Olympia Artspace Alliance Port and Olympia School Board Candidates Survey
Olympia Artspace Alliance sent a survey to the candidates running for Port Commission, Olympia School Board and County Commissioner to find out their impression of the arts in Olympia and what they believe the City’s role is in supporting the arts. Four of the seven candidates in the Port race responded and three of the six in the School Board race responded and zero out of four County Commissioner candidates responded. Below are the questions and answers.
Port Commission
From left to right, Bill McGregor, Maggie Sanders, Troy Kirby and Rose Chiu Gundersen. Photos are from the Thurston County Voters Guide.
What arts and culture events, performances and experiences have you attended in the last year?
Bill McGregor, Port of Olympia commissioner, District 1: Choir presentations by various churches around Christmas time.
Maggie Sanders, Port of Olympia District 4: Arts walk, capital city pride, boat works, numerous tribal art communities and groups all over that support native artists who work in the PNW
Troy Kirby - Port Commissioner District 5: Arts Walk, Kris Kingle Market, Film Festivals, Oktoberfest, Harbor Days, Lakefair, etc.
Rose Chiu Gundersen, Port Commission District 4: Modern dance performance, musicals, but I tend to spend my time biking, kayaking, and reading.
How might the city contribute to affordable living and workspace for art and artists?
Bill McGregor, Port of Olympia commissioner, District 1: provide an art space for those with artistic ambitions, display of art work in public spaces
Maggie Sanders, Port of Olympia District 4: We need to take immediate steps toward cultivating more affordable workspaces to ensure that artists continue to generate creative energy in community spaces that provide value and opportunities for artists who have been impacted by costly workspaces for their creative projects.
Troy Kirby - Port Commissioner District 5: As a downtown business owner, I think it matters that we contribute to the overall viability of the area. I think we should be looking more at usable space in storefronts not currently operational - the one across from my business at 4th and capitol is a big example of this, which has been used as arts space for a while and has helped draw new people to the area.
Rose Chiu Gundersen, Port Commission District 4: Subsidize art space and design park walks featuring art work.
How will you balance economic needs of our area with other concerns, including the natural environment and quality of life?
Bill McGregor, Port of Olympia commissioner, District 1: supporting the economic development (a mandated Port responsibility) to create jobs, evaluating the impact on the environment (a necessary Port Responsibility) and improve quality of life for all citizens (an absolute Port responsibility) of each proposal brought forward for consideration.
Maggie Sanders, Port of Olympia District 4: I will work to balance the budget to provide sustainable transparency and accountability in economic development as well as community and workforce development. I am a proven leader and have been an environmental champion for decades. I will implement strong policies and strategies for environmental sustainability and stewardship in all all aspects of decision making as well as opportunities for community development driving collaboration and partnerships to strengthen our community. I will work for strong workforce development programs that are sustainable that will assist with the growth of technological innovation for transition and deployment into clean and green energy, moving the port into the 21st century in a sustainable future.
Troy Kirby - Port Commissioner District 5: All of it becomes a balance. We still need an operational port in order to do these things, especially down at the Marine terminal. One of the bigger issues is supporting the East Bay project with hotel space - each of those hotel rooms will contribute to the LTAC funding - when the legislature is in town during each session, they will fill that hotel, along with lobbyists and concerned citizens. Once the Olympia Hotel turns into affordable housing, that puts hotel space at a premium. If you don't have that East Bay project or enough hotel space, those dollars go to Tacoma - they just drive down here each down for session, and we end up having no LTAC money for Arts Walk and other funding projects.
Rose Chiu Gundersen, Port Commission District 4: The Port cannot do any of these alone, and that is why my strategic and collaborative leadership will be vital making our community the destination to attract diverse employers paying living-wage/union jobs because of a well trained workforce. Collaboration with partners are needed to ensure the Budd Inlet restoration and the removal of the dam downtown to reestablish the estuary to its natural environment are well-coordinated. In 2-3 years, I want to make Destination Waterfront a reality with amenities available to public access, and the Port will work with partners to stay ahead of environmental and growth opportunities.
Olympia School Board
From left to right, Talauna Reed, Hilary Seidel and Maria Flores
What arts and culture events, performances and experiences have you attended in the last year?
Talauna Reed, Olympia School District, No. 1 Oregon Shakespeare Festival (4 plays), Hamilton at Paramount, Griswold Broadway Vacation at 5th Ave, Sweeny Todd at 5th Ave, Michelangelo Up-close in Bellevue, Artswalk Olympia, Magic Show at the Washington Center, Ain't to Proud at Paramount, Jagged Little Pill at the Paramount, Dino Alive Seattle, Seattle Children's Theatre, 1776 at 5th Ave, and have tickets to Cirque Mechanics Zephyr, God is a Scottish Drag Queen, Potted Potter at the Washington Center
Hilary Seidel, Olympia School District, No. 4: youth and adult theatrical performances (school and community), school concerts, ArtsWalk, community choral performances, South Sound Block Party
Maria Flores, Olympia School Board District, No. 1: I’ve attended several orchestra concerts at the Washington Center, plays and arts exhibitions at schools within Olympia School District and always attend ArtsWalk and Procession of the Species (pre- Covid shut down).
What will you do to increase access and participation in arts education for youth in and out of school?
Talauna Reed, Olympia School District, No. 1 I would work with the school board, staff, parents, and community partners to build access to the arts. Art docents, arts organizations, and highly qualified staff would work together to bring the best art possible to all students, especially underserved and vulnerable populations. I would guide the school district to apply for and utilize grant funding to increase access.
Hilary Seidel, Olympia School District, No. 4: Our school board was an early and strong supporter of the Inspire Olympia campaign and we continue to explore ways to help the city leverage these resources to increase access for students and their families. Within our schools - we have nearly doubled the amount of art and music our elementary students receive and maintained middle and high school access to visual and performing arts despite reduced funding from the state. I'm also particularly excited about the art apprenticeship program that has started at Avanti High School which pairs advanced students with practicing artists in our community.
Maria Flores, Olympia School Board District, No. 1: I deeply believe in arts education. When I was in 4th grade and a homeless student in Edmonds School District- I was given the opportunity to pick an instrument to play at no cost to my family. 32 years later and I am acccomplished cellist who was able to successfully audition and become 2nd chair cellist in the symphony orchestras of my high school and Whitman College without private lessons because I was fortunate enough to attend a school that valued accessible, equitable arts education for all students. During my time on the Olympia School Board I have advocated for sustained arts funding, worked with our city partners to support the creation of the art space initiatives at the Armory and am currently working on a project to create an instrument resource room for musicians. I am also planning to organize a volunteer group of musicians within the school district who would be willing to provide no cost lessons and technical assistance to young musicians like me who do not have the means for private lessons.
What will you do to ensure that every child has access to complete education that includes the arts?
Talauna Reed, Olympia School District, No. 1 The arts are a core academic subject in federal law. I would work to elevate the arts to that level at all grade levels. This means hiring highly qualified arts teachers, who work with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Students need to be exposed to arts from the youngest of ages with music, visual art, and theatre as a part of their daily learning. There is a strong connection and data driven research that shows that the arts increase academic and social emotional learning. I would make this information part of a communication plan for the district on the need for increased arts. Increased course offerings would build graduation pathways through the arts into career and technical education and to a post-secondary plan.
Hilary Seidel, Olympia School District, No. 4: I have consistently and will continue to prioritize funding for visual and performing arts at all levels of our school district.
Maria Flores, Olympia School Board District, No. 1: I mentioned some of my work and plans to ensure that every child has access to a complete education that includes the arts in the last question- but to expand upon it further- I know both through lived experience and as a former teacher that arts education is part of well balanced education and incorporating arts instruction and activities both on their own and in other subject areas helps students gain mastery of the learning standards and feel the connected to their learning. Learning to read music helped me finally unlock fractions and ratios in my math class, just as understanding different visual art movements like Impressionism helped me glean a more holistic understand of world history. My focus on sustaining arts education as a board member has been on maintaining and expanding funding for our elementary arts specialists and curriculum, reducing barriers to equitable participation in the arts by providing free instruments, materials and equipment at the elementary
What role do you think creativity can play in supporting key priorities of the school district, such as reducing dropout rates, closing the achievement gap, and preparing more students for college eligibility and meaningful careers?
Talauna Reed, Olympia School District, No. 1 As a former arts teacher, writer on the National Core Arts Standards, and someone that has worked with both the Professional Standards board for Theatre Arts teachers and OSPI on arts standards and benchmarks, I know that research is clear that arts increase student learning at all levels. In addition, pro social engagement in art activities creates a sense of safety and belonging which builds a student's self-esteem, gives them problem solving skills, and heightens critical thinking. Students must be given the opportunity to engage in the arts.
Hilary Seidel, Olympia School District, No. 4: As a theater student myself, I know firsthand that an education rich in the arts helps students build on the essential skills that are transferable across many careers--such as communication, organization, teamwork, persistence, and flexible thinking. These skills are also critical for helping students make it across the graduation stage. Additionally, a wide variety of art offerings gives students the unique opportunity to tell their own stories and express themselves authentically--which is critical to developing a sense of belonging in our schools.
Maria Flores, Olympia School Board District, No. 1: Arts education is a key strategy in closing the opportunity gap for students of color, students experiencing poverty and homelessness and students who are LGBTQIA +. As research as demonstrated, students who have meaningful arts education become proficient on standardized tests and formative assessments, experience better mental and physical health outcomes and feel a deeper sense of belonging and connectedness with their schools and community. Simply put, art is the reason many of our students come to school and art is the method through which they understand their world and are able to process their emotions and experience catharsis. I wrote a poem about my experience in orchestra as one of my college entrance essays to Whitman College, which felt like a big risk at the time. I remember thinking about how I could stand out and be able to elevate the role of orchestra in my life in a way that was authentic to my identity. I also thought “ well if they cannot receive this poem as an example of my experiences then I don’t want up attend this college!” But it was the very passion that I shared in my poem that did make me unique and allowed me to become the first person in my family to attend college with a nearly full scholarship. All because someone handed me a cello in 4th grade and believed that I had music inside of me even if I didn’t have a place to live.
Inspire Olympia/Cultural Access was approved by Olympia voters in 2022, with funding becoming available in the next year. What is your understanding about this new funding program? What are your hopes for how Olympia students and schools will benefit from it?
Talauna Reed, Olympia School District, No. 1 Inspire Olympia provides a reliable source of public funding that sustains a healthy, visible, and inclusive nonprofit cultural, making creative cultural experiences accessible for all. There are two basic funding plans. First, it provides cultural access for public schools including transportation for school children to attend art performances and events. In addition, this funding will support hands on learning experience in the arts including in school and after school. Teacher training is also available. The second is to create funding for arts organizations that serve Olympia, especially for underserved populations. This program will provide much needed support for Olympia School District and arts organizations in Olympia.
Hilary Seidel, Olympia School District, No. 4: Inspire Olympia is all about creating access. When we as a board discussed the benefit of this initiative and its potential impact on our students, our hope was that the program would eventually help remove barriers for students to participate in and experience the arts/culture/etc., such as transportation, fees, etc. Another hoped for benefit of Inspire Olympia is the strengthening and diversifying of the arts community in Olympia. This is an important if not obvious benefit to our students--the more feasible working as an artist is in our community, the more access our students will have to the arts and the more likely they are to see a career pathway for themselves in the arts. A strong and diverse arts community in Olympia will also strengthen the opportunities for our students to work directly with practicing artists. The advisory board of Inspire Olympia has strong representation from people who understand the existing assets and needs of our school community. I'm excited to see how the staff and families of our district collaborate with our local non-profits to create a shared vision of how this incredible opportunity can make the greatest impact for Olympia students.
Maria Flores, Olympia School Board District, No. 1: I am incredibly excited by Inspire Olympia and have been a fervent supporter of it! I understand that a portion of the tax will be reserved for the school district to provide low or no cost arts programming and access to cultural events in Olympia. I am grateful for the intentional focus on equity and I am hopeful these funds could also be used to possibly offer a instrument bank for low income students in the future.