Unfurling a Gesture art at the Union Street Pedestrian Bridge

The central goal of the waterfront project is to reconnect the city with its waterfront. To that end, arts, culture, and indigenous history play a large role on Seattle's waterfront.    

Publicly Sited Artworks

The design team worked closely with the art team to ensure that art was physically integrated into the waterfront as it was redeveloped, and that artists were provided with the space and infrastructure they needed to produce their work.  The overall vision for the art program is documented in the Working Plan for Art on the Central Waterfront.

These artworks were commissioned with Central Waterfront and Alaskan Way Seawall Bond 1% for Art funds and administered by the Office of Arts & Culture and the Office of the Waterfront and Civic Projects. The Central Waterfront 1% funds are derived from city sources, Friends of Waterfront Park philanthropy, and Waterfront Local Improvement District funds.   

Publicly Sited Artworks

Guardrails that change from blue to green with the artwork design. Land Buoy Bells uses industrial materials – steel tank ends - and transforms them into a set of five instruments. A crane and a worker installing Seawall Strata A drawing showing what the installed artwork will look like A rendering showing the installed artwork Rendering of the installed artwork The pedestrian bridge showing two artworks The Waterfront Fountain in its new location during the sunset. Stretching over three blocks, Oscar Tuazon designed a series of post and beam structures that reference traditional longhouse architecture.  Honoring Our Muckleshoot Warriors by Tyson Simmons and Keith Stevenson, carved this warrior figure This bronze fountain by the late artist George Tsutakawa was restored and reinstalled in a new basin at Columbia St. Buster Simpson’s installation consists of fourteen Anthropomorphic Dolosse and fifteen SeaBearer units and is located at the foot of Yesler Way.

Interpretive Signage

An example of interpretive signage along the waterfront

We worked with HistoryLink, graphic designers, and an advisory group of community and tribal members to develop signage that tells the waterfront story of the original shoreline, native plants, workers on the waterfront, transportation uses, and more.  With the goal of connecting visitors to Seattle’s evolving waterfront through the perspectives of the people who shaped it, this signage focuses on new voices and stories to convey the spirit of this place.   

Other art and events on the Waterfront:  

Friends of Waterfront Park Events: 

Our partners at the Friends of Waterfront Park are activating the Waterfront with music, cultural festivals, temporary art installations, and other events. Visit their site for up-to-date information on their offerings.  

A temporary art installation on Railway Way.

Friends of Waterfront Park installed temporary art featuring indigenous artists along Railroad Way.

Olympic Sculpture Park 

This park is part of the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and is free and open 365 days a year. Located at 2901 Western Avenue, Seattle WA 98121, you can see this collection of monumental sculptures while continuing to walk, bike, or roll along the waterfront. 
 
The waterfront is also very close to the downtown Seattle Art Museum. 

A prominent large red metal sculpture called 'The Eagle' with the Space Needle behind it.
 

Other Public Art Around the City

The City of Seattle has a collection of hundreds of public artworks around Seattle. See all publicly sited artworks in the City's Civic Art Collection.

Other agencies such as 4 Culture (King County), ARTSWA State of Washington, STart (Sound Transit), as well as private entities have artworks throughout the city including the waterfront.