The Spokane Arts Grant Awards (SAGA) funds multiple proposals through a competitive process from a pool of qualifying applications. Grant winners carry out arts projects and programs that take place in Spokane during the twelve months following their award date. A total of nearly $100,000 is granted annually for projects in storytelling, dance, installation, music composition, theater, writing, visual arts, language, and many other disciplines. Below we provide information about each of our awardees.
View the current year’s winners here.
Dr. Cary Boyce is known locally as the General Manager of Spokane Public Radio, but away from home, Cary is known primarily as an Emmy award-winning composer. SAGA is providing support for the composition and presentation of a new work in partnership with two of Spokane’s premiere ensembles.
Apostrophe is a student lead group that exhibits LGBTQ+ students, students of color, and women student artists from six local universities and colleges. Apostrophe will be holding its second annual exhibition of curated student work at an independent gallery space, to be announced, during the month of April 2020 with SAGA support.
With support from SAGA, Scablands Books will publish a graphic novel, Baby Speaks Salish, by local writer Emma Noyes. Proceeds will go to the Salish School of Spokane, which is dedicated to keeping the interior Salish languages alive in the face of ongoing colonialism.
Ellen Picken and Rajah Bose started Factory Town to combine their interests in visual art and storytelling. With SAGA support, Factory Town will be creating six kinetic sculptures which transform the familiar handheld “Jacob’s Ladder” toy into an over-sized interactive experience on impermanence.
The three artists are all 2019 graduates from Whitworth arts programs and are collaborating to create and share the work with Spokane’s youth. The goal of the Bird Nest Installation is to provide a place of escape for Spokane’s youth by translating elements of nature into an eco-friendly public art installation.
Square Top Theatre was founded in 2007. It seek to create ongoing artistic collaborations, to tell good stories well, and to create new and enduring work. The organization strive to expand the medium of live theatre and to explore its boundaries while engaging a wide audience.
Writers in the Community (WITC) at EWU offers free workshops to audiences as varied as inmates, veterans, men and women in recovery, pediatric oncology patients, and elementary, middle, and high school students.
Spokane Chinese Association (SCA) is a non-profit organization that connects and unites people of Chinese heritage in the Greater Spokane area with the purpose of fostering stronger community connections and pursuing a more enriched quality of life.
Spark Central is a nonprofit that breaks down barriers to creativity so that people of all economic backgrounds can create the future they imagine. The organization offering transformative programs, access to innovative technology, and a welcoming creative community for people of all economic backgrounds.
Founded in 1916, the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture is the largest cultural organization in the Inland Northwest, serving more than 100,000 visitors a year. It is one of Washington State’s five Smithsonian affiliates and are accredited by the Alliance of American Museums.
Spokane Feminist Art Festival FEM+FEST 2019 is presented by Spokane NOW (National Organization for Women) in partnership with the Downtown Spokane Public Library. The Festival will take place on Saturday, April 27th from 6-9pm.
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