Where does money from sponsorship, donations or tuition go? Here's a list of current programs and ones we're working on. Our goal is create programming that supports sustainable careers in the arts.
Artist Support Groups:
Artist Support Groups bring together creators that often feel left out of artist communities. The groups encourage community building that will support individuals in the group and provide more opportunities and career advancements. Your support keeps it free and helps us reach more artists!
Qu-Art 4th Thursdays 6pm - 9pm
Qu-Art is a night for queer artists to gather in a safe space to create, give moral support, and to network. There is no charge to participants and anyone that identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community is welcome to join. Push/Pull provides tables, chairs, snacks and art supplies.
CABAL Last Sundays 6pm - 9pm
Creative Art Babes Alliance (CABAL) invites all female, femme and non-binary identifying artists to gather to create, network, give advice and moral support. There is no charge to participants. Push/Pull provides tables, chairs and anything else needed.
Professional Artist Education:
Our artist education workshops and classes focus on practical skills that will have immediate benefits to the professional success of working artists. Classes have included Inking Techniques, Preparing files for Print, and DIY Screen Printing. Contributions help to keep teacher payments fair and class fees low.
Teen Art Education:
We're revitalizing our youth arts education this year to focus on students age 13+. We've found that this is a critical time when art stops being a big part of classroom education. Our goal is to teach students professional level drawing, illustration and comic creating skills. Teens with a high level of art appreciation not only have the potential to grow into professional artists, but are more likely to support the arts no matter what field they enter in adulthood. Your support keeps teacher rates fair and class fees low or free.
Ballard Life Drawing Co-Op:
The Ballard Life Drawing Co-Op is a twice monthly, 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 6pm - 9pm, free life drawing event. Anyone is welcome to join. We provide the space, lighting, chairs, easels, tables and drawing boards. Monitors time poses from 2 to 20 minutes. Participants pose for each other (nude not required), which keeps the costs low and provides an opportunity for artists to practice drawing different clothing and drapery. Your support keeps it free!
Fresh Look First Sundays 6pm - 9pm:
Fresh Look is a free peer critique night. Anyone is allowed to participate and members of Push/Pull are always on hand to help give gallery professional perspectives. The Fresh Look motto is "elevate your creative endeavors" and that's our goal! We strive to help artists improve their work by giving positive, constructive feedback on their pieces. Your support keeps it free!
Exterminator City - Twice a Year, February & August:
Exterminator City takes place at Push/Pull twice a year. It's a small indie comix and illustrator fest with around 16 vendors. We reserve 50% of the space for female identifying artists. We keep the fees low so that we can reach artists that have little or no experience at a fest. From being a first time exhibitor at our fest we've seen vendors go on to have incredible spreads at festivals throughout the state and country. We've also had vendors meet that then become close friends and collaborators. After the event we keep the space open for an artist after-party where everyone is encouraged to get to know each other better. Your support keeps the table fees low and helps us to reach a wider audience for our vendors.
Community Craft Night - Once a month, usually third Fridays 6pm - 9pm:
From Shrinky Dinks to felt succulents, Community Craft Nights encourage community members to create and learn from professional artists. Fees are kept low and all instruction is provided by professional artists. These nights are always fun and even people that come in saying they can't draw a stick figure end up leaving with a piece of art they made. Community Craft Nights encourage community members to participate in art and to see working artists as part of their neighborhood. Your support keeps costs low and helps us reach out to the community, it also allows us to provide free entry to those not able to afford fees.
Cultural Outreach Programming - aka Saturday Morning Cartoons!
Once a month we host Saturday Morning Cartoons, but it's not just about eating your favorite sugary breakfast cereal and sitting in front of a tv. Our cartoons are carefully selected to encourage worldwide cultural appreciation. Most films are from countries other than the United States and our host provides information to help viewers understand the cultural significance of the films. Your support keeps entry fee!
And, of course, at Push/Pull there's always more in the works! We'd love to talk to you about it. You can stop by any day or send us an email.
Artist Support Groups:
Artist Support Groups bring together creators that often feel left out of artist communities. The groups encourage community building that will support individuals in the group and provide more opportunities and career advancements. Your support keeps it free and helps us reach more artists!
Qu-Art 4th Thursdays 6pm - 9pm
Qu-Art is a night for queer artists to gather in a safe space to create, give moral support, and to network. There is no charge to participants and anyone that identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community is welcome to join. Push/Pull provides tables, chairs, snacks and art supplies.
CABAL Last Sundays 6pm - 9pm
Creative Art Babes Alliance (CABAL) invites all female, femme and non-binary identifying artists to gather to create, network, give advice and moral support. There is no charge to participants. Push/Pull provides tables, chairs and anything else needed.
Professional Artist Education:
Our artist education workshops and classes focus on practical skills that will have immediate benefits to the professional success of working artists. Classes have included Inking Techniques, Preparing files for Print, and DIY Screen Printing. Contributions help to keep teacher payments fair and class fees low.
Teen Art Education:
We're revitalizing our youth arts education this year to focus on students age 13+. We've found that this is a critical time when art stops being a big part of classroom education. Our goal is to teach students professional level drawing, illustration and comic creating skills. Teens with a high level of art appreciation not only have the potential to grow into professional artists, but are more likely to support the arts no matter what field they enter in adulthood. Your support keeps teacher rates fair and class fees low or free.
Ballard Life Drawing Co-Op:
The Ballard Life Drawing Co-Op is a twice monthly, 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 6pm - 9pm, free life drawing event. Anyone is welcome to join. We provide the space, lighting, chairs, easels, tables and drawing boards. Monitors time poses from 2 to 20 minutes. Participants pose for each other (nude not required), which keeps the costs low and provides an opportunity for artists to practice drawing different clothing and drapery. Your support keeps it free!
Fresh Look First Sundays 6pm - 9pm:
Fresh Look is a free peer critique night. Anyone is allowed to participate and members of Push/Pull are always on hand to help give gallery professional perspectives. The Fresh Look motto is "elevate your creative endeavors" and that's our goal! We strive to help artists improve their work by giving positive, constructive feedback on their pieces. Your support keeps it free!
Exterminator City - Twice a Year, February & August:
Exterminator City takes place at Push/Pull twice a year. It's a small indie comix and illustrator fest with around 16 vendors. We reserve 50% of the space for female identifying artists. We keep the fees low so that we can reach artists that have little or no experience at a fest. From being a first time exhibitor at our fest we've seen vendors go on to have incredible spreads at festivals throughout the state and country. We've also had vendors meet that then become close friends and collaborators. After the event we keep the space open for an artist after-party where everyone is encouraged to get to know each other better. Your support keeps the table fees low and helps us to reach a wider audience for our vendors.
Community Craft Night - Once a month, usually third Fridays 6pm - 9pm:
From Shrinky Dinks to felt succulents, Community Craft Nights encourage community members to create and learn from professional artists. Fees are kept low and all instruction is provided by professional artists. These nights are always fun and even people that come in saying they can't draw a stick figure end up leaving with a piece of art they made. Community Craft Nights encourage community members to participate in art and to see working artists as part of their neighborhood. Your support keeps costs low and helps us reach out to the community, it also allows us to provide free entry to those not able to afford fees.
Cultural Outreach Programming - aka Saturday Morning Cartoons!
Once a month we host Saturday Morning Cartoons, but it's not just about eating your favorite sugary breakfast cereal and sitting in front of a tv. Our cartoons are carefully selected to encourage worldwide cultural appreciation. Most films are from countries other than the United States and our host provides information to help viewers understand the cultural significance of the films. Your support keeps entry fee!
And, of course, at Push/Pull there's always more in the works! We'd love to talk to you about it. You can stop by any day or send us an email.
