NewsNew CommissionersGovernor Gregoire has appointed three new Commissioners to the Board of the Washington State Arts Commission, representing diverse interests backgrounds and areas of the state. Budget Signed Into LawGovernor signs budget that funds WSAC at approx. $1.1 million per year. Investments in the ArtsThe National Endowment for the Arts announces over $1.8 million in grants to Washington State organizations.
Recent Press Coverage
Washington's Creative EconomyAccording to data from the Washington State Arts Commission’s Creative Vitality Index - 2010 Update (PDF), in 2008 Washington State had over 100,000 jobs that were directly related to the creative economy, including actors, editors, graphic designers, photographers, writers, etc. And, over 1000 arts related organizations throughout the state, from museums to performing arts centers, and fairs to historical societies, generated over $673 million dollars in revenue.
The Creative Vitality Index (CVI) is an annual measure of the health of the creative economy in a city, county, state or other geographic area. The creative economy as defined in the Creative Vitality Index includes for-profit and nonprofit arts-related enterprises.
Did you know that...There were over 100,000 creative jobs in Washington State in 2008; that thanks to WSAC grants, nearly 90,000 students received high-quality, standards based arts instruction; and that local community representatives rated WSAC's management of public art acquisitions as good or excellent 100% of the time. More information, data, and tidbits...
Govenor's Budget ProposalThe Governor's budget proposal holds dramatic changes for the Washington State Arts Commission.
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Watch Arts in ActionWatch video clips of Poetry Out Loud student recitations and of student's inspired by Etsuko Ichikawa's Aurora.
Public Art in Washington State Earns National RecognitionTwo recent artworks in Washington State’s public art collection received national recognition as among the year’s best. Americans for the Arts recently announced the 2010 Public Art Year in Review, which recognizes 40 of the year’s best public artworks in the United States and Canada. The artworks were chosen from more than 300 entries from across the country.
Washington state was impressively represented on this year's list with six artworks highlighted, including two from the State Art Collection:
Other selected works around the state included:
Two independent public art experts—artists Helen Lessick and Fred Wilson—curated the 2010 Year in Review, which reflects the most exemplary, innovative, permanent or temporary public artworks created or debuted in 2009. This is the 10th year that Americans for the Arts, one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts, has recognized public artworks.
"It's a great honor for our program and a fantastic acknowledgement of the world-class talent of the artists working in public art programs throughout Washington, " said Alice Taylor, program manager of WSAC's Art in Public Places program. "Congratulations to the artists and thanks to American's for the Arts for their continued support and recognition of public art."
Public Artist RosterArtists removed from the Public Artist Roster in 2008 have been reinstated.
Educating creative thinkers is good for the economyA recent guest column in The Seattle Times, Educating creative thinkers is good for the economy, illuminates the ties between our economy, innovation, and the importance of K-12 arts education in Washington schools. Co-signed by Susan Coliton, vice president of The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and Patricia A. Wasley, dean of the College of Education at the University of Washington, the column highlights the Washington State Arts Commission’s recently completed report on arts education, K — 12 Arts Education: Every Student, Every School, Every Year, and calls for an increased investment in arts education for all Washington students.
National Endowment for the Arts Partnership Agreement ApplicationRead WSAC's Partnership Agreement application to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Walla Walla BoundWatch Walla Walla Bound, a video documentary of Buster Simpson's artwork installation in Walla Walla.
Arts and RecessionWSAC commissioned an analysis through that included a survey and interviews of cultural organizations throughout the state. The resulting report, Arts and Recession, assesses the impact of the recession on Washington's cultural organizations.
Arts Participation in the U.S.The National Endowment for the arts has released their latest study on Arts Participation 2008: Highlights from a National Survey (PDF). The study shows persistent patterns of decline in participation in every art form, except literature. Only 35 percent of U.S. adults (ages 18 and older) - or an estimated 78 million - attended an art museum or an arts performance in the 2008 survey period, compared with about 40 percent in 1982, 1992, and 2002.
National Endowment for the Arts FundingThirty-nine organizations from around Washington state, including WSAC, Artist Trust in Seattle, Tears of Joy in Vancouver, and the Port Angeles Symphony Orchestra received National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding for fiscal year 2009 in the categories of Access to Artistic Excellence, Learning in the Arts, Arts on Radio and Television, American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of Artistic Genius, and Partnership Agreements (State and Regional).
General InterestArtists and the Economy (PDF) provides a summary of the survey responses, including some representative statistics and direct quotes from artists, plus a thoughtful perspective provided by Claudia Bach, Principal, AdvisArts, based on her reading of the completed surveys. The answers from the almost 700 respondents indicated that, as one artist stated, the economic downturn is "positively motivating for some, negatively discouraging for others." Although artists are certainly feeling the negative effects of the unsteady economy, many are well-versed in surviving economic hardship and are persevering creatively.
The National Governor's Association's report, Using Arts and Culture to Stimulate State Economic Development (PDF) presents concrete examples of how arts and culture industries can stimulate the economic vitality of every state.
The Washington State Heritage Caucus meets during Legislative session.
A handbook on How to Access Health Care in Washington - A Practical Guide for Artists is available from Artist Trust.
An article explores Arts and Economic Development in Washington.
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