Seattle is the fastest growing American city of the decade. This is reflected by our continuously evolving skyline, as old buildings are demolished and new ones erected. As our built environment rapidly changes it is crucial that we maintain the identity of our city. Embedding public art within a city has transformative effects that shape, empower and culturally enrich urban spaces.

The exhibit, “Discover and Disrupt,” produced by Electric Coffin for AIA examines what it would look like if cities were shaped with whimsy and humanity, and if art was able to thrive beyond commercial spaces. Public Art is critical to the cultural vitality of a city, and yet the actors that shape our cities are under the constant strain to minimize budgets and maximize efficiency. The goal of this conversation is to identify obstacles and highlight opportunities of how we can strategically and organically integrate art into Seattle’s evolving urban fabric.

Moderator:

Jesslyn Howard, Board and Vellum

Panelists

Greg Bell, Chief Curator at Vulcan, Inc.

Duffy De Armas, Founder and Co-Owner at Electric Coffin

Matthew McMurray, Founder and Director at Treason Gallery

Ruri Yampolsky, Public Art Director at Seattle Office of Arts and Culture