Supersones performance at Spotlight on the Waterfront 2023. Photo by Jo Cosme.
Waterfront Park Programming Roster
Join our roster today!
A directory of local performing artists, creatives, instructors, and community organizations eager to engage in programming at Waterfront Park! Join our diverse roster of partners as we seek collaborators to enrich our upcoming programs and events. This roster is not for interested vendors. Please see below for vendor information.
About The Roster
Friends of Waterfront Park (“Friends”), is establishing a roster for the 2025 programming season and beyond. This roster is open to new, past, and existing partners and performing artists who are interested in collaborating with us.
It is important to note that being included in this roster does not guarantee specific opportunities with Friends of Waterfront Park.
The roster serves as a dynamic resource that enables us to stay connected with a diverse pool of talent and organizations. As new opportunities arise, we will refer to the roster to explore potential collaborations and partnerships. If you are a vendor interested in vending at Waterfront Park, please visit our vending webpage here.
About Friends
In deep collaboration with individuals, communities, and institutional partners, Friends of Waterfront Park’s mission is creating, caring for, and activating a renewed place of connection on Seattle’s central shoreline. As the non-profit partner, Friends is continuing to raise $170M to support programming, construction, public safety and maintenance at Waterfront Park.
Since 2020, Friends of Waterfront Park has co-created, curated, and hosted diverse events like dance performances, yoga sessions, music shows, and cultural festivals.
The park’s completion in 2025 will bring expanded programming to new areas, enriching downtown’s cultural landscape.
DANDY performs at Spotlight on the Waterfront in 2023.
Who Can Join the Roster?
We highly encourage individuals and groups from historically marginalized communities to join the roster, including, but not limited to: disabled, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, and youth. Prioritization will be made for Puget Sound and Greater Seattle-based individuals and groups.
We are Currently Seeking Performing artists, Instructors, and Community-Based Organizations/Nonprofits that are interested in:
- Winter & Fall Activations (e.g., Lighting installations)
- Movement, Wellness, Play
- Family and Youth
- Performance (e.g., Music, dance, comedy, spoken word)
- Storytelling
- Visual Arts
- Festivals
- Multidisciplinary (E.g., Various performing arts)
- Advanced Media (E.g., Virtual/augmented reality)
- Cultural Celebrations
- Community or Social Services
- Design Exhibitions (E.g. Fashion, art)
- Workshops (E.g., Crafts, woodworking, painting, sewing)
- And more!
Who should NOT submit to join the roster?
- Event Rentals: If you are an organization or for-profit business seeking to rent areas of Waterfront Park for public or private events, please visit this link instead. The roster is not intended for event rentals.
- Food and Retail Vendors/Business: Food and retail businesses who are interested in vending along Waterfront Park or at events should NOT fill out the roster form. Please visit our vending page here for more information and join our newsletter to stay up to date on vending opportunities.
Is your idea a good fit?
Check out our past events here.
See the array of events that have been brought to the Waterfront.
Check out our Cultural Master Plan here.
In the fall of 2023, Friends hosted 11 roundtables with 148 programming and community partners to co-envision the future of the park, which culminated in the Cultural Master Plan, launched in June of 2024. This plan has been instrumental in shaping our work and will be our guiding star as we look to develop future programming along the park.
Baseline Requirements
- Is your idea or performance all-ages appropriate for families with young children?
- Does your event engage diverse audiences and promote inclusivity?
- Is your idea free and accessible to the general public?
- Does your idea or performance comply with the safety regulations and guidelines of the park?
- Can the implementation of your idea be conducted outdoors?
If you answered yes to these questions, we’d love for you to join the roster!
How to Join and What's the Process?
Joining the Roster
- No Deadline: There is no specific deadline for submitting your information to join the roster. You can submit your information at any time. The sooner you join the roster, however, the sooner our team can learn about you and the higher likelihood we’ll be able to reach out about potential partnership!
- Eligibility: Any individual, group (such as artists, performers, instructors, etc.), or nonprofit organization is eligible to submit their information to the roster. Once you submit your information, you are automatically added to the roster. If you are deemed ineligible, our team will reach out to you to redirect your inquiry or seek further clarification. Please see more information in “Who can Apply” above.
- Submitting Multiple Ideas: Only one submission is required for an individual or group. You can include multiple ideas in a single submission. If you would like to submit new ideas after your first submission, please email [email protected] to edit your application.
- Referrals: While submitting your information, you can opt into allowing Friends to share your information with our partner organizations who may also be interested in partnering with you (e.g., Seattle Center, Downtown Seattle Association, etc.).
Once you are on the roster
- Community Input: Our Community Partnership Committees have played a critical role informing this process and will continue to be involved in the Programming Roster process.
- Potential Partnership: Friends will review the roster on an ongoing basis to identify partners as opportunities arise. Our team will reach out to roster applicants if there are available opportunities in a given year.
- Annual Updates: Once you are on the roster, you will receive biannual check-in emails to ensure your information is up to date and whether you would like to remain on the roster each year.
Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions or accommodation requests.
We appreciate your interest in joining our roster, and we look forward to exploring potential partnerships and creating exciting experiences at Waterfront Park in the upcoming seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Friends reviews roster submissions on an ongoing basis to identify partners as opportunities arise. Once you are on the roster, you will receive biannual check-in emails to ensure your information is up to date and whether you would like to remain on the roster each year.
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Yes, financial support will be provided and can range from a couple hundred dollars (e.g., workshop instructors) to a couple thousand dollars (e.g., live performances, Spotlight series, etc.) depending on the terms of your agreement. Partners can expect Friends to discuss these details during the contracting phase where we will collaboratively explore production needs, budget, event duration, logistics, and other considerations that will help determine the level of support available.
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Friends of Waterfront Park will help to support your program with production and marketing depending on the terms of your agreement contract.
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It depends on the location and available budget. If a partner is identified through the roster and a stage is needed, program planners will discuss your production needs and possibilities.
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Once you are on the roster, your information will be kept on the roster for review by our team each year. You are able to submit new ideas each year. If you wish to remove yourself from the roster or update your information, please reach out to [email protected].
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Depends on the program type. For example, in 2024, our Spotlight series was hosted on Thursday evenings from 6-8 pm. Other programs are flexible to various days and times of the year.
