For the third consecutive year, the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) will provide millions in relief to support and retain child care workers. Funded by the Payroll Expense Tax, up to $5.3 million–the City’s largest direct payment investment to date–is projected to reach approximately 4,500 child care workers across the city. Applications open Tuesday, June 13, 2023.

FREE SUMMER EVENTS ARE BACK AT PIER 62! With over 80,000 attendees at events held in 2022, Friends of Waterfront Seattle has been working with dozens of program partners to bring together a 2023 calendar that highlights Seattle’s diversity of cultures, depth of artistic talent, community-focused organizations, all while honoring and centering the Indigenous roots, cultures, and histories of our waterfront.

SEATTLE (May 24, 2023) – The City of Seattle has awarded $1,012,644 to support 25 community-initiated projects through Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF). Twenty-five community groups received awards ranging from $13,535 to $50,000 and have pledged $889,749 to match their award through local cash donations, volunteer hours, donated materials, and in-kind professional services.

Join together with students – past and present – to celebrate and commemorate the 55th Anniversary of the Black Student Union (BSU).

Friends of Waterfront Seattle (Friends) is excited to announce its 2023 calendar of arts, culture, and movement programming on Pier 62, all open to the public. With over 80,000 attendees at events held last year, Friends has been working with dozens of program partners to bring together a 2023 calendar that highlights Seattle’s diversity of cultures, depth of artistic talent, community-focused organizations, all while honoring and centering the Indigenous roots, cultures, and histories of our waterfront.

Today, Bumbershoot: Seattle’s Arts & Music Festival announces the highly anticipated daily lineups and reveals new musical acts who will join in celebrating Bumbershoot’s 50-year anniversary at the Seattle Center this September 2 & 3. Additionally, producers have shared impressive details about the successful launch of their Workforce Development Program, supporting future generations of music festival producers and industry experts.

Doug Baldwin, Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett announced today the benefitting partners of their Champions of Change All-Star basketball game and gala. Two of the named organizations are well-established and respected in the Puget Sound region, and two will be introduced this year, addressing current voids in service and community. Each offer services based in dignity, with an understanding that basic needs are intrinsically linked. For this reason, low-barrier access and connected care are central to the operations of all four of the benefitting organizations.

Otherwise blank and unused spaces have been thoughtfully designed for increased activation, such as a nature play trail path adjacent to a ballfield viewing area, providing young users something to do while a ballgame is being played, and the benefits of a diversity of plantings to pollinators.

Garfield Super Block is a campus located in the heart of Seattle’s Central District containing Garfield High School, Quincy Jones Performing Arts Center, Garfield Teen Life Center, Medgar Evers Pool, Garfield Community Center, as well as the ballfields, tennis courts, and a playground. Adjacent to GSB is Nova High School, whose students frequently use the park.

The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) is allocating $1.1 Million to fourteen organizations across the city to support arts and cultural organizations impacted by the pandemic and increase citywide recovery efforts. These lead organizations will sub-contract with neighborhood-based organizations and small businesses to carry out inclusive and creative activation projects and events that further the neighborhoods’ and city’s pandemic recovery process.

The evening of March 16 marked a night of thrilling victory for The Anchor Group and its partner agency C+C, who took a stunning win at an awards ceremony widely known as “the Oscars for Public Relations.” Anchor not only won Best in Public Sector for its WeConsider campaign addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy; it was also the only Black agency represented on a national scale.

After a national search conducted in partnership with Management Consultants for the Arts, Seattle Children’s Theatre (SCT) last week announces that Idris Goodwin will be the company’s third artistic director, succeeding Courtney Sale, who left the post in 2020. Goodwin, an award-winning playwright, breakbeat poet, director, and educator, starts his tenure with the organization this month, serving as co-executive alongside managing director Kevin Malgesini.

Today, Bumbershoot: Seattle’s Arts & Music Festival has revealed the 2023 music lineup featuring luminaries from around the globe, Pacific Northwest heroes and the best of emerging music. The 50th annual installment of Bumbershoot will take place September 2-3 at the iconic Seattle Center campus, boasting a previously announced eclectic arts program and now an equally varied musical lineup that includes indie rock, punk, soul, folk, dance and more.

HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award®-winning musical comedy phenomenon returns to Seattle! This new North American tour, helmed by original director Jack O’Brien and original choreographer Jerry Mitchell, will play April 4 through 9 at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre.

Tickets are available are available now on-line at STGPresents.org, Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-982-2787 or in person at The Paramount Theatre Box Office (Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10am to 6pm).

The Circling Seattle Sports team is heading to Peoria, Arizona for Mariners Spring Training. They’ll be covering the team on-site for a week, bringing you exclusive interviews and game recaps from the Cactus League as the Mariners get set to kick off the 2023 season.

THING is back! The eclectic and intimate three-day, all-ages music and arts festival set against the majestic backdrop of the Salish Sea at historic Fort Worden in Port Townsend, WA, returns for its third year from August 25 – 27, 2023. Produced by Seattle Theatre Group (STG) and Adam Zacks, THING celebrates a diverse lineup of local to international musical acts, comedians, podcasts, food, community workshops, and more. Tickets to THING go on sale Friday, March 17 at 10:00 AM PST.

Today, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the City of Seattle will begin a nationwide search for the next permanent director of the City’s Office of Arts & Culture. To help guide a rigorous selection process, the mayor has appointed a committee representing a broad array of prominent Seattle arts leaders and stakeholders.

As the world increasingly embraces the global sounds of hip hop and Afrobeats, onto the stage enters Ancestral Art – a new sound – inspired by hip hop artist Draze, the Emmy Award-Winning songwriter-rapper, who magically blend the melodious sounds of Africa with the raw energy of hip hop, creating a vibe all its own. Mazvita, the new single from Drazes upcoming album, “African American,” drops on Friday, March 10, 2023, along with the accompanying music video at www.thedrazeexperience.com.

The Seattle Mariners today announced that the 2023 Workout Day will take place on Wednesday, March 29 at T-Mobile Park. In addition to the full squad’s workout, the club’s players and coaches will participate in the Diamond Derby and Skills Challenge, a collection of competitions including a home run derby, fungo golf, bunt battle, and more.

Do you want to learn advanced, hands-on, practical career skills? Do you want to earn industry certification, dual college credit, or participate in an internship or pre-apprenticeship program while still attending high school? Apply for the Seattle Skills Center School Year Program!