There's Something About Seattle: 2019 Creative Economy Report

The Offices of Film & Music, Economic Development, and Arts & Culture recently published the City of Seattle’s first-ever Creative Economy Report, a collaborative effort that inspired spirited discussions about the nature of creative work in the 21st century. The report reveals that while Seattle’s overall creative economy is strong – with growth in creative occupations outpacing overall job growth – major disparities persist along racial and gender lines and between creative occupations in tech and arts. In addition to highlighting the fact that women and people of color are consistently underrepresented in creative occupations, we also discovered Seattle has a wider pay gap between creatives in tech occupations and those in arts occupations than any other large metropolitan area.

Of course, numbers only begin to tell the story of creative workers and industries in Seattle, which is why these three departments have multiple efforts underway to better understand the lives and work of Seattle’s creative workers. In collaboration with Mayor Durkan’s Future of Work subcabinet, we will use this report as a springboard to decrease disparities within our creative workforce while growing and supporting this vital sector. You can help us in this continued research by taking this survey, which will inform recommendations for improving equity and eliminating barriers in our local creative economy. 

Read the full report here.

Seattle venues combating opioid overdoses - Seattle nightlife venue employees are learning how to administer life-saving treatment to people experiencing an opioid overdose. We're very proud of this pilot program created by Nightlife Business Advocate Scott Plusquellec, part of Seattle and King County's harm reduction efforts to improve health and safety at public events and venues. Read more. 

Sol and Tacocat's Emily Nokes to keynote City of Music Career Day - City of Music Career Day is coming up on April 26 at Seattle Center, a day-long, free opportunity for young people ages 13-24 to get an inside look at the local music industry. This week, One Reel announced Seattle musicians Sol and Emily Nokes from Tacocat as this year's keynote speakers. This is a great chance for you or the young people in your life to spend the day with working musicians and industry professionals to learn what it takes to make it in a competitive, yet rewarding world of music! Learn more and register. 

Take survey to help improve access & equity in Seattle's creative economy - The Office of Arts & Culture (ARTS) and Office of Economic Development are collaborating with us on a creative workforce study that will inform recommendations for how to increase access and equity in our local creative economy. Please spend 10-15 minutes filling out this online survey and share with your communities. While the survey is completely anonymous, you will have a chance upon completing the survey to submit your email address to be entered in a raffle drawing to win either a $25 pre-loaded VISA gift card or a professional development lunch with ARTS Director Randy Engstrom.