Columbia City Gallery celebrates its 20th anniversary with multiple events in the neighborhood this May and June. All events are free and open to the public.

20-Year Members’ Retrospective
May 15 – June 23, 2019

Anniversary Bash & Artists’ Reception
Saturday, May 18, 2019, 5-8pm

Artists’ Studio Sale
June 22, 10:00-4:00pm

Columbia City Gallery provides wide-ranging arts exhibits and experiences and has presented more than 300 exhibits over the past 20 years. The Gallery has two components: as a cooperative gallery, member artists have the opportunity to exhibit their work, participate in gallery operations, and connect with other artists. The Community Gallery offers exhibition opportunities for visual artists who reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of Southeast Seattle or create art that explores issues relevant to the experience and challenges faced by local marginalized populations. Recent exhibits have included Black Lives Matter, several student exhibits, Layers of the Habib, and Crows Shadow, Native American prints.

The idea for a community gallery arose while a group of artists were painting a mural on the Darigold Factory along Rainier Ave S. The artists agreed that a gallery would be an asset for the neighborhood, and approached SEEDArts for support. Columbia City Gallery opened in 1999, but lost their lease soon after. At the urging of community members, SEEDArts (part of SouthEast Effective Development), mounted a capital campaign to purchase the current location – to ensure there would be a permanent gallery space in Columbia City.