Washington will become the first state to embed a full-time artist in a statewide agency, bringing in a creative approach to advancing the agency’s goals like improving safety, reducing congestion, promoting economic vitality, supporting multimodal transportation systems, and creating healthier communities.
With the support of ArtPlace America, Transportation for America (a program of Smart Growth America), and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) are creating a new one-year artist-in-residence program, the first of its kind in the country.
Applications are open now for interested artists to apply for this groundbreaking new program housed within WSDOT.
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), in partnership with Transportation for America (T4America) and the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI), seek an artist or a team of artists to serve as the inaugural WSDOT Artist-in-Residence (AIR). The WSDOT AIR will be tasked with advancing WSDOT’s transportation system policy goals: economic vitality, preservation, safety, mobility, environment, and stewardship. The WSDOT AIR will span one year, and the AIR is required to reside in Washington State for the duration of the year. The AIR will be based in WSDOT’s headquarters in Olympia, WA, but depending on the AIR’s project(s), the AIR may work from one of WSDOT’s regional offices in Spokane, Wenatchee, Shoreline, Tumwater, Union Gap, or Vancouver for part of the residency.
The AIR will gain a thorough understanding of the inner workings of a state department of transportation, while supporting WSDOT’s functions of providing sustainable, safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation options that improve communities and economic vitality for people and businesses. The project(s) executed by the AIR during the residency will be developed in close partnership with T4America, SSTI, and WSDOT. Possible projects may involve supplementing infrastructure design; fostering deeper community engagement with historically underserved communities; aiding WSDOT’s efforts to communicate construction, scheduling, and other updates; and/or improving processes in routine work.
The WSDOT AIR follows a number of successful residencies in city agencies, but it is the nation’s first artist residency in a state agency. The WSDOT AIR is generously funded by ArtPlace America.
Deadline January 7, 2019