ArtsWA news

September 2024

Contact: info@arts.wa.gov

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In this issue:

• Announced: Governor's Arts & Heritage Awards honorees
• Apply: WAM Self-Directed Art Practice grant
• Apply: WAM General Operating Support grant
• Register: Poetry Out Loud
• Apply: Tribal Cultural Grant
• Explore: SOCO Creative Arts Festival
• Read: Tribal Cultural Affairs: Year One in Review
• Explore: With Latinos everything is possible!

"The Governor’s Arts & Heritage Awards celebrate the hardworking, visionary people who make Washington State a world-renowned hub of artistry and culture.”

—Karen Hanan, ArtsWA Executive Director

ArtsWA is proud to announce the 2024 Governor’s Arts & Heritage honorees. Spanning seven award categories, including a new category for Tribal Arts & Culture, the honorees encompass carving, painting, hip-hop, woodturning, and children’s programming.

🎉 Congratulations to:

🏆 Tribal Arts and Heritage Award: Philip H. Red Eagle

🏆 Organization Award: 206 Zulu

🏆 Organization Award: Look, Listen & Learn

🏆 Community Impact Award: Inspire Washington

🏆 Educator Award: Danh T. Pham

🏆 Young Leader Award: Dennis Robinson Jr.

🏆 Legacy Award: Consuelo Soto Murphy

🏆 Individual Award: John Furniss

🏆 Individual Award: Joe Feddersen

More opportunities

The General Operating Support Grant from Wellness, Arts, and the Military (WAM) provides up to $35,000 to organizations that offer arts programs to military connected individuals and communities. No matching funds required.

📅 Apply by October 11, 2024

💵 Up to $35,000

The Self-Directed Art Practice grant from Wellness, Arts, and the Military (WAM) provides one-time grants of up to $3,000. These grants pay for costs associated with taking time to practice art throughout the grant period. Applicants must provide:

• an art practice plan
• 3 art samples
• a simple budget that shows how time and funds will be used

📅 Apply by October 11, 2024

💵 Up to $3,000

Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students. Participating students develop public speaking skills. They build self-confidence and learn to connect with literature in new ways, often discovering a new outlet for creative expression.

There are two ways to participate:

• Poetry Out Loud is open to any school in Washington State serving grades 9-12.
• POL Virtual is open to individual students who meet one or more of the criteria.

Are you an educator? Learn more at Poetry Out Loud: Teacher-to-Teacher

Tuesday, October 22 from 3:30 – 4:30pm via Zoom

📅 Deadline to register: November 22, 2024

Poetry Out Loud is supported by The National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. ArtsWA coordinates and manages the program in Washington State.

The Tribal Cultural Grant offers funding for Washington State Federally-recognized Tribes to support Tribal communities as they expand, enhance, or create space for art and culture that is respectful and responsive to each community’s needs.

📅 Apply by September 30, 2024

💵 $18,000

News & Updates

An attendee at the 2024 SoCo Creative Arts Fest checks out a custom kayak.

SOCO Creative Arts Fest brings out artists, community in Kennewick-based Creative District

On September 21, the streets of downtown Kennewick were closed to make room for painters, woodturners, musicians, and over 6,000 residents who came out for the event.

"The SOCO Creative Arts Festival in Downtown Kennewick is a Festival of Festivals," said Alora Stegall, Events and Marketing Coordinator for the Historic Downtown Kennewick Partnership. "SOCO partnered with eight Creative District businesses and organizations, over fifty vendors, and six performers to bring the vision of the 2024 SOCO Creative Arts Festival to life!"

SOCO is one of Washington's Certified Creative Districts. This award-winning program works to grow the creative sector and help communities turn cultural activities into economic growth.

A metalworker from Vallhalla's Workbench.

Tribal Cultural Affairs: Year One in Review

ArtsWA's Tribal Cultural Affairs program released a report in September summarizing its first year of activity.

In the first-ever Tribal Cultural Affairs grant, 20 Washington State federally-recognized Tribes applied for and were awarded funding. The application was not competitive and focused on supporting culture, language, arts, artists, and the passing of ancestral knowledge. The Tribal Cultural Affairs program is honored to support Washington Tribes and is looking forward to providing assistance to every project in a respectful and appropriate way.

More from ArtsWA

With Latinos, everything is possible!

For this Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15), the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs curated a web exhibition that showcases Latino contributions and culture. 

Right: Yuma II (1993) by Alfredo Arreguín. Located at Sawyer Woods Elementary in Black Diamond, Washington.

Controllers of Controllers of Their DestinyDestiny (2023) by Daniel Galvez, located at Shelton High School in Shelton, Washington.

"Throughout history, Latinos have contributed enormously to propelling the nation forward. Our hard work, cleverness, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit are not just driving the country's prosperity, power, and progress; they’re also breaking through barriers and stereotypes, and securing our rightful place at every chapter of American History. This Hispanic Heritage Month, join us in celebrating by highlighting Latino economic power, cultural values, and population growth via these artworks in Washington's State Art Collection."

—Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs

Escogiendo (Making Choices), (1994) by Heleodoro Heras, located at Pioneer Elementary in Vancouver, WA.