41 el       Minutes Exhibit B
orA        Port Commission Regular Meeting
x Jt                     of September 24, 2019
Arguing for a 1% for the artsLe

Tyna Ontko

Born and raised in the Seattle area, I have watched this city grow and change and
rapidly expand over my 28 years. I believe the integral role that the arts has played in the
constant regeneration ofSeattle has helped to instill creativity as a force within its
cultural framework, one with the power to revitalize our urban spaces and in turn our
communities.
I have had the honor and privilege to work within the arts community here over the past
decade. During this time I have exhibited my own work locally, received funding from
Artist Trust among other in-town organizations to see through personal projects, and
have recently worked with two internationally renowned artists who are both in the

process of completing large-scale projects with the Port of Seattle-- previously, as a studio
assistant to the artist John Grade, and currently, as a studio manager to the artist Marela
Zacarias. I can personally speak to the attention to detail that the design, fabrication and
installation of projects on this scale require. Specifically in my experience as the point

person for budgeting at Marela's studio, I see the direct effects of how funding influences
the creation and the outcome of public art, in times of plenty and in times of need. Both
Marela and John are currently slated to install projects in highly trafficked pedestrian
environments within new wings of the SeaTac Airport, where their impact on such a large
audience has the potential to instill a shared sense of experience. Working with public art
has given me insight into the nature of building environment within a city, and how our
experience in the space we inhabit can play a significant role in shaping a collective sense
of identity.
I support a 1% initiative for the arts in Seattle because in affording these kinds of
opportunities to a broad array of artists, we are strengthening the network of voices who
contribute to the vibrancy of both our city and our experience within it. The spaces in
which we lead our daily lives deserve recognition as an integral dimension of our
heritage, and should be considered as linked into a communal sense of belonging, for us
and for future generations to share.