As part of the Regional Centers planning efforts in South Lake Union and Uptown, the Office of Planning and Community Development and its consultant team are looking for artists to devise, plan, and execute a creative community project in support of two Regional Center Neighborhood Plans.
What are Regional Center Neighborhood Plans?
These plans are roadmaps to guide significant residential and job growth over the next 20 years. They will plan for investments in housing, open space, and capital improvements (buildings, parks, roads, etc). The policies and actions identified in these plans will guide city programs across many departments. By 2028, there will be 9 neighborhood plans. Currently, the city is focused on efforts for Uptown and South Lake Union.
The Open Call
We are searching for Seattle area-based creatives to engage the public via smaller scale events, engagements, art pieces, or projects in the artist’s medium of choice during Phase 2 of the Regional Center Neighborhood Plan process. In this phase, the team is moving from technical analysis to defining both a vision and a set of desired actions for each neighborhood. Find more details about the project and how the feedback will be used in the FAQ section below.
What are we hoping to learn?
What values should guide future decisions about housing, transportation, public spaces, arts and culture, economic opportunity, and neighborhood development?
Activities should help community members reflect on the future of South Lake Union or Uptown and reveal the values, experiences, and aspirations that should guide the area’s growth over the next 20 years.
Topic areas and guiding questions include:
What values should guide future decisions about housing, transportation, public spaces, arts and culture, economic opportunity, and neighborhood development?
Neighborhood Identity & Character
- What makes this neighborhood unique?
- What places, traditions, experiences, sounds, sights, or relationships define its character?
- What should never be lost as the neighborhood evolves?
Future Vision
- What do people hope this neighborhood will be like in 10–20 years?
- What would a thriving, welcoming, and successful future look like?
- Who should benefit from future growth, and how?
Community Priorities
- What priorities are residents, workers, visitors, and business owners most excited about?
- What concerns or challenges should future planning address?
- What values should guide future decisions about housing, transportation, public spaces, arts and culture, economic opportunity, and neighborhood development?
Looking Ahead
- What would you like to see more of in this neighborhood in the future?
- What should be protected or preserved as the neighborhood changes?
- What would make this neighborhood feel more welcoming, vibrant, or connected in the years ahead?
- What should city leaders understand about what matters most to the people who live, work, create, and spend time here?
Projects must focus on either South Lake Union or Uptown and be completed during the week of August 10th – 18th.
Project Requirements
Projects must be:
- In public space (no virtual projects, please)
- Open to all ages and abilities
- Unique to either South Lake Union or Uptown
Example mediums include: 2D, 3D art, mural, game, interview, community walk, performance, or event(s).
Two projects will be selected – one for South Lake Union and one for Uptown. Selected artists will receive up to $15,000 to execute their project. You can submit a project that is applicable to both areas, but artists will only be eligible to execute their project in one location. Artist teams are allowed to submit, although the award amount is a fixed sum. This payment includes costs for materials, space rentals, and honorariums (if applicable).
Process and Timeline
- June 15, 2026: Call for projects opens
- June 29, 2026: Virtual Info session
- 3 PM, Register for the Virtual Info Session (link will be sent via email to registered participants)
- July 6, 2026, 11:59 PM PST: Call for projects close
- July 17, 2026: Project awarded
- August 10 – 18, 2026: Projects setup, executed, and removed
- August 31, 2026: Documentation and final write up complete
Submission Requirements
- Project application
- Artist statement (~ 250 words)
- Project description (~500 words)
- Include (where applicable) desired location and partners
- Address how the project will reveal the values and future vision of the area
- Proposed budget
- A rough estimate of materials including space rentals, honoriams, rentals, etc.
- Portfolio and, or three (3) project examples
- Include visuals and a description of each example
- Max 10 MB total submission
- Links to social media channels, if applicable
If you cannot submit via Google form, please email submissions to jennie@psp.city.
Award Considerations
Projects will be assessed using a rubric model. The categories include:
- Greater Seattle Area residency
- Creativity and overall concept
- Ability of project to solicit feedback that deepens knowledge in the guiding questions
- Feasibility, scale, and budget
- Degree of accessibility, welcoming nature, and relevance to a broad range of community members, including people of different ages, backgrounds, abilities, and income levels
Please take care to match the project’s scale with the execution timeline and budget. There are three weeks between the announcement of selection and the date of completion. Artists must complete the final written summary by August 31st, 2026 to receive the full grant award.
Frequently Asked Questions
Phase 1 began in the Fall of 2025 and was completed in Spring of 2026. During this time the consultant teams focused on data, research, and technical analysis. This included understanding both South Lake Union and Uptown in terms of housing, transportation, income, sociodemographic, and community characteristics. The team synthesized trends and area changes to devise initial takeaways and impressions. Through focus groups and community surveys, these initial takeaways were “temperature checked” to ensure they reflected the real life experiences of community members.
In Phase 2 (we are here), the team synthesizes what they’ve heard about the way things are now and what people would like to see. Through another round of community engagement, including a survey and in-person events (including this project), the team will begin to hone in on what community members would like to see for the future of Uptown and South Lake Union. In this phase, the team will explore potential visions and recommendations. We’ll test ideas, receive feedback on potential solutions, and begin to understand the community’s priorities.
In Phase 3, the team will create and iterate on a set of recommended actions. Actions are assessed to see if they are possible, how they may be funded, and if they align with community values. These actions are once again vetted by the community before being included in the final plan.
Yes. We understand applicants may not be familiar with the Regional Center Neighborhood Plan initiative nor the details of the Phase 1 analysis. That’s ok! We encourage creatives and makers who are new to these civic processes to learn along with us.
You do not need to address specific data points in their project proposal. Instead, project descriptions should explain more about what you plan to do, how you will do it, who will be involved, and how it will further a greater understanding of folk’s desires.
For example, it is not expected that a proposal will note “South Lake Union intends to add an additional 4,500 housing units by 2044…” Instead, a project proposal would note, “I will use on-the-street interviews to engage young people and teens. I anticipate asking questions like… to understand…”
Yes. The team will meet with selected artists before project execution to answer questions, provide more detailed insight, and review collected data. If necessary, it will provide suggestions to fine tune questions and approach.
Phase 2 will culminate in a set of preliminary recommendations for the city. These draft actions will highlight potential changes to help the space thrive in the coming decade. Your project will collect data that helps the team understand what matters most to the community and begin to formulate ideas for solutions.
Successful projects allow for people with various backgrounds, ages, and abilities to interact. They allow the team to ask deeper questions and are interactive. They are not only creating an art piece, but opening up space for conversation.
For example, a successful project would not be one where an artist individually completes a mural of their own design. Instead, a competitive mural project could include a collaborative workshop that co-develops the design, offers community paint days, and has additional educational programming.
Projects must be completely executed in the physical realm. Projects with virtual components, like QR Codes or online-only activities, will not be selected.
Yes. Set up, execution, and removal of projects must be completed between August 10 – 18.
The project’s goal is to support creatives currently living and working in the Greater Seattle Area. If you live outside the city, but wish to apply, you may partner with a local artist who will serve as the project lead.
Yes. The info session will be recorded. Please reach out to jennie@psp.city for a copy of the recording.
Selected artists will need to provide a W-2 in order to be paid directly by the project’s main consultant. There will be an early payment to assist in acquiring materials. There will be a final payment once the project and final write up are completed. Exact payment structure, cadence, and amount will be further refined after projects are selected.
The project award is intended to cover project expenses (materials, room rentals, participant fees, etc) and provide a fair wage for your labour. Please right size project costs as additional funding is unlikely.
Yes, the project team will work closely with the City to acquire any permits or licenses needed to execute the project.
Questions?
Please email jennie@psp.city.
Call for Artists Submission Form
About the Project Team
Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD)
OPCD supports thriving communities through an integrated and equitable approach to planning and community investment. They work across City departments to assess community needs, prioritize resources, and develop a vision for how Seattle grows to ensure that we are coordinating and implementing our plans with a cohesive vision.
Public Sphere Projects (PSP)
PSP is a national planning practice. It focuses on building transformative, actionable plans that strengthen the strategic capacity, economic competitiveness, and cultural character of shared places. In this project, PSP is partnered with prime consultant Agency Landscape + Planning to execute community engagement initiatives. PSP is leading the Call for Artists program and evaluation.