Arts Coordinator

Why Tumwater?

Tumwater is more than just a city, it’s a vibrant community rooted in history and filled with opportunity. Located at the southern gateway to the Seattle-Tacoma metro area, Tumwater offers the perfect blend of small-town charm and big-picture vision.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Puget Sound, prairie landscapes, rivers, and evergreen forests, we’re just over an hour from ocean beaches, the Olympic Peninsula, and Mount Rainier. Whether you’re into hiking, kayaking, brewery-hopping, or live music, you’ll find easy access to it all.

Here in Tumwater, we’re building a future that’s highly livable, connected, and inclusive. With safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a deep sense of civic pride, it’s not just a great place to live, it’s a great place to grow your career.

The City of Tumwater is seeking a creative, organized, and community-focused Art Coordinator to lead and grow the Tumwater Arts Program. This is a unique opportunity to shape how art is experienced throughout the community, bringing creative vision to public spaces, programs, and partnerships that inspire connection and pride.

In this role, you will play a key part in implementing the City’s Arts Plan by coordinating public art projects and developing engaging arts programs, classes, and events. You’ll collaborate closely with City staff, local artists, community groups, and regional partners to ensure the arts remain a vibrant and accessible part of Tumwater’s identity.

This position is ideal for someone who thrives at the intersection of creativity and coordination, someone who enjoys turning ideas into action, managing multiple projects, and engaging the public through meaningful artistic experiences. If you’re passionate about public art, community engagement, and building lasting creative partnerships, this role offers the chance to make a visible and lasting impact in a growing and supportive community.

• Leads with the organization and implementation of art programs, classes, and events.
• Uses adopted Art Strategy as a resource to create and implement the Tumwater Arts Plan.
• Manages time, meets deadlines, and prioritizes responsibilities to perform multiple and overlapping projects and duties.
• Assists with hiring, training, supervising, and evaluating temporary staff and volunteers; provides or coordinates staff and volunteer training.
• Oversees the development and implementation of public art projects and initiatives.
• Develops strategic plans, timelines, and budgets for new public art projects.
• Plans for inventory, maintenance, and upkeep of past and future public art projects.
• Builds relationships with arts professionals, arts communities, private companies, community representatives, interested parties, other cities, and governmental agencies, through meetings, public forums, panels, and other creative activities.
• Serves as staff liaison to a variety of boards, commissions, and committees and prepares and presents staff reports and other necessary correspondence related to the Arts Program.
• Speaks publicly to community groups, classes, and other art-focused and interest groups regarding opportunities related to the Tumwater Arts Program.
• Performs other tasks and duties assigned by the Recreation Manager.

Knowledge:
Knowledge of public and cultural arts programming and its application; arts management, safety and emergency first-aid procedures; planning and organization of programming and budget evaluation.

• Work independently and as part of a team.
• Develop and implement public art programs, involving the design and integration of artwork into the construction or improvement of public sites and buildings.
• Develop a range of programs including architecture, historic and cultural, indigenous, visual, performing, folk, and literary arts.
• Coordinate the design, fabrication, and installation of public art.
• Utilize exceptional organizational skills, multi-tasking, and prioritization to meet critical deadlines.
• Communicate clearly and effectively orally, in writing, and using technology.
• Prepare, monitor, and administer program and event budgets, grants, and contracts.
• Prepare and present grant applications…