Expand Arts Act: Op Ed

Public Art is a tool that brings communities together and helps people process through their social and emotional experiences in a given place. It instills a sense of identity and meaning in people’s lives and gives a neighborhood a means to come together. While Seattle has a strong Public Art sphere as of now developing and maintaining over 300 works sanctioned by the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, there is room to grow and bring a unique cultural experience to the area (Stein, 2013). I propose a policy shift in the current program of Ordinance 102210 which functions as Seattle’s 1% of eligible city capital improvement goes to the arts, and be moved to the Expand Arts Act. This act takes a more expansive look at the current Public Art program and works to integrate non-traditional forms of art within the public art sphere such as theater, music, dance, and more. This would allow for a greater breadth of public art and experiences available and fill live arts in some non traditional places.

Seattle’s public arts program has been known to be as creative as possible and expansive with its current spread of public art across the city and integrating works such as poetry and more abstract art within different parts of the city the aspect of live people and attending an event is lost to many who do not have the funds to afford a ticket to a show. Creating a program that expanded the public arts program to include an option to create a one time theatre performance or have a small concert as a form of public art. This would all fall under the city’s current system of funding the arts, the 1% for arts ordinance. However, giving communities these experiences and allowing people a time and place to gather as one and engage with the arts is unique and rare especially for many adults.

Granted there are already many flourishing non-profit arts organizations that offer programs such as choose what you pay or offer discounted tickets for students or teens, many still do not have the time of funds to travel to an arts organization, pay for admission, and more. It is an experience while worthwhile, that people have to make a large commitment to. The city of Seattle as a whole has already set a precedent for supporting the arts and encouraging the creative economy to flourish creating an estimated 10,807 full time jobs in Non-profit Arts and Cultural organizations. Similar regions had about 6,000 less full time jobs and considerably less economic impact in regards to the arts organizations in the area (Americans for the Arts, 2012). Also, while this may create a more strenuous budget for the public arts program balancing much more, they will have many more options and can dream a little larger in terms of what they see benefiting the community and contributing to the city’s culture best.

Public Art creates a cultural identity and sense of attachment to a physical space, and develops a communal connection to the past history of the city as well as the present. People being able to see themselves reflected in these public spaces allows them to feel a sense of belonging and ownership over their city. According to Americans for the Arts Public Arts Report, 70% of Americans say the arts improve the image and identity of their community (Americans for the Arts, 2018). Broadening the opportunities for Seattlites to gather with others and creating shared experiences together as a community or within a neighborhood makes the arts even more relevant and prominent part of daily life in this city.