Arts Commission

The Sammamish Arts Commission serves as an advisory body to the City Council. Their role is to advise on matters concerning the promotion and facilitation of public art in the community.

Mission Statement

Integrating art and culture to create a sense of place, civic identity, and unique character.

Guiding Principles

Artistic excellence

We showcase high-caliber local, regional, and national artistic programming that reflects the city’s vision.

Accessibility

We engage with all segments of the city, striving to reach all community members. We aim to create an avenue for artists to bring their creativity to the public.

Collaboration

We are committed to creating alliances and partnerships within and outside Sammamish to promote artistic excellence and accessibility. We work collaboratively with various state, regional, and local agencies to enhance the effectiveness of the arts commission.

Community Design

We focus on nurturing and building “creative capital” locally. The purpose of this is to realize the impacts of the arts in fostering a vibrant social economy.

Diversity

We value diversity in artistic expression. We strive to promote arts as a universal language that binds people from different backgrounds. This breathes life into our communities. 

Leadership

• Barbara Krauss, Position 1 (term ends January 31, 2025)
• Venkat Ramanathan, Position 2 (term ends January 31, 2025)
• Ann Humes, Position 3 (term ends January 31, 2026)
• Michael Gaffney, Position 4 (term ends January 31, 2026)
• Vandana Bhupal Verdia, Position 5 (term ends January 31, 2027)
• Ashley Arrington, Position 6 (term ends January 31, 2027)
• Chirag Bindal, Position 7 (term ends January 31, 2028)
• Sudeshna Dixit, Position 8 (term ends January 31, 2028)
• Greg Janky, Position 9 (term ends January 31, 2028)
• Natalie Cui, Sammamish Youth Board Member (term ends 04/30/2025)
• Divya Nair, Sammamish Youth Board Alternate (term ends 04/30/2025)

Email the entire commission at artscommission@sammamish.us

Meeting Information

The Sammamish Arts Commission meets on the fourth Monday of every month. Agendas and Meeting Minutes can be found on the City of Sammamish CivicWeb portal.