American Indian Studies adviser Elissa Washuta was recently named the recipient of an Artist Trust 2016 Arts Innovator Award, and she was selected by Seattle's Office of Arts & Culture, in partnership with Seattle Department of Transportation, to be the writer-in-residence in the northwest tower of the Fremont Bridge.
As a recipient of the Artist Trust Arts Innovator Award, Elissa Washuta will receive $25,000 in unrestricted funds for originating new work, experimenting with new ideas, taking risks, and pushing the boundaries in her field. The Arts Innovator Awards are funded by the Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation.
This summer, as Fremont Bridge writer-in-resident, Washuta will undertake an in-depth exploration of the bridge and write a piece in response to the experience. The project will culminate in a unique literary work and public presentation this fall.
In an interview with UW Today, Washuta said of her bridge office, "It’s a small office at the top of a flight of stairs, with windows on all sides, looking out onto the bridge and the ship canal. I can watch the bridge open and close because it’s happening right next to my window. I’m alone up there and generally get to spend a few hours away from human interaction, but I still feel like I’m in the center of things because so many people are crossing the bridge. And there’s no wifi. I’ve gotten a remarkable amount of work done already."