About SlipStitch 

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What SlipStitch Is

 

SlipStitch is a 501(c)(3) contemporary art organization and gallery based in Seattle’s Georgetown District. We’re a neighborhood-facing space built around a simple belief: artists help communities thrive and for the public to benefit from what artists make possible, life as an artist has to be more sustainable and more fairly rewarded.

 

We host socially contextual exhibitions and public programs that welcome people in, spark conversation, and create real opportunity for BIPOC and underrepresented artists. We also work to strengthen local small businesses by bringing consistent cultural foot traffic into the district.

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Why We Exist

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Seattle has no shortage of creativity, but access to the “art world” can still feel gated by cost, by insider networks, by the assumption that you already know the rules.

 

SlipStitch is here to lower those barriers.

 

We’re building an art ecosystem where:

• Neighbors can experience ambitious contemporary work without needing a special invitation

• Artists are treated as cultural workers who deserve fair pay and professional support

• Local businesses benefit from events and partnerships that bring people into Georgetown

• Underrepresented voices are centered not as a trend, but as a long-term commitment

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Our Mission

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SlipStitch builds an inclusive, accessible art ecosystem that creates opportunity for BIPOC and underrepresented artists, engages community neighbors, and strengthens local small businesses through socially contextual exhibitions, education, and cultural entrepreneurship.​​

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Our Values (What You Can Expect From Us)

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• Accessibility: Art is for everyone welcoming, affordable, and family-friendly.

• Artist-Centered: Artists deserve fair compensation, professional support, and real opportunity.

• Social Context: We champion work that engages the lived realities shaping our communities.

• Inclusive: We prioritize BIPOC artists and underrepresented voices.

• Community-Rooted: We build long-term relationships with neighbors and district partners.

• Sustainable: We value practices that support long-term artist livelihoods and responsible use of resources.

• Entrepreneurial: We use art to catalyze local commerce, collaboration, and experimentation.

 

What We Do (Programs + Public Benefit)

 

Juried Themed Exhibitions (Up to 8 per year)

 

We produce themed juried calls that respond to the social context of the moment. Exhibitions are open to local, regional, national, and international artists across career stages and mediums. To reduce barriers, we offer need-based fee waivers (including one free application for every ten submissions), with priority for BIPOC and Georgetown-based artists.

 

Public benefit:

• Free or low-cost access to timely, socially relevant artwork

• Themes that make contemporary art easier to enter through statements, talks, and contextual materials (as capacity allows)

• Partnerships with schools and community groups to broaden reach

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Artist Roster (Professional Support + Grant-Funded Projects)

 

Our Artist Roster is a cohort supported through tailored scopes of work; portfolio development, non-exclusive representation, coaching, solo exhibitions, and launching new bodies of work. Roster projects are often larger in scope, planned in advance, and primarily grant-funded. They’re designed to create meaningful opportunities in the creative economy supporting artists not only as sellers of objects, but as educators, fabricators, collaborators, and cultural leaders.

 

Public benefit:

• Ambitious exhibitions and programs that can stay free or low-cost

• Multi-site and technology-enabled access (digital programming, offsite activations, documentation)

• Capacity-building that strengthens the broader cultural ecosystem

 

Public Programs + Events

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We host community-facing programs like artist talks, tours, and district events (including Georgetown Art Attack). The goal isn’t just “attendance” it’s sustained engagement: reasons to return, bring a friend, and feel like the gallery belongs to you.

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Who This Is For

 

SlipStitch is for:

• Neighbors who want something real to do in Georgetown whether you’re an art person or not

• Families looking for welcoming, accessible cultural experiences

• Artists seeking opportunity, fair pay, and a space that takes their work seriously

• Small businesses who want more foot traffic, stronger neighborhood identity, and creative partnerships

• Other nonprofits and community orgs who want a cultural partner for programs, events, and outreach

 

How We Work With Partners

 

We love collaborations that are practical, respectful, and mutually beneficial. Here are a few ways we can work together:

• Co-host a public program (talk, workshop, panel, pop-up)

• Cross-promote events and seasonal programming

• Create district “art + commerce” activations (gallery nights, neighborhood trails, special offers)

• Partner on accessibility (ASL interpretation, captioning, multilingual materials)

• Support youth/community learning through tours or artist-led education

 

If you have an idea, we’re open to it, especially if it helps more people feel welcome in contemporary art.

 

How You Can Support (Without Being a “Sponsor”)

 

You don’t have to be a major donor to be part of this.

 

Show up

• Visit an exhibition

• Bring a friend

• Attend an artist talk or community event

 

Spread the word

• Share our programming with your networks

• Invite your organization or workplace to visit

 

Collaborate

• If you’re a nonprofit, let’s build a program together

• If you’re a small business, let’s create a partnership that brings people into the district

 

Give what you can

If you’re able, donations help cover the community-facing costs that keep SlipStitch accessible and artist-centered—artist honoraria, production and installation, accessibility services, outreach, and public program materials.

 

Offer in-kind support

 

In-kind donations can be just as impactful as cash. We can often use:

• Exhibition + event support (lighting, pedestals, framing, printing, signage, AV)

• Hospitality (snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, compostable serviceware)

• Marketing + documentation (photo/video, design, printing, web support)

• Operations (office supplies, shipping, storage, cleaning)

• Professional services (legal, accounting, IT, accessibility services)

 

What We’re Building (The Bigger Picture)

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SlipStitch’s Art Events Initiative is built for measurable, cross-sector impact. Artists receive paid honoraria, documentation, visibility, and sales opportunities. Audiences gain accessible entry points into contemporary work and reasons to return.

Georgetown benefits through increased foot traffic, stronger cultural identity, and partnerships with local organizations and small businesses.

 

Stay Connected

• Website:  www.slipstitchstudio.com 

• Email:  connect@slipstitchstudio.com 

• Visit: 6107 13th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98108 (Georgetown)

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"Thanks for taking the time to learn about SlipStitch. If you’re someone who believes art should be part of everyday life and that artists deserve more than exposure, then you already understand what we’re trying to build. We’d love to meet you in the gallery."

- Otto Chan | Founder & Board President