Minneapolis arts leader to run Seattle Office of Arts & Culture

The City of Seattle has chosen long-time Minneapolis artist and arts administrator Gülgün Kayim to serve as the new director of the city's Office of Arts & Culture.

Kayim will spearhead the city's efforts to support the creative economy that has struggled to recover from pandemic shutdowns.

As the founding director of the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy for the City of Minneapolis, Kayim took on a similar challenge. She oversaw the creation of arts recovery funds for groups impacted by the pandemic, and helped obtain funding for restorative art in underserved communities, according to a press release from the Seattle Mayor's Office.

Mayor Bruce Harrell said he expected Kayim to continue building the Seattle arts scene, especially for historically marginalized groups.

"I look forward to the new energy and ideas she will bring to our team, helping build One Seattle through a commitment to uplifting the voices of those too often underrepresented, building trusted relationships in our arts community, and supporting a flourishing and inclusive creative landscape," Harrell said in the statement announcing the decision.

Before working for the City of Minneapolis, Kayim was assistant director for the Archibald Bush Foundation, where she worked on a fellowship program for artists. She also served as co-founder and co-artistic director of Skewed Visions, a Minneapolis-based performing arts organization.

Kayim a multidisciplinary artist herself who said she is excited to work with Seattle's arts community.

"Seattle is a city that is known for its world-class artists, creative endeavors, and arts scene, and I look forward to working with them to make the arts more equitable and accessible to all," Karim said in a statement.

Kayim was hired after a national search by a 16-member search committee representing diverse disciplines in the city's arts sector.

Seattle's Office of Arts & Culture manages public art programs, grants, initiatives, ARTS at King Street Station, the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute and The Creative Initiative.

Kayim starts in her new role July 19.