Current Calls and Funding
2025 Youth Arts Grant
Youth Arts grantee, Totem Star
The guidelines are also available in these languages:
The Youth Arts grant funds 2-year art programs for middle and high school students in Seattle to have more access to arts and cultural opportunities. These programs happen outside of school hours and are led by teaching artists. We want to create more opportunities for young people from a variety of racial and socioeconomic backgrounds to connect with the arts.
Studies show that not every youth has the same access to arts education due to their race, income, language spoken at home, and special educational needs. The Seattle Office of Arts & Culture is committed to equity through its Creative Youth Program.
Eligibility
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Your projects must take place between September 2025 – August 2027 (2-year timeframe).
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Eligible applicants include individual artists, teaching artists, arts and cultural organizations, youth-service agencies, and colleges.
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Your programs must be available to middle and high school students and take place within Seattle city limits. Talk with our project manager if you have questions.
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Your physical address may be outside of the Seattle city limits.
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All artists and teaching artists hired by awardees must have at least one (1) year of experience working with middle and high school students and the particular art projects.
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Your projects must reflect the Youth Arts grant priorities and support the youth population as described above.
Please read the guidelines for full details.
Funding
If selected, you will receive a total of $12,000 in funding support distributed over two (2) years of programs: $6,000 in 2025-2026 and $6,000 in 2026-2027.
You will only receive funding after the program has started. Once you submit an invoice, you will receive the funds within 30 business days. A check will be mailed directly to the address indicated on the invoice. (This address must match the address listed on your W9.) There is no direct deposit option.
Due Date
Tuesday, March 4, 2025, 5 p.m. Pacific.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
Information Sessions and Draft Application Review
Come learn more about this grant and how to submit your best application.
Virtual Information Sessions
Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025
12 - 1 p.m.
RSVP to Jan. 30
Thursday, Feb. 4, 2025
5 - 6 p.m.
RSVP to Feb. 4
Virtual Draft Application Review Sessions
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025
5 - 6 p.m.
RSVP to Feb. 12
Thursday, Feb. 18, 2025
12 - 1 p.m.
RSVP to Feb. 18
Application
Apply online through the City of Seattle's grant portal.
If this is your first time using FLUXX, you will have to create a user profile before you start your application. If you don’t have computer or internet access, contact staff as soon as possible.
Info
For information and assistance with the application, eligibility or online technical support, please contact Project Manager, Kristi Woo at (206) 727-8671 or Kristi.Woo@seattle.gov.
We have interpreters who can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language (via video). Just call us and tell us what language you speak. Expect a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.

Kristi Woo
Bio + -
Creative Youth Development Project Manager
kristi.woo@seattle.gov
(206) 727-8671
Kristi serves as ARTS' Creative Youth Development Project Manager and has a passion for cultural preservation, youth empowerment, and community advocacy. Kristi is a former Arts Education Manager of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute and Education Manager for the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience. Her innovation in bridge-building amongst schools, families, and artists along with advocacy in underserved communities around arts education is well respected. She has worked and volunteered with pluralistic communities in Seattle's Rainier Valley, Chinatown International District, and Central Area neighborhoods for more than 20 years.
The Creative Advantage Community Arts Partner Roster (Rolling Deadline)
The Creative Advantage is a city-wide initiative to establish equitable access to arts learning for every student in Seattle Public Schools. The Creative Advantage is made possible through a public-private partnership with Seattle Public Schools, the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, the Seattle Foundation, and over 100 community arts partners.
The Community Arts Partner Roster consists of individual teaching artists and community arts and culture organizations approved to work in Seattle Public Schools through The Creative Advantage. Community Arts Partners collaborate with schools to provide:
- Student Art Residencies
- Teacher Professional Development
Please Note: An applicant can apply to lead student arts residencies and/or teacher professional development.
Helpful Resources
Creative Youth Programs Glossary
Visit the Creative Advantage website for more information.
Eligibility
Open to teaching artists, community arts organizations, and cultural institutions serving students, teachers, and schools in Seattle with three (3) or more years of teaching experience. Applicants must be over the age of 18.
The Roster application is open, and will stay open year-round for new artists, teaching artists, community arts organizations, and cultural institutions to apply. Applications will be vetted and approved by Creative Advantage Advisors, through a panel process three times annually (March, June, October). Roster Advisors are Seattle Public School teacher leaders and current Roster partners.
Review Deadlines:
- Applications submitted between 11/1/24 and by 5 PM (PST) 2/28/25 will be reviewed during the March review cycle
- Applications submitted between 3/1/25 and by 5 PM (PST) 5/31/25 will be reviewed during the June review cycle
- Applications submitted between 6/1/25 and by 5 PM (PST) 9/30/25 will be reviewed during the October review cycle
An applicant can apply to provide both student art residencies and/or professional development opportunities for teachers and will have the option to indicate that on the application.
Application
If you have trouble with Submittable, check their FAQ which offers step-by-step guides. For further assistance with the Submittable online application, please contact Submittable tech support at support@submittable.com.
Info
For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Project Manager, Tina LaPadula.
We can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language. Just call us and tell us what language you speak. Expect a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.

Tina LaPadula
Bio + -
Arts Education Project Manager
tina.lapadula@seattle.gov
(206) 518-4205
Tina LaPadula is an East coast transplant and warrior for equitable art-making and learning opportunities. For more than 15 years she poured most of her creative energy into Arts Corps, the award-winning arts and social justice nonprofit she helped found. She has collaborated with The Frye Museum, The Museum of History and Industry, and Bumbershoot Arts and Music Festival to curate exhibitions and events that elevate the art and perspectives of young people. As a teaching artist, Tina has taught for Centrum Arts, Seattle Children's Theatre, The University of Washington, and in a multitude of schools and afterschool programs. She has served as a consultant to many cultural organizations facilitating workshops on racial justice and the arts. Tina supports the growth and development of teaching artists locally and nationally, most notably as the founder of the Seattle Teaching Artist Network, as a faculty member for the WA State Teaching Artist Training Lab, as the former chair of the Association of Teaching Artists, and on the national advisory team for the Teaching Artist Guild. Her writing and opinions have been featured by Americans for the Arts and The National Guild for Community Arts Education.
smART Ventures Grant (Rolling Due Date)
Black Arts Love by Jenny Crooks
smART Ventures is flexible, inclusive, simple, and encourages innovation by individuals, organizations, and communities that may not qualify for other funding programs. smART Ventures provides support ranging from $500 to $1,000, proving that small investments can have big impacts.
Eligibility
- Individuals or groups of people – including youth and older adults – seeking support for a unique project, opportunity, or event involving arts and culture and not currently funded by our office
- Organizations – arts and culture and others – organizations do NOT have to have 501(c)(3) non-profit status
- emerging (less than 3 years old), OR
- not currently funded by our office, OR
- grassroots or business organizations
- Practicing artists not currently funded by our office and who have never received a CityArtist grant before
Due Date
The application is open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Application
Info
For questions about the program or for help with the online application, please contact Project Manager, Kristi Woo.
We can speak to you in your language, including American Sign Language. Just call us and tell us what language you speak. Expect a short pause while we find an interpreter to join the call.

Kristi Woo
Bio + -
Creative Youth Development Project Manager
kristi.woo@seattle.gov
(206) 727-8671
Kristi serves as ARTS' Creative Youth Development Project Manager and has a passion for cultural preservation, youth empowerment, and community advocacy. Kristi is a former Arts Education Manager of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute and Education Manager for the Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience. Her innovation in bridge-building amongst schools, families, and artists along with advocacy in underserved communities around arts education is well respected. She has worked and volunteered with pluralistic communities in Seattle's Rainier Valley, Chinatown International District, and Central Area neighborhoods for more than 20 years.
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