As part of $250,000 in federal stimulus funds to help preserve dozens of jobs at 22 Seattle arts and cultural organizations, West Seattle's Whit Press will receive $5,000 to support an executive director position.

Mayor Greg Nickels announced today which arts and cultural organizations will receive funding. For a complete list of funded city organizations click here.

“The arts play an important role in our economy, boosting spending in other sectors and contributing to our quality of life,” Nickels said in a release. “We are focused on protecting jobs in all areas of our local economy, and these dollars will help nonprofit arts organizations preserve jobs during difficult economic times.”

Whit Press, located at 4701 S.W. Admiral Way, a nonprofit publishing organization dedicated to the transformational power of the written word, according to its Web site.  

In addition to the city, Whit Press is also funded through the Seattle Foundation, The Hill-Snowdon Foundation and The Glaser Foundation, among others.

The federal funds will help organizations retain or restore salaried and contract jobs, ranging from performers to production staff to business managers and artistic directors. The dollars will support jobs at a range of organizations, including Maureen Whiting Dance, Seattle Chamber Players, Seattle Repertory Theatre, The Center for Wooden Boats, Velocity Dance Center, Wing Luke Asian Museum and the Young Shakespeare Workshop.  

The Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs received the $250,000 award in July from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to re-grant to Seattle organizations to preserve arts jobs threatened by the economic downturn. The NEA had $50 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to distribute nationwide.

The Office of Arts amd Cultural Affairs awarded the stimulus dollars through a competitive application process. A peer panel reviewed more than 80 eligible Seattle arts and cultural organizations for one-time awards of either $5,000 or $15,000 to support staff salaries or contract fees incurred between fall 2009 and summer 2010.

“For many arts organizations, these funds provide a critical stopgap and will help ensure the arts continue to serve the economic, educational and cultural vitality of our city,” said Michael Killoren, director of the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs. “From introducing underprivileged youth to the arts to restoring behind-the-scenes production jobs, these funds will help our artistic community stay on course.”

Earlier this month the Washington State Arts Commission announced $285,000 in federal stimulus funding to 24 nonprofit cultural organizations across the state, including five Seattle organizations. 4Culture, King County’s cultural services agency, will also re-grant $250,000 to county arts organizations in September.

In all, more than $1.2 million will flow to city and county organizations to protect arts jobs. In addition to state, county and city awards, the NEA made public last month direct allocations totaling $450,000 in federal stimulus funds to support jobs at 12 Seattle nonprofit arts organizations.

Seattle’s creative edge attracts good companies, skilled workers and visitors. Seattle ranks first nationally in the number of arts-related businesses per capita. Seattle’s nonprofit arts organizations pump $330 million into the economy each year, according to Americans for the Arts, a national nonprofit arts advocacy organization.

To track the city of Seattle's progress as it seeks federal stimulus funds, visit www.recovery.seattle.gov. This site provides information about the projects for which Seattle is seeking funding, and, if funding is granted, how the money is being spent. Seattle is seeking stimulus funding for projects in the following categories: community development, economic development, energy, environment, public safety, social services and transportation.