to visit the sculpture and take photos.
If you’re an artist, now is your chance to shape the city through your own artwork. Here are four opportunities in and around Seattle for locals to contribute to public art projects. Make sure to keep an eye on the city’s Office of Arts & Culture and 4Culture websites for future opportunities.
The third floor of King Street Station, a train station in downtown Seattle, is home to the ARTS at King Street Station gallery and is ready for some new works of art. Since March, the space, which is owned and run by the city, has showcased hundreds of local indigenous artists’ work in its exhibition, “yəhaw.” Now, with the exhibit coming to an end, its organizers are accepting proposals for events, performances and exhibitions.
*Deadline: Applications are reviewed every three months.
4Culture, the cultural funding agency for King County, will soon be looking for digital media art to showcase on four street-level screens in Pioneer Square. They will select as many as 12 digital media artists, and each one will have their work projected at the Storefront Media Gallery for up to one year. The large screens face Prefontaine Place South, a busy thoroughfare, so your work is bound to get a large audience each day.
*Deadline: October 2, 2019.
If you’re willing to travel a few miles north of Seattle, there’s a unique opportunity to contribute to public art in Shoreline. The city is looking for temporary environmental art pieces to place in outdoor areas—everything from trails and meadows to reclaimed gravel pits. The idea is that these pieces would be somewhat hidden, and help to encourage more people to spend time outside, walking and searching for the works of art. The organizers are especially interested in pieces that use natural materials and are resistant to vandalism.
*Deadline: There is no deadline. Submit your application at any time.
If you’ve ever envisioned your art showcased in a large display window, this opportunity may be perfect for you. Shunpike, an arts organization in Seattle, is on the hunt for submissions for its storefront art series. The organizers are looking for both 2-D and 3-D artwork to go in street-facing display space in Seattle and Bellevue for up to six months. All artists must be Washington residents and over 18 years old.
*Deadline: August 15, 2019