So you want to support Seattle arts? Here’s how
1. Show up
The number one piece of advice we heard repeatedly is pretty straightforward and doesn’t have to cost anything but your time: Show up.
“Being an audience member is a form of activism. It’s showing up and supporting something you want to exist,” says local storyteller and comedian Emmett Montgomery. Plus, “it’s a great way for Seattleites to make friends and find fulfillment that is outside of their work life,” says local artist and designer CM Ruiz.
It can be overwhelming to know where to start, but your neighborhood is a good point of departure, says comedian and comics artist Brett Hamil. “I’m a strong believer in ‘hyperlocalism,'” Hamil says. “For me, the best way to build up the arts is by starting where you live and working your way out.” Google or Instagram can help you determine when and where art walks, readings or performances are happening in your neighborhood. In case you missed it, Crosscut publishes curated lists of local “things to do” — many of them free — and covers openings and events in its weekly arts and culture newsletter (and in a host of stories, of course). Other local websites, like The Ticket, can also help you find what’s happening in your neck of the woods.
And if you’re already doing all of the above, consider mixing things up: Challenge yourself to attend events that showcase art forms different from those you usually seek out, go to a new or new-to-you venue, venture into a new Neighborhood — take a chance, take risks. Even if you don’t love it, you’ll have something to talk about with your friends — and you’re building context for future arts going.
2. Keep it local and indie
If you’re interested in dance, theater or musicals, prioritize shows by local artists and art groups in your arts spending budget. This helps ensure more money will flow to local creators (vs. national and international touring productions and artists). If you enjoy music, try attending concerts in small indie venues. “For that one Taylor Swift ticket that cost $300, you could see 20 amazing local shows,” says Ben London of Seattle music nonprofit Black Fret.
“We need to stop treating the word local like it means ‘less than’…Local should be a badge of honor,” Emmett Montgomery says. He hopes people think through how they spend their dollars. “Consider spending as much as you do on entertainment that profits corporations — streaming services etc. — on independent artists. The dollars you spend at a local show have a direct impact on keeping the doors open…. You are feeding people; you are keeping the lights on; you are letting them know that you care about what they do.”
Plus, Montgomery adds: “This doesn’t just go for live shows, go to independent bookstores (Ada’s, Nook and Cranny, Elliott Bay, etc.) and movie theaters (NWFF, The Grand Illusion, Ark Lodge) and other spaces ( Scarecrow Video, Push/Pull, Ugly Baby) that give this city its soul.”
It’s an overused adage, but word of mouth truly is the best PR. Loved a show? “Tell a friend, post a flier at work, post or share about it on social media, write a favorable comment on the event’s social media page, ‘like’ the event or art organization page — anything and everything helps,” says Kathy Hsieh , a local theater artist and arts advocate.
Showing and sharing interest is a direct gesture of support that doesn’t cost anything, says Seattle visual artist Anthony White. And when it comes to social media, “You know the drill: like, follow, share, subscribe,” White says.
What should you share? “Share where the artists are showing what their websites are, where their art can be seen and purchased,” says independent curator and arts writer Sharon Arnold. “I think folks should also sign up for newsletters and share, share, and share with the rest of their community.”
Curator Jeremy Buben — whose own Instagram is a good portal into visual-art happenings and interesting local artists — recommends sharing posts from artists and galleries you like, as well as the art you’re seeing out on art walks. “And definitely share the art you are buying,” Buben says.
4. Bring a friend
Are you already checking all of the above boxes? Take it one step further and don’t just tell a friend, bring a friend. “Consider inviting someone to go with you who may be otherwise less inclined,” says local dancer and choreographer James Yoichi Moore. “Chances are they will be surprised and enjoy themselves more than expected. After all, it only takes one life-changing experience in the theater to create a lifelong fan of the arts.”
Why not make it a social outing and gather your friends to attend a performance or art show together? Plus, says Olivier Wevers of local dance company Whim W’Him: “Go to dinner before in a local restaurant and inject fuel in the local economy.”
Sharon Arnold offers this advice, particularly apropos so close to the holidays: Buy event tickets or memberships to a local arts organization as gifts for friends or family. “I don’t think we explore the impact of getting our community involved through our direct advocacy enough!” Arnold says.