ABOUT THE SEATTLE CHANNEL'S ART ZONE

Seattle has one of the most vibrant arts and cultural communities in the United States. Arts and music are both a cultural catalyst and an economic driver for the region--with 4,000 arts related businesses, 20,000 arts workers, and millions of dollars of annual impact. More Puget Sound residents go to arts events than attend professional sports, and the arts are inseparable from the city's cutting-edge image around the world. Aside from economic benefit, the arts also play a vital role in strengthening neighborhoods and communities, and educating children.

Seattle also has the SEATTLE CHANNEL, one of the most innovative civic TV stations in the United States, providing a vibrant mix of civic and cultural programming on cable channel 21 in the city and elsewhere via the Internet. The SEATTLE CHANNEL is a pioneer in the rapidly converging worlds of TV and the web -- with all programs broadcast on SEATTLE CHANNEL 21 simultaneously streamed at www.seattlechannel.org and available anytime as video on demand.

In February 2007, the SEATTLE CHANNEL launched Art Zone, an exciting new multimedia initiative made possible with major support from Comcast. Art Zone is an innovative, first-in-the-nation project that creates TV and web programming celebrating local arts and culture. Each week, Art Zone brings 12 hours of programming to Seattle and the world -- 12 hours of features, performances, and one-of-a-kind programs about Seattle's incredible arts, music, literary, gallery, museum and cultural community. From 8 p.m. to 12 midnight every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, new and exciting programs are presented to cable viewers throughout Seattle. Beyond the city limits, web users may access free streaming video and video on demand via seattlechannel.org. Comcast Digital customers in Western Washington may also watch many Art Zone programs via Comcast video on demand.

The SEATTLE CHANNEL (named Best Public TV Station by The Seattle Weekly), partners with community artists and arts groups, musicians and venues, filmmakers and theatres, to bring TV and web viewers interviews with artists and curators; behind-the-scenes peeks at galleries, theatres, museums and concert venues; and in-depth portraits of the familiar and the unexpected that will encourage people to buy tickets and attend concerts, plays, shows and exhibits. Art Zone programs do more than simply document-they encourage people to go out and take part in the region's rich cultural life in person.

The SEATTLE CHANNEL's Art Zone is seen every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8 pm to 12 midnight Pacific Time on cable channel 21 in Seattle (via Comcast and Millennium) and streaming live at seattlechannel.org

SEATTLE CHANNEL ART ZONE CONTACT INFORMATION
Art Zone Programming: Beth Hester, SEATTLE CHANNEL Content Manager, 206-684-3493 or lisa.devlin@seattle.gov

Media Inquiries: Feliks Banel, SEATTLE CHANNEL Communications Manager, 206-615-0805 or feliks.banel@seattle.gov

Major support for the Art Zone on the SEATTLE CHANNEL is provided by