ArtsWA is the Washington State Arts Commission. A state agency, formed by the Washington State Legislature in 1961, its mission is to nurture and support the role of the arts in the lives of all Washingtonians.
Contact ArtsWA: 711 Capitol Way S., Suite 600, Olympia, WA 98501
With a focus on racial equity, 4Culturefunds, supports, and advocates for culture to enhance the quality of life in King County. It envisions a vibrant county where culture is essential and accessible to all.
Heather manages 4Culture’s Art Projects for individuals, a competitive funding program for projects in all artistic disciplines; Storefront Media Gallery; Arc Artist Fellowship; and created Open 4Culture, an entry-level funding resource for art, heritage and preservation projects in King County, Washington. Prior to joining 4Culture in 2003, Heather worked for Jack Straw Productions, Washington Lawyers for the Arts, Artist Trust, Bank of America Art Programs, Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, and the Los Angeles Unified School District. She holds a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts and an MFA from California Institute of Arts (CalArts).
IRENE GÓMEZ (SHe/HER)
Seattle Office of Arts & Culture | | 206-684-7310
Irene administers CityArtists Projects and Civic Poet funding programs in addition to related technical support. She’s an active member of the city’s Race & Social Justice Initiative Change Team and volunteers on several boards and committees of a community foundation, artist collectives, and heritage organizations. Film, travel, friends and being the parent of an emerging media artist balance her interests outside of work.
MIGUEL GUILLÉN (he/HIM)
ArtsWA | | 360-586-0424
Miguel is the Grants to Organizations Program Manager for the Washington State Arts Commission. Miguel has several years of experience managing arts programs for the private, non-profit sector and providing support to community-based arts organizations, small arts groups, community-based projects, and individual artists across Washington State. He holds an Arts Management Certificate from Seattle Central Community College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Cornish College of the Arts.
MARCIA IWASAKI (She/hER)
Seattle Office of Arts & Culture | | 206-233-3946
Marcia enjoys helping artists and communities realize their artistic vision and projects. She is the only staff member who has worked on both the Public Art and Cultural Partnerships teams, working with artists in public art as well as music, dance, theater, film, and literary arts. Her projects range from modest, ephemeral events to hefty, scaled, permanent public art, like the Joint Fire Fighter and Seattle Public Utility training campus. Marcia’s enthusiasm for the arts is infectious, with more than 20 years with the office, preceded by teaching art at a small Native American school in Montana, working at the Boston Children’s Museum, and co-founding the Boston Dragon Boat Festival (now in its 34th year!). She was raised on a family farm in Oregon and enjoys travel, gardening, and new recipes.
