City Of Seattle Expected To Elevate Black Artists And Recovery With Appointment Of Royal Alley-Barnes

Royal Alley Barnes

On Wednesday, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced that Royal Alley-Barnes has been named interim director of ARTS, becoming the first Black woman to hold that position. As director, Alley-Barnes will lead ARTS during this critical time of recovery as the next administration seeks a new permanent director.

“I am incredibly pleased that Royal Alley-Barnes has agreed to serve as acting director of the Department of Arts and Culture. I am confident that Royal is the right person to lead ARTS as we focus on helping BIPOC and underrepresented artists recover from the significant effects of COVID-19, ”said Durkan. “In addition to being incredibly accomplished, Royal is a devoted parishioner and civil servant. We couldn’t be more grateful that she agreed to head one of Seattle’s most desirable city departments. “

“There couldn’t have been a more up-to-date and excellent selection than Royal Alley-Barnes. She is an extremely talented and giving artist herself. She has also managed a variety of large city projects for the Parks Department – Business and Contracts, Central Region Administration, and has taken on the role of running the Woodland Park Zoo, “said Larry Gossett, former King County Council member “Does not do justice to the number of local authorities who have helped her prepare for exams and / or develop unique budgeting strategies to save them huge sums of money. Her middle name could be changed to” innovator “and no one would blind blink.”

“We couldn’t have a better director for the Department of Arts and Culture than Royal Alley-Barnes. She is a lifelong advocate for art, culture, social justice, education and the civic health of our community. Congratulations to Royal and congratulations to us, ”said Marie McCaffrey, Executive Director and Founder of HistoryLink.

Alley-Barnes was previously Executive Director of the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center in Seattle Parks and Woodland Park Zoo Director. She previously worked as a budget and policy analyst in the city budget office. As the first black director of ARTS, Director Alley-Barnes will raise the voice of the color communities in Seattle’s art and culture.

The art scene has been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. From managing shutdowns, quarantines, social distancing, and reduced budgets, the pandemic has tossed significant curve balls at creators in Seattle. Seattle Arts worked hard to support their community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Director Alley-Barnes will lead ARTS while Seattle and King County work to stabilize and fund the arts and artists in the Seattle area.

Alley-Barnes has had a prestigious career bringing art, community and public service together. For more than 40 years, she has nurtured generations of artists through lecturing and teaching, and showcased across a wide range of artistic media and platforms: from art history and education to a range of visual arts, while at the same time building a community by sharing Seattle’s various Cultures to harness collective power. Her work in the arts has been an overarching influence influencing her work in the public sector as she helped determine the highest and best uses for four urban art institutions.

Alley-Barnes has a long list of awards and accreditations, including the University of Washington’s prestigious Charles E. Odegaard Award for Outstanding Achievement (2008), City of Seattle Youth Commissioner (2009), and the John C. Little Spirit Award (2010). , and Ford Motor Company National “Freedom Sister” Award (2012).

Alley-Barnes will work closely with the new administration to ensure that ARTS values ​​are represented in a community-driven, inclusive search process for a permanent director.