Author Archives: Sam Bovarnick

Capitol Hill’s Artist Trust preparing for 30-year celebration

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(Image: Larry Lancaster — Artist Trust)
(Image: Artist Trust)
(Image: Alex Martin — Artist Trust)

A recent study by the Washington State Arts Commission found that Washington as a whole has a creative vitality (measured in terms of creative economy) 2% greater than the national average. King County’s creative vitality index is more than 200% greater than the national average. Capitol Hill might register an even greater figure, which is exactly why Artist Trust continues to call the neighborhood home after 30 years supporting the arts across the state.

One of the first nonprofits in the country to offer direct support to individual artists, Artist Trust has been a vanguard arts institution since its inception. Organizations like it are rare but, executive director Shannon Halberstadt insists, absolutely vital. The equation is simple: if art is valuable, then directly supporting the individuals who produce it is the most effective means of sustaining it.

“Individual artists are so freaking important,” Halberstadt said. “They’re bringing something that’s important to our culture: they’re our storytellers, they’re the people reflecting back to us the beauty that exists in humanity.”

2016 Benefit Art Auction — Call for Art
November 9th is the deadline to submit work for inclusion in Artist Trust’s 30th anniversary celebration slated for February 2016.

Only five more days to submit work for inclusion at Artist Trust‘s 30th anniversary celebration! Proceeds from the auction are directly invested in artists through unrestricted grants, career training, opportunities and resources. Donating to the auction is a wonderful way to sustain Artist Trust‘s mission of service to artists of all disciplines in our community.

Seated in her 12th Ave office filled with art and paperwork, Halberstadt said that Artist Trust has arrived at a set of twin milestones, signaling a moment of renewal but also continued growth for the organization that has since 1986 provided support, grants, and professional development to the individual artists of Washington from right here on Capitol Hill. Continue reading →

As Seattle seeks new answers on homelessness, PSKS marks 20 years helping ‘kids from the streets’

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(Images: PSKS)

Each January, the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness conducts The One Night Count, a community-organized census of King County’s homeless population. This year, the count came to 10,047. Of that total, 824 were homeless or unstably housed youth, ages 12 to 25.

Resources, housing and support are outnumbered by the homeless or unstably housed and can be especially difficult to access. In 1995, the Becca Bill, a Washington truancy law the essentially criminalized youth homelessness and pipelined kids into the criminal justice and prison system, exacerbated the problem of youth access. 20 years ago, Elaine Simons responded to the Becca Bill and other injustices she saw against homeless by founding Peace on the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS).

“It started literally in a little room,” says current PSKS executive director Susan Fox. “We were founded by youth who were advocating against policies that were detrimental to youth who might be homeless.”

Now, PSKS finds itself on the forefront of Seattle’s efforts to address homelessness and inequity as the topic becomes a political cause, new shelters are proposed, and money is finally being put forward to help create real solutions. Continue reading →