How to get 4Culture funding for your creative project

Fiestas Patrias at SeaMar South Park. (photo by Edgar Lopez)
Fiestas Patrias at SeaMar South Park. (photo by Edgar Lopez)

4Culture, King County’s funding agency for arts and culture, kicks off every year by offering a project grant to support the cultural activities in our region that make life so vibrant and interesting. The grants support projects that have the arts, heritage and preservation as their core focus. If you (or someone you know) live in King County, is at least 18 years old, and working on a project in one of these program areas, then you are eligible to apply.

4Culture is always looking for new applicants. We want to reach as many people working in arts and culture in King County as we can.

And for the first time this year, those who received an arts grant last year cannot reapply. That means this year we’re looking for applicants who have not received funding recently!

Grant writing can be stressful, so 4Culture provides step-by-step guidance throughout the process. Applications are reviewed by a panel of peers working in their field of practice.

So, what are these grants for, exactly?

4Culture Art Projects Grants

Art Projects grants support the work of individual artists and organizations working in all creative disciplines including music, media, dance, theater, literature and visual art.

Local writer Stephanie Guerra received 4Culture Art Projects funds for Stories Unlocked, a publication of poetry and writing by students incarcerated in the King County Juvenile Detention Center. The stories and poems reflect the teen’s life experiences, many who are victims of human trafficking and have suffered from abuse and addiction. Guerra has been teaching writing to incarcerated adults and youth for eleven years.

Local writer Stephanie Guerra received 4Culture Art Projects funds for Stories Unlocked, a publication of poetry and writing by students incarcerated in the King County Juvenile Detention Center.
Local writer Stephanie Guerra received 4Culture Art Projects funds for Stories Unlocked, a publication of poetry and writing by students incarcerated in the King County Juvenile Detention Center.

Sea Mar Community Health Centers received money to support their annual Fiestas Patrias celebration, which spans two days and two locations—South Park and Seattle Center—and highlights Latino dancers, music, and art.

If you are an individual artist, work with a group of artists, or are part of an arts based organization and have a great project idea, you can get the guidelines and apply online through Wednesday, March 9.

4Culture Heritage Projects Grants

Heritage Projects have funded outstanding exhibits, documentaries, publications and curriculum that bring King County history into focus.

Illustration by 4Culture grant recipient and Globalist board secretary Eroyn Franklin
Illustration by 4Culture grant recipient and Globalist board secretary Eroyn Franklin

Cara Bertron received a Heritage Projects grant for Road Story: People and Place on Rainier Avenue South. Working with youth and partnering with organizations such as Youth in Focus, the Rainier Valley Heritage Society, and Feet First, Bertron plans to document and interpret a two mile section of the bustling Seattle street using photography, archival research, oral histories, and walking expeditions.

The deadline to apply for Heritage Projects is Wednesday, February 24 and guidelines and application are now online.

4Culture Preservation Special Projects Grants

Benson Shaw used a Preservation Special Projects grant to work with BOLA Architects, Seattle Department of Transportation and the Department of Planning and Development to survey, research, and create a preservation plan for Ballard’s historic blue and white street name mosaics. Benson’s latest project update is on the 4Culture blog.

Crawford street mosaic: Circa 1905 Mosaic, 20th Ave NW at NW 59th St, Ballard neighborhood, Seattle, WA. (Photo by Benson Shaw)
Crawford street mosaic: Circa 1905 Mosaic, 20th Ave NW at NW 59th St, Ballard neighborhood, Seattle, WA. (Photo by Benson Shaw)

Preservation Special Projects support neighborhood surveys, landmark nominations, and assessments – important documentation necessary to keep historic landmarks beautiful. The monies also supports innovative research projects and community advocacy. The deadline to apply is also Wednesday, February 24 and guidelines and the application are online.

If you have a project idea, but not sure if it is a good fit, contact a 4Culture project grant manager, they’re here to help. Or drop in to a free, informal workshop held at the 4Culture offices and around King County.

Contact Info:

Workshops at the 4Culture Offices:

Heritage Thursdays, January 28 + February 11, 12—1 pm
Preservation Thursday, February 4, 12—1 pm
Arts Groups Wednesdays, February 3, 10, + 17, 12—1 pm
Individual Artists Mondays, February 1, 8, 22, + 29, 12—1 pm
Thursday, February 4, 5:30—6:30 pm**After this workshop, visit galleries for First Thursday Art Walk! Free parking is available at select garages.

Workshops Around King County:

Kent Library
Tuesday, February 2, 12—1 pm
212 2nd Ave N, Kent, WA 98032

Kenmore Library
Tuesday, February 9, 12—1 pm
6531 NE 181st St, Kenmore, WA 98028

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