The Office of Arts & Culture (OAC) is offering a professional development program for visual artists who are interested in the public art realm but have limited experience.
Donor Name: City of Seattle
State:
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Training or Mentorship
Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 05/18/2026
Size of the Grant: Less than $1000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
ARTS is invested in training the next generation of public artists who can create culturally relevant artworks that resonate with the diverse communities that make up the population of the City of Seattle. Public Art Boot Camp provides training for artists who are ready to translate their exhibition and other studio art experience into the public art realm. Seeking artists with an interest in developing their own skills and knowledge in public art and exploring how their artwork intersects with topics such as:
- Race and Social Justice
- Community engagement
- Environmental stewardship
- Modes of transportation
This is a competitive process so artists must apply to be considered. Up to 18 individual artists will be selected to participate
Goals
Program goals include:
- Support artists who are new to public art in developing the skills and confidence needed to work in public settings.
- Advance relevant artwork that reflects and resonates with the ideals of Seattle’s communities.
- Encourage thoughtful, community-informed approaches to temporary public artwork.
- Lower barriers to entry for artists from a range of educational, professional, and lived-experience backgrounds.
- Promote best practices in the public art field.
- Develop a cohort of learning and network of artists that will support each other into the future.
Funding Information
Artists will be compensated $1,000 for attendance and participation in all required workshops, lectures, and program activities, divided into $200 per session.
Eligibility Criteria
- This is an open call to all qualified artists living in Washington State who have not received a single temporary or publicly sited art commission over $20,000. For eligibility purposes, a commission is defined as an artwork that is created by an artist at the request of an entity (public agency, private business, corporation, or individual) that is displayed in a public location.
- Public Art Boot Camp is intended for artists who are new to public art. Artists who have previously participated in OAC’s Public Boot Camp are not eligible. Applicants must be 18 years or older and current students attending any undergraduate or graduate program are not eligible to apply.
- OAC is committed to an equitable selection process and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented artists, including women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Artists of all walks of life are encouraged to apply.
For more information, visit City of Seattle.
