At the intersection of art and identity, Path with Art is quietly revolutionizing what inclusive creativity looks like in Seattle. In a city rich with Queer culture, the nonprofit’s LGBTQIA+ Open Studio sessions provide a rare blend of free-form art making, community care, and radical hospitality. Every Friday evening, these gatherings offer Queer-identifying people a space to show up exactly as they are, with no explanation needed, no cost to participate, and no pressure to produce anything beyond connection.
“We were looking at the demographics for our participants in 2023,” Emily Shallman, program director at Path with Art, told the SGN. “We noticed that it was around 25-30% of participants who identified as LGBTQ+. Now, that number is at 36%.”
Recognizing that Queer artists naturally gravitated toward Path with Art in large numbers, Shallman and other staff members got to work. With teaching artists Jess and Lee, Shallman cocreated a space specifically centered on LGBTQIA+ identities.
The sessions are free-form, open to anyone 18 and older, and require no prior registration — just walk in and make something.
“You can come in, maybe you’re having an anxious day or a great day, and you can use the supplies for free and make anything that you want,” Shallman explained.
Radical hospitality in action
The concept of radical hospitality — treating people with deliberate, generous kindness — shapes the environment.
"You can expect people to treat you with respect and to value what you're working on and who you are,” Shallman said. “There’s a lot of resource sharing between the participant artists.”
It’s this blend of creativity and care that has made the program so successful. About 10–40 people participate per session, with more attending during the paired music jam sessions. But more than the numbers, it’s the stories and the transformations that resonate.
Alec Rogers, arts administrator, recalled the organization’s first LGBTQIA+-focused exhibition, and how it turned out twice as good as they thought it would.
“Honestly, I was expecting maybe, like, 10 works of art,” they admitted to the SGN. “But we got at least 20, and we filled up an entire wall... full of really diverse mediums and subject matter.”
One artist is actively working on a scale model of Path with Art’s “art home,” complete with a library card catalog and miniature cabinetry.
From drag camp to Queer visions
The popular Drag Camp, now in its second iteration, is also a sign of things to come. It introduces participants to drag: its history, cosmetic and hair styling techniques, ways to develop a stage identity, and more.
“It’s much more popular than I was anticipating,” Rogers said. “People with very big personalities — all who left smiling and happy.”
These moments are common in a space that encourages artists to bring their full selves. Amanda Carter Gomes, director of marketing and events, told the SGN that “the process of art making can be isolating depending on what you do and how you create... A lot of people find that it feels good to be in community and create together — and also just to have human interaction out in the world.”
Rogers enthusiastically shared their excitement about Path with Art’s future offerings. This June it’s working with Ant Gallery in the Seattle Center to host this year's Pride Month exhibition, “Queer Visions.” The Drag Camp class currently in progress will be performing at the closing ceremony.
Community roots and future growth
As the space continues to grow, the organization will introduce an online LGBTQIA+ Open Studio this June to mirror the in-person sessions and better serve a broader audience.
“We've seen how impactful those identity-driven spaces are, so more opportunities are coming in the future,” Shallman said.
Much of this expansion is made possible through strong community partnerships.
Shallman credits Peer Seattle, a Queer-focused support network that offers job assistance, support groups, and its own art programming.
“We wouldn’t exist without our partners,” Shallman said. “Jack Harlan over at Peer has been such an amazing supporter. Some of our participants come from Peer Seattle to Path with Art.”
Ultimately, the LGBTQIA+ Open Studios are not about crafting perfection or producing masterpieces but rather showing up for yourself, for each other, and for art as a shared act of healing and expression. As Shallman put it: “People really crave authenticity... and there’s so much of that here.”
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