Arts & Cultural Districts

The City of Seattle's Arts & Cultural Districts program is dedicated to nurturing and protecting the presence of arts and culture in neighborhoods. These elements have been shown to increase walkability, vitality, regional focus, and interest. The city's mission in creating these districts is to ensure that the organizations and individuals that give these unique neighborhoods their verve remain healthy and vibrant for future generations.

The creation of this program came from the Cultural Overlay District Advisory Committee's June 2009 report and City Council Resolution 31155. In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts' Our Town program, the Office of Arts & Culture created a suite of Creative Placemaking tools to be applied in newly-formed Arts and Cultural Districts. The program was codified in City Council Resolution 31555 (PDF) on November 17, 2014.

Current Districts

Georgetown Arts & Cultural District

Georgetown became Seattle's fifth official Arts & Cultural District in 2026.

Georgetown is one of Seattle’s most arts-driven neighborhoods. Artists, makers, design firms, galleries, creative schools, supply stores, and art collectives all help shape the neighborhood’s identity and economy. You can see that mix of industry, history, and creativity everywhere—from the brick storefronts along Airport Way to the giant Hat 'n' Boots sculpture in Oxbow Park to the planes flying overhead near Boeing Field.

Art is a real part of Georgetown’s economy. Local artists and creative businesses help power the neighborhood through fabrication, installation, gallery sales, and design work. Georgetown’s large warehouses and relatively affordable rents give artists and creative businesses space to work, collaborate, and grow.

People often know Georgetown as an industrial neighborhood, but more than 1,500 residents also live here across three residential areas. Together, they help create Georgetown’s gritty, DIY culture. They are makers, artists, and community-minded people who work hard to keep the neighborhood safe, welcoming, and creative.

The Georgetown Association of Arts & Culture supports arts and culture in this historic neighborhood. It creates opportunities for people to participate in the arts, advocates for Georgetown’s creative economy, and strengthens connections among residents, artists, and cultural organizations. The organization also works closely with the Office of Arts & Culture, the City's other Arts & Cultural Districts, and Georgetown neighborhood groups. Together, they help keep Georgetown affordable for people who live and work here, while also growing its reputation as a regional arts destination.

The Georgetown Association of Arts & Culture supports the neighborhood through several strategies:

Building coalitions
Expanding access to arts education
Creating hands-on opportunities for expression and play
Offering networking opportunities
Improving wayfinding
Advocating for the community

Participating Organizations, Collectives, and Businesses

Champion Party Supply
Equinox Industrial and Fine Arts Collective
Fogue Studios & Gallery
Friends of Georgetown History
Georgetown Business Association
Georgetown Community Council
Georgetown Morgue
Georgetown Steam Plant
Georgetown Trailer Park Mall
Jules Maes Saloon
Mini-Mart City Park
Scarlet Ibis Gallery
Seattle Drum School of Music
Seattle ReCreative
Side Rail Collective
Slipstitch
studio e

Neighborhood Cultural Assets

2K Metal Works
Badger Burrow Studios
Connections Museum
Dash of Soy Culinary School
Dead Baby Bikes
Ebanista
Electric Coffin + House of Sorcery
Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery
Gage Georgetown Atelier
Georgetown Arts & Cultural Center
Georgetown Ballroom
Georgetown Morgue Haunted House
Georgetown Super 8 Film Festival
Hampton Hill
Haskett Works
Hinge Studio

Columbia City and Hillman City Arts & Cultural District

In 2018, Columbia City and Hillman City became Seattle's fourth Arts & Cultural District.

Southeast Seattle is made up of many communities and is one of the most diverse areas in Washington. The Columbia Hillman Arts & Cultural District honors and supports the creative work that comes from Southeast Seattle.

The Columbia Hillman Arts & Cultural District exists to celebrate and strengthen the authentic, culturally rich spirit of the Columbia City and Hillman City neighborhoods through arts and culture. We want to honor the important role the arts have played in these communities, protect and promote the art spaces that exist today, and help shape the future by making sure new developments include space for arts and culture.

We know this designation can create new opportunities for artists and cultural spaces. It can also support the many cultures that make Southeast Seattle such a strong source of arts and cultural experiences. We want to make sure that diversity continues.

To support this mission, the Columbia Hillman Arts & Cultural District is committed to:

Growing the creative economy in Southeast Seattle.
Keeping and protecting existing cultural spaces.
Including new arts and cultural spaces in future development.
Making sure arts and cultural businesses can find affordable commercial space.
Supporting affordable live/work space for artists.
Centering racial and social equity in arts programs and projects.
Protecting the cultural landscape that makes our neighborhoods unique.
Expanding youth involvement in the arts.

Members of the Columbia Hillman Arts & Cultural District

Tarik Abdullah, Chef, Black & Tan Hall
Haimi Ayele, Community Arts Activist
Jennifer Bennet, Artist, Teacher, Black & Tan Hall
Debra Bouchegnies, dbCreative Services Group, LLC
Sally Brucker, Igimo Arts Station
Heather Curran, Theater artist, Community Activist
Guy Davis, Musician, Columbia City Business Association
Chris Digangi, Media Artist
Julie Dillon, Community Arts Activist
Lori Duckstein, Artist
Francisca Garcia, Rainier Arts Center
Christopher German, SEEDArts
Erik Hanson, Jazz Night School
Kate Harkins, Artist
Beau Hebert, Lotties Lounge
John Helmiere, The Collaboratory
Rodney Herold, Black & Tan Hall
James Hong, Vietnamese Friendship Association
Ben Hunter, Community Arts Create, Collaboratory, Black & Tan Hall, Musician
Lara Lavi, Columbia City Theater
Tia Mathies, SEEDArts
David McRae, Ark Lodge Cinema
Rob Mohn, Columbia City Business Improvement Area
Connie Ostrowski, The Makery
Ethan Pollak, Illustrator
Joan Robbins, Artist
Joe Seamons, Musician, Black & Tan Hall
Talia Silveri Wright, Community Arts Activist
Matthew Stubbs, Hillman City Business Association
Barbara Earl Thomas, Artist
Mary Melinda Wellsandt, Artist

Uptown Arts & Cultural District

In 2017, Uptown became Seattle's third official Arts & Cultural District.

Since the 1962 World’s Fair, Uptown has been a center for arts and culture in Seattle. People come here from Seattle, across the country, and around the world to perform and experience the arts. In Uptown, you can find independent artists, world-known classical arts groups, innovative theater, visual art, cultural festivals, and major music events.

Uptown gives us a place to celebrate the many cultures that shape the Puget Sound region. People come here to enjoy music, dance, art, and food from around the world.

Both the District and the Uptown Arts and Culture Coalition support Uptown’s growth as a vibrant and welcoming cultural center. We advocate for the neighborhood and help it grow in ways that include more people and more voices.

The group is committed to:

Connecting Uptown from Seattle Center to the heart of the neighborhood and beyond.
Advancing racial and social equity.
Supporting collaboration across cultures and artistic disciplines.
Growing and tracking our creative economy.

Supporting Organizations and Individuals

Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE)
AEG Live
Art Not Terminal
Art-In-A-Box
ArtsED Washington
ArtsFund
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center
Blaine Center - Compass Housing Alliance
Book-It Repertory Theatre
Canlis Glass
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Institute for New Connotative Action (INCA)
G. Gibson Gallery
KCTS 9
KEXP
KING FM 98.1
MarQueen Hotel's Tin Lizzie Lounge
McCaw Hall
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
Music4Life
Northwest Folklife
Northwest Print Center & Incubators
On the Boards
One Degree Events
One Reel
Pacific Northwest Ballet
Pacific Science Center
Pottery Northwest
Prima Vera Arts Center
Queen Anne Historical Society
Seattle Center
Seattle Children's Museum
Seattle Children's Theater
Seattle Opera
Seattle Repertory Theatre
Seattle Shakespeare Company
Seattle Storm (WBCOS)
SIFF Film Center
SIFF Cinema Uptown
Space Needle
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
TeenTix
Ten Mercer
The Vera Project
Theatre Puget Sound
Seattle Uptown Alliance

Historic Central Area Arts & Cultural District

The Central Area became Seattle's second official Arts & Cultural District in December 2015.

The Historic Central Area Arts & Cultural District is in Seattle’s historically Black neighborhood. Redlining once limited where African-American residents could live, and many were pushed into this part of the city. Over time, Danish, Japanese, and Jewish communities also made their homes here.

Our Arts District is built on three core goals:

Preserving the African and African-American legacy in the Central Area.
Strengthening the neighborhood’s physical identity and sense of place so its culture stays visible and relevant.
Supporting art, economic opportunity, livability, affordability, and a strong creative community.

The Central Area holds an important place in Seattle’s Black history and culture. Today, the neighborhood is changing quickly. This Arts District designation recognizes that cultural legacy and helps us protect the neighborhood’s character while supporting a growing arts community rooted in Black culture. Make sure to visit the Central District Art Walk every First Friday, 6-9 PM.

Logo for Historic Central Area Arts District

In partnership with the following organizations:

Africatown
Ariel Productions
The James and Janie Washington Foundation
RBG the CD, and an evolving list of residents, artists, and organizations.

Capitol Hill Arts & Cutlure District

Capitol Hill was the first district to be named as part of the Arts & Cultural Districts program in November 2014.

Capitol Hill’s Pike/Pine neighborhood has more arts organizations than any other arts neighborhood in Washington. Since 1979, many arts and cultural groups have moved into this former light industrial area, once known as auto row. Today, more than 40 arts and cultural organizations call the district home.

At the same time, the neighborhood is changing quickly. Rising rents and new development threaten to push out the arts organizations that helped shape Capitol Hill. Many people worry that Capitol Hill could lose the character and creative energy that make it special. We believe this kind of cultural challenge needs a cultural response.

The Capitol Hill Arts District is a coalition of arts advocates galvanized to keep Capitol Hill a thriving art scene invested in the creation of daring work, independent artists, and emerging ideas. We promote cultural engagement; harness resources; and preserve, enhance, and create space for artists and the arts.

Arts and Cultural Organizations in the Capitol Hill Arts District

12th Avenue Arts
Annex Theatre
Artist Trust
Blick Art Materials
Broadway Performance Hall
Capitol Hill Block Party
Cassandria Blackmore Studio
Century Ballroom
Chop Suey
ContactCreate
Crybaby Studios
Eclectic Theater
The Egyptian Theater
Elliott Bay Book Company
The Erickson Theater
Frame Central
High Voltage Music Store
Hugo House
Kinsey Gallery
KXSU Seattle
Lee Center for the Arts / Hedreen Gallery
Longhouse Media
Ltd. Art Gallery
M Rosetta Hunter Art Gallery
Neumos
New Century Theater Company
Northwest Film Forum
The Northwest School
Photo Center Northwest
Pound Arts
The Project Room
Rare Medium
Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences
Strawberry Theater Workshop
Studio Current
Three Dollar Bill Cinema
True Love Art Gallery
Vachon Gallery
Velocity Dance Center
Vermillion Art Gallery
Washington Ensemble Theater

Want to become an Arts & Culture District?

Arts & Culture districts are collaborations between arts and local community.

To become one:

a lead community partner (a business improvement area (BIA), Chamber of Commerce, local nonprofit, or community group, for example) assembles a coalition of constituents
The coalition presents the Cultural Districts program with a proposal for the creation of a new arts & culture district.

Discussions and evaluations would follow, including:

a survey of existing arts & cultural resources in the community,
conversations with the various partners,
neighborhood outreach meetings,
modeling how the Toolkit would be applied in a new district.

This process would culminate in a formal application to the Office of Arts & Culture and a review by the department's director.

For more information about becoming an Arts & Culture District, contact us at arts.culture@seattle.gov.

The Office of Arts & Culture anticipates a one-district-per-year roll out, in order to test new programs and adequately support the neighborhood in their endeavors. The Arts & Cultural District relies on a "heat map" of activity, where a core of density is recognized, not necessarily a hard boundary line.

The Creative Placemaking Toolkit

The Creative Placemaking Toolkit is designed to support artists, artspaces and neighborhoods. Created in collaboration with other city departments, neighborhood and community partners, this suite of tools will support improved walkability, marketing, right-of-way improvements, wayfinding, cultural preservation, and foster an increased density of arts projects throughout Seattle. As we test and develop these tools, we expect them to evolve and change over time.

The Toolkit

The toolkit includes programs, projects, and mechanisms to support the following:

District Identification: The program seeks a way to identify, market, and brand Arts and Culture Districts, and to improve the visual landscape in the right-of-way. The installation of sidewalk kiosks, street sign caps, custom crosswalk paintings, and pole banners will announce the district to the public.

Wayfinding: This program will assist in guiding the public from one artspace to another, or from one arts event to another, and will take the form of mapping and branding individual buildings and spaces as Cultural Space.

Busking & Plein Air Painting Support: The presence of street performers and open-air urban landscape painters reminds residents and visitors that a neighborhood is vibrant and arts-friendly.

Art Historic Markers: This program, in partnership with HistoryLink.org, would celebrate culturally important spots with historic and educational markers.

Pop-up Space Activations: In partnership with Storefronts Seattle, the district will activate vacant storefront spaces with artists' projects.

Parklets: Parklets, or miniscule parks created in single parking spots, will include public art components, and serve as arts public space in cultural neighborhoods.

B.A.S.E. Certification: The Build Art Space Equitably (BASE) Certification is analogous to LEED environmental certification, but designed to reward projects that include cultural space.

Cultural Preservation and Landmarking: Various mechanisms are being explored for the support of older buildings and the innovative small local companies and arts organizations they tend to house.

This list will evolve and grow over time. Please be in touch with the Cultural Space Liaison if you have questions or ideas about the Toolkit.