Storefront Activation Programs
Shunpike partners with city and business leaders in Seattle and Tacoma to activate the downtown cores by matching artists and arts groups with vacant storefronts. These programs are part of a national wave of community-driven collaboration between neighborhoods, cities, businesses and artists – including programs taking place in San Francisco, Portland and New York.
Storefronts Seattle
Storefronts Seattle began in early 2010, when members of the historic Pioneer Square and Chinatown-International District neighborhoods sought solutions for the growing number of vacant storefronts in the area. The program is now growing to other city neighborhoods, including South Lake Union and Capitol Hill.
Shunpike leads the steering committee for this project, where it is joined by: The Alliance for Pioneer Square; the City of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development & Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs; the Chinatown-International District Business Improvement Area, and the Seattle Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Authority.
Spaceworks Tacoma
Like Storefronts Seattle, Spaceworks Tacoma got off the ground in early 2010 due to a successful partnership between government, business and arts community leaders. The project is a joint initiative of the City of Tacoma, Shunpike and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce.
Since the program began, it has provided vacant retail space to more than 50 independent artists and creative enterprises, and successfully energized retail corridors.
Artist Space Assistance Program
Artist Space Assistance Program (ASAP) is a pilot program of the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs administered by Shunpike with support from 4Culture.
ASAP is for artists working in all genres and arts groups seeking long-term affordable arts space. During this pilot program, Shunpike will assess artist needs and space opportunities, offer direct services to artists and arts groups and develop a model for expanding the program.