Reporting by Cesar Canizales

At a ceremony at Seattle City Hall, 241 organizations that received $5.7 million in grants were celebrated on Monday as part of the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture’s Centering Arts & Racial Equity program. 

In front of a packed audience, a group from the nonprofit organization Acts on Stage performed an inspirational song. The teens are preparing for their new show titled “Dream” that will run in August at the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute.

Acts on Stage, based in White Center, is dedicated to changing lives by elevating the arts and the artists.

Keira, one of the singers who performed at the ceremony, talked about the importance of art.

“I feel like art is really important because it tells a story in a way that other things can't, like in a way that sports can't, or like business,” Keira said. “Art is a way that people can express themselves freely and like, say what they want to say without necessarily offending anyone.” 

Aleah Bruce, who has been with Acts on Stage for five years, said she loves performing in front of others.

“My favorite part is getting to interact with people and actually perform for people,” Bruce said. “Because once you start learning, once the songs start coming together and the dances and the lines, it's like, ‘Oh, that's going to be good,’ you know? So it's just like a matter of performing for people and seeing how they react. And it's just energy.”

According to Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, 60% of CARE grants are going to organizations led by Black, Indigenous and other people of color. 

Speaking at the event, the mayor said the arts have the potential to inspire hope and change the conversation to find common ground on the issues that are dividing us.

“I talk about the intersectionality and race and gender. I mean, all of these divisions, and the obvious one being race, that we cannot -- we can no longer as a country become divided on the issue. Fight for your cultural identity, but it has to lead to a path of commonality,” said Harrell.

Royal Alley-Barnes, interim director of Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture, said she hopes that when young people see other performers expressing themselves, they will learn from it. 

“They're going to see other young people who are actually performing in the arts. And so it's going to answer that basic question of how do I do it? You do it by connecting. Connecting where? As early as you can,” said Alley-Barnes. “So this is really a windfall for the city of Seattle to have 241 organizations for the next three years -- a $5.7 million investment. None of those organizations will ever be quiet again.”