Sara Gazarek photo by Lauren Desberg
Mayor Announces New Leader for Seattle Office of Arts & Culture
After an extensive national search, Mayor Harrell recently announced his appointment of award-winning interdisciplinary artist and creative economy leader Gülgün Kayim as the next permanent director of the Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS). A multi-disciplinary artist and former Stanford Arts Institute Creative Cities Fellow with decades of experience in public art administration, Kayim will begin the new role with the City on July 19. Of the 16-member search committee representing diverse creative disciplines, Steven Severin, co-owner of Neumos said, “From our iconic music scene and venues to cultural organizations doing work in the community, Seattle’s arts ecosystem is fearlessly unique and an essential part of our city’s economy. We are excited to have the new director bring their expertise and passion to this critical leadership position at the City and look forward to partnering with them on efforts to revitalize our creative economy and support our workers.” Read the full press release at artbeat.seattle.gov/2023/06/14/artsdirectorannouncement/.
Sara Gazarek to Design and Lead New Jazz Voice Program
Eastman School of Music, of the University of Rochester, announced the appointment of Sara Gazarek as the associate professor of jazz voice of the newly conceived track in the undergraduate Jazz and Contemporary Media (JCM) degree program. With this launch, Eastman is creating a track for jazz singers within the existing program that challenges the typical divide between jazz vocalists and instrumentalists. “It’s incredibly exciting to be given permission to examine the ways in which music academia might not currently serve today’s collegiate vocal jazz community,” shares Gazarek. After a 12-year tenure at the Thornton School of Music, of the University of Southern California, the two-time Grammy-nominated vocalist has performed and/or recorded with internationally acclaimed artists including Fred Hersch, Kurt Elling, Terri Lyne Carrington, Billy Childs, John Beasley’s MONK’estra, and is a founding member of the Grammy-nominated vocal supergroup, säje. She has been a clinician, adjudicator, and performer at universities, jazz camps, and jazz festivals throughout the United States and Canada.
Endurance Artist Grants, Deadline July 17
Artist Trust’s Endurance Grants (END) are unrestricted emergency need-based grants of $2,500 to artists working in all disciplines across Washington state to assist with an unforeseen emergency, crisis, or catastrophic event. These 40 grants will fund artists who identify with one or more of the following communities: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and/or Native, LGBTQIA+, immunocompromised, with immigrant status, have or are living with a disability, residing outside King County, and/or low income. For complete guidelines and to apply visit artisttrust.org/grants/endurance-grants/.
