The candidates answered a survey about the importance of the arts.

Hisam Goueli Jon Grant Teresa Mosqueda
Please rate your interest in the arts Very interested Very interested Very interested
What arts activities have you and/or your family attended, participated in, or supported during the past year? Check all that apply.
Music music
Theater theater
Broadway Shows broadway shows
Opera opera
Dance dance
Visual visual
Film film
Poetry poetry
Creative Writing creative writing
Photography photography
Folk Arts folk arts
Other
Did you or your children participate in any of the above “arts” activities while in school? yes yes yes
Are you a season subscriber or a member at any local arts organizations? yes yes yes
Please give the top three reasons the arts important to you, your family, and/or your community.
Provide entertainment
Encourage creativity 1 2 2
Create a sense of community 2 3 3
Advance understanding 1 1
Support civic engagement 3
Promote cultural heritage
Draw tourism
Attract a high quality workforce
Drive economic development
Complete a well-rounded education
How familiar are you with the Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) and its programs? Fairly knowledgeable Fairly knowledgeable Limited knowledge
The arts create jobs and produce tax revenue, stimulate business activity, attract tourism revenue, and help businesses attract and retain a quality work force. Strongly agree Strongly agree Strongly agree
The arts are an appropriate concern of state government and should be publicly funded. Strongly agree Strongly agree Strongly agree
Public art improves and enhances public spaces and should be publicly funded. Strongly agree Strongly agree Strongly agree
Basic education funding must include sufficient and equitable resources for all core subjects, including the arts. Strongly agree Strongly agree Strongly agree
The benefits of arts education should be equitably provided to all Washington students. Strongly agree Strongly agree Strongly agree
Can you describe an instance in which you’ve observed an impact of arts learning? Arts education should be a corner stone in education, so that we can actually help kids be successful, stay in school and equalize the disparity that we are seeing.  Four of the six developmental milestones happen before the age of 5.  Why is that important?  The reason that is important is that we should be investing in pre-K, which we are doing now.  When we’re also talking about education we know that arts are incredibly important for increasing peoples quality of life, improving their test scores on STEM, improving their creativity.  It is a social and racial equalizer. We know that the more arts education you have the better you do, the more arts education you have the more likely you are to stay in school and finish. We know that arts education is a deterrent to crime.  We know if we give you arts education year after year it pays off.  There are great arts organizations here like Arts Corps & Creative Justice who have demonstrated success.  So when we are thinking about how we develop an education program, lets fund the arts and actually help kids feel successful. When I volunteered at the Vera Project I would see first hand as youth would build new skills and self-confidence in expressing themselves. The City of Seattle has had a very close relationship with this arts non-profit, and I think exemplifies exactly how the city can support fostering new artistic talent in our city. Community engagement is paramount in our city and arts have a special way of connecting each individual to a greater whole. This is what’s amazing about art; while we can all have different experiences, we are able to take those experiences to shape a better culture.

This year, the Washington State Labor Council commissioned a mural for its facade—we hired talented, local and now union artists to create visual representations of the labor movement in our community and at large. This, for me, is what’s special about arts and arts learning—it’s an entry point for all of us to learn and become better citizens.

I participated plays throughout my childhood, I took art class including panting, pottery and drawing growing up. I continue enjoy the arts – we have a subscription to the SAM, and we enjoy going to plays, concerts and shows throughout Seattle.