Third Way Creative

The Seattle Waterfront is the place to be! It has been exciting and fulfilling to partner with Friends of Waterfront Park this past year. We produced their comprehensive Cultural Masterplan, informing the opening programming and future experiences of Seattle’s Waterfront Park. Our process included nine listening sessions, in which over 140 individuals engaged, and culminated with a plan guided by five values to inform the park’s vision for 2025 and beyond. In 2025 is the highly anticipated opening of newly developed park spaces, overlook areas, and Seattle Aquarium renovations. There will be continual activations featuring pop-up markets, performances, and workshops showcasing the vibrancy and diversity of cultures against the scenic views of nature here in Seattle. https://lnkd.in/gtDqqVfM

Washington State Department of Commerce contracted with Creative West (formerly WESTAF) to establish a Washington creative economy work group, and to then develop a strategic plan to improve the creative economy. In December 2023, Third Way Creative had the privilege of being the Senior Advisor and co-facilitator to create a strategic plan for the Department of Commerce. https://lnkd.in/g6n6-7eM

We had a wonderful time gathering with national arts and cultural policy leaders, enjoying great food, company, and conversations, exploring the intersections of cultural practice and the civic realm. We co-designed, co-produced, and co-facilitated two convenings with forty participants from across the country; themes included civic imagination, the establishment and support of networks of care and capacity, and strategies for meeting the emerging needs of the cultural and public sectors. Continuing convenings will advance the role of arts and culture in supporting a vibrant cultural democracy.

In June 2022, we co-developed and facilitated the Cultural Policy Action Lab (CPAL), an eight-part national learning series and community of practice for arts and culture leaders in the public sector. Created for and with Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) It serves to expand knowledge and applied practice in advancing racial justice through arts and culture policy transformation. The series examines common policy frameworks deployed in the public sector such as grantmaking, public art, placemaking, and arts education, and imagines how we might reshape the underlying policies and policy application for more just outcomes for communities. This led to a cultural policy track at the 2024 GIA conference, and the establishment of a cultural policy committee in 2025. https://lnkd.in/de-wKixa

It’s been a busy couple of years at Third Way Creative, and we wanted to take a moment to recap a few of our projects from 2022-2024, so stay tuned for the updates! The Third Way Creative team has been honored to be a part of strengthening and amplifying the creative pulse in numerous cities across the nation, including our home base of Seattle. None of it would be possible without our passionate and committed community partners, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude for trusting us to be a part of your work.