ArtSEA: Nancy Guppy explains why her Art Zone exhibition is important to Seattle

BD: Why do you think art coverage remains at risk in an affluent city with so much art?

NG: One reason for this is that art is not taken seriously. It should be viewed and discussed on the same level as anything else that happens in a city, alongside stories about homelessness and stories about sports. But for some reason art is treated like a silly cousin.

This is so true, even though art and culture are a strong economic engine for the city – and the great hope at the moment seems to be to bring people back to the city center.

The cumulative effect of all this [arts and cultural workers] is the reason Seattle has any appeal for locals and tourists alike. So if you underestimate the importance of art and culture for the city, you’re burying your head in the sand.

Let’s talk about the local art ecosystem. Last spring when I was telling people about my new show Art of NorthwestI’ve often heard, “So now you’re competing with Nancy Guppy!” As if this city wasn’t big enough for more than one arts program.

This is ridiculous. The art ecosystem only works when more voices talk about art. Arts coverage at Crosscut, The Seattle Times, The Stranger – the tide floats all boats. If there is only one voice, no one hears it. We need many voices to make people pay attention.

People on social media have suggested this if Art Zone is taken out of the budget, you might be able to get “a grant” or other funding to maintain it. Does that seem likely?

In addition to the financial challenge of where the money will come from, there is also the question of where the show should be broadcast. Commercial broadcasters won’t give money, let alone airtime, to a show about the local arts scene. Something like this happened maybe about 20 years ago. In the 1990s, Lucy Mohl and Gregg Palmer regularly featured film reviews on the evening news on KING TV!

So what is at stake if Art Zone disappears?

I’m not saying that Art Zone is the be-all and end-all. And Art Zone doesn’t have to be Me do it. But taking away the voice of a local media that tells authentic stories — when there are so few voices reporting on art — is a loss for artists and the city.