2023-2025 BUILDING FOR THE ARTS PACKAGE
With the close of the 2023-2025 legislative session, the Building for the Arts program was awarded full funding at $18 million dollars in the biennium state capital budget. Created by ArtsFund and the Boeing Company in 1991, Building for the Arts is a grant program administered by the Washington Department of Commerce that awards grants to performing arts, art museum, and cultural organizations for as much as 33 percent state match of eligible project costs for acquisition, construction, and/or major renovation of capital facilities.
The funding received this biennium is the largest to date in the program’s history, made possible by the 2022 legislation changes to RCW 43.63A.750. It also awards funds to the most projects in a package to date, funding 32 projects across 17 legislative districts and 14 counties, making this a historic year for Building for the Arts. Congratulations to all of the 2023-2025 grant recipients on their funding which will help support the important work they are doing across their communities.
ArtsFund thanks and recognizes the coalition of organizations with Building for the Arts projects, past and present, for their ongoing support of the program, all of the hardworking and dedicated legislators who supported these projects, and the budget writers for their inclusion of full funding in the capital budget. ArtsFund is proud to champion this program through advocacy work and the coordination of the coalition efforts in support of a healthy, equitable, and creative Washington.
2023-2025 Building for the Arts Grant Recipients:
The 5th Avenue Theatre | $550,000
7th St Theatre | $145,000
Arte Noir | $750,000
Cornish College of the Arts | $350,000
Cascade Public Media | $1,000,000
The Clymer Foundation | $100,000
Field Arts & Events Hall | $2,000,000
Fire Mountain Arts Council | $217,349
Ghostlight Productions | $200,000
Gladish Performing Arts Center | $600,000
The Grand Cinema | $500,000
Highland Park Improvement Club | $400,000
Imagine Children’s Museum | $75,000
Lincoln Theatre Center | $350,000
Magenta Theater | $7,300
MoPOP | $200,000
Orcas Center | $350,000
Pacific Public Media | $800,000
Pickford Film Center | $550,000
Richland Players | $350,000
Sahak Khemararam Buddhist Association | $500,000
Sea Mar Community Health Centers | $350,000
Seattle Children’s Theatre | $750,000
Seattle Theatre Group | $490,588
Seattle Symphony Orchestra | $250,000
Seattle Repertory Theatre | $1,200,00
Sequim City Band | $401,206
SIFF | $500,000
Spokane Valley Performing Arts Center | $1,848,557
Tacoma Arts Live | $2,000,000
Theatre33 | $100,000
Vashon Center for the Arts | $115,000
To learn more about the program and the economic impacts of the slate of 32 projects for the 2023-2025 biennium, visit our one-pager.
To learn more about a selection of projects, visit our project packet.
If you would like to learn more about any of the projects, the program, or help advocate for Building for the Arts, please reach out to Katy Corella, Programs & Advocacy Manager at katycorella[at]artsfund.org.
2021-2023 BUILDING FOR THE ARTS PACKAGE FULLY APPROVED
On May 18, 2021 Governor Inslee signed the 2021-2023 Capital Budget into law. This budget included full funding for the biennium's Building for the Arts package of 21 projects spanning Clallam, Grays Harbor, King, Kitsap, San Juan, Skagit, Snohomish, and Thurston counties. Congratulations to the grant recipients!
Learn more about the projects here.
To see the 2021-2023 project summary and economic impacts, click here.
For more information, view our press release here.
GRANT APPLICATIONS
The Building for the Arts grant cycle is based on the Washington State Biennium and is administered by the Department of Commerce. For further program details, visit the Building for the Arts page on the Department of Commerce website by clicking here.
Applications for the 2023-2025 Building for the Arts Grant closed at the end of June 2022. The next application cycle will begin in Spring 2024. Check the Department of Commerce website for important dates and application guidelines here.
ABOUT BUILDING FOR THE ARTS
Together with The Boeing Company, ArtsFund created the Building for the Arts program in 1991 to help direct State funds to strong nonprofit arts capital projects all around Washington. Soon after its creation, the legislature assigned administration of the program to the State office of Community Trade and Economic Development. Legislators found the program so effective that they cloned it for other program areas.
ArtsFund works with the State to fund arts capital projects around Washington, and has secured over $129 million for more than 262 capital projects across Washington State. ArtsFund serves on the program's advisory board and leads the effort to ensure legislative appropriations.
PREVIOUS GRANT CYCLES AND NEWS
2022
- During the legislative session, HB1647 passed, making historic changes to the Building for the Arts program. The changes included increasing total funds available for projects per biennium to $18M (up from $12M) and set the project match from the state at 33.3% (up from 20%).
2019-2021
- On May 21, 2019, the Washington State Legislature passed a capital budget with full funding for the 2019-2021 Building for the Arts Projects. To read the press release, please visit 2017-2019 Building for the Arts Press Release.
- Learn more about the projects here.
2017-2019
- On January 19, 2018 the Washington State Legislature passed a capital budget with full funding for the 2017-2019 Building for the Arts Projects. To read the press release, please visit 2017-2019 Building for the Arts Press Release.
- Learn more about the projects here.
2015-2017
- To read the press release, please visit 2015-2017 Building for the Arts Press Release.
- Learn more about the projects here.
For more information, please contact Katy Corella at (206) 508-0299 or katycorella@artsfund.org.