Seattle Department of Neighborhoods is looking to commission writers, artists, photographers, or other creatives to participate in a new storytelling project called Seattle Histories. This series focuses on the people and places that have shaped Seattle’s past and led us to the present. In partnership with the Historic Preservation Program, we are highlighting communities and stories that have not been prioritized in mainstream media or have been left out of the historical narrative. We encourage people who have connections to Seattle’s Black, Indigenous, or people of color communities to submit ideas for creative work.  

Below are some of the topics we are currently interested in exploring. We are also open to hearing your ideas for stories and we welcome pitches on topics not listed below. 

• LGBTQ histories of Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, the original LGBTQ hub in Seattle.  
• Jazz club histories in the Chinatown, Japantown, Little Saigon, Central District and elsewhere.  
• Seattle’s Chinese Girls Drill Team and Filipino Drill Team. 
• Pitch us your own idea!

We strongly encourage personal stories that illuminate a larger historical context in all formats whether written, visual, or audio. 

What to Make 

We do not want to be prescriptive about this. There are so many ways you could choose to tell stories: a written article, photos, illustrations, cartoons, video, music, oral history, or other audio. We are open to all of it. 

If you are interested in participating, you will need to submit a Statement of Interest (see below). If selected to participate, your work will be featured on the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods blog, website, and social media. 

Each participant will receive a $600 stipend upon delivery of the work. The deadline for work submissions will vary. 

Submit a Statement of Interest 

Please submit the following to susie.philipsen@seattle.gov by May 17, 2021: 

• Brief pitch (max 300 words) that loosely describes what you plan to do.  
• Short paragraph (max 300 words) about how you are connected to the community or place you are focused on. 
• Link to or attached sample of your work.