Allen Family Philanthropies has committed nearly $7 million in new funding to eight arts and culture organizations based on the Seattle Center campus, marking a significant investment in expanding access, education, and creative opportunities for young people across the region. The grants are designed to help grow diverse creator pipelines, broaden participation in youth-oriented cultural programming, and reimagine spaces that serve millions of annual visitors.
The initiative emphasizes fostering the next generation of Seattle artists and arts audiences. ArtsFund research recently highlighted strong correlations between robust cultural ecosystems and thriving communities, reinforcing the importance of long-term support for youth-centered arts engagement.
Organizations receiving funding include KEXP, the Museum of Pop Culture, National Film Festival for Talented Youth, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Pacific Science Center, Seattle Repertory Theatre and Seattle Children’s Theatre, TeenTix, and The Vera Project. Each operates on the Seattle Center campus, a cultural hub for more than 6 decades and the Pacific Northwest’s most visited arts destination, drawing over 12 million visitors annually.
Funding will be distributed over three years, totaling $6,868,990. Supported projects range from youth DJ initiatives, emerging artist programs, and year-round film education to expanded dance training, teen-focused theatrical productions, Indigenous artist residencies, and all-ages arts events. Collectively, these initiatives aim to deepen engagement among young people while strengthening Seattle Center’s role as a creative anchor for the region.
This latest commitment builds on prior philanthropic investments from Allen Family Philanthropies, including $9 million awarded to eight downtown arts organizations to support nearly twelve hundred public events, as well as the Community Accelerator Grant Program, which has delivered $30 million in funding to more than one thousand arts and culture organizations across Washington State in the past three years.
Allen Family Philanthropies, founded in 1988 by Jody Allen and the late Paul G. Allen, continues to invest in arts, culture, biodiversity, and community well-being across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
KEY QUOTES
“By investing in arts organizations that engage young people, we invest in the creators, audiences, and advocates who will contribute to and sustain a vibrant arts and culture sector in Seattle for years to come. These organizations excel at engaging young artists and young audiences – and know how to ignite curiosity. The grants will ensure youth arts and culture programming can continue to grow and evolve to meet community needs.”
“Seattle Center is a place where many young Seattleites engage in the arts and learn about community building. Campus organizations and their programs create varied spaces for young people and families from across the region to engage in arts and culture as a tool to build a community that is rooted in creativity, expression, and collaboration.”
Anh Nguyen, Director Of Arts, Youth And Community For Allen Family Philanthropies
