by jasminemahmoud

Bobby Goodwin, Seattle City Council District 3 Candidate — 2023 Primary Election

CANDIDATE: Bobby Goodwin, Seattle City Council District 3 Candidate

ARTS PLATFORM

What is your arts platform? 

Seattle used to be a city that was known for it’s music scene and was generally associated with all sorts of creative arts, but unfortunately now our city’s name is most commonly invoked in conversation about a place with dysfunctional government failing to make progress on a growing homelessness with an addiction epidemic spiraling out of control.

I want to see that change.  Some of that will depend on making meaningful progress in confronting those two challenges, but some of it will also depend on highlighting and supporting our arts community – which is still thriving! 

I recently visited a friend down in Eureka, CA, a town that is struggling in many ways, and yet has made tremendous progress in redefining itself as an arts mecca and destination in Northern California.  The town is filled with some spectacular murals and part of how it happened was they have an annual week-long Street Art Festival in which local and international artists come together and paint murals and create street art throughout the city!  I want to see Seattle doing something similar!

Another part of my platform is a plan to propose legislation that would bar the secondary re-sale of tickets to performances above face value.  A similar bill went before the State legislature earlier this year but sadly it died in committee.  Many of us are frustrated by so many predatory scalpers scooping up tickets to popular concerts only to turn around and price so many fans out.  Nobody loves paying a lot for a show, but when you do, you damn sure want to know most of that money is going to the performer, venue and other necessary players, not just greedy interlopers.  We could achieve this at very little cost to the taxpayer by adopting a penalty system that imposes increasing financial penalties on any secondary ticket marketplaces like stubhub or even ticketmaster for violations.

How do the arts reflect the voices, perspectives, and communities in your district? What are challenges and opportunities? 

District 3 is extraordinarily diverse and made up of individuals from every socioeconomic class, creed, and culture.  Whether we’re talking about the Seattle Odon Festival, the upcoming UMOJA Fest 2023, or even this weekend’s Seattle Gothic Picnic, there are constantly opportunities to expand one’s horizons by exploring new cultures or reinforce community connection by celebrating amongst one’s chosen or ancestral cultural events.  It’s important to continue to stay vigilant in promoting acceptance and respect for our diversity while standing together against hateful rhetoric and being unified in opposition to all who would seek to repress or diminish expression. 

How do you envision the arts as part of the Seattle, especially as part of critical issues including access, affordability, displacement, education, and racial equity? Do you have any policy ideas around addressing these issues? 

Our schools are struggling, and budget shortfalls are predicted to place ever increasing strain on the educational system and the dedicated teachers who sacrifice so much to inform and inspire the next generation of Seattleites.  We know it is almost always the arts that are first to be on the chopping block when difficult decisions are made, we must not let that happen.  By whatever means necessary we need to find the money, ideally a new progressive revenue source like a capital gains tax.

Seattle has already instituted special rules regarding evictions protecting families with kids under 18 from eviction during the school year, but many communities are unaware of these laws and end up still facing evictions after intimidation by unscrupulous landlords. We need to make sure information about this and other programs is made widely accessible and in as many different languages as possible to ensure they are realizing their purpose.

The aftershocks of Covid are still being felt by artists and cultural organizations. Please share policy ideas you may have that aim to stabilize the cultural industry and increase cultural engagement to increase quality of life for communities across Seattle? If you don’t have policy ideas right now, what process would you initiate to determine new opportunities in these areas? 

The Seattle Arts Commission which is part of Seattle’s Office of Arts and Culture currently has six vacancies out of 16.  I will make sure to reach out to as many diverse groups representing as many different communities as possible and fill up the commission ASAP.  There are more than enough passionate people in the city but the city is failing to properly promote the commission and seemingly also failing to incorporate many of the ideas and suggestions that are produced.

How do you plan to work with governmental agencies including the Office of Arts and Culture and the Seattle Arts Commission?

See above.  I will make sure at least on a monthly basis to connect with the Commission to stay appraised of any current challenges the arts community is facing and to collaborate in creating and supporting events in the city.

Describe a meaningful arts experience that has stayed with you over time. How have the arts affected your life? 

Wow, this is a difficult question.  I love connecting with the arts – it is a breath of fresh air when I can step out of the world of criminal defense.  My favorite artistic medium is music, and I have been to literally hundreds of concerts over the years.  One of those concerts that stands out was from a favorite band, Cloud Cult, who was performing at The Neptune.  Their shows are unique in that they tour with an artist who paints live during the concert and afterwards the piece gets auctioned off.  I found myself in a bidding war with two others and in the end we were left to each make one final blind bid, and I won!  (a very expensive victory mind you)  The painting is my most prized piece of art and is prominently displayed in my home.