Mission

As a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, Pratt Fine Arts Center provides access to the transformative power of artistic expression through an inclusive community, culture of learning, and specially equipped studios.

Celebrating 50 Years of Making Art

In 2026, Pratt Fine Arts Center is celebrating 50 years of art, craft, and creative community in Seattle. This fall, we’re marking the milestone with a special group exhibition at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA), opening October 2. Featuring 75 artists from across Pratt’s history working in glass, sculpture, jewelry, fiber, painting, printmaking, and more, the exhibition celebrates the generations of instructors, students, staff, board members, and artists who have shaped Pratt—and the impact our creative community has made throughout the region since 1976.

A decade ago, Pratt celebrated its 40th anniversary with Making Our Mark, a commemorative exhibition at Bellevue Arts Museum featuring work from nearly 300 teaching artists throughout Pratt’s history. Explore that exhibition below, watch this video series about Pratt and our history, and learn more about our work and impact through the resources linked here, Impact Report.

Programs

Pratt offers art classes for all ages, all skill levels and all abilities. Students receive professional artist instruction in an environment that allows participants to expand their skills as widely as their aptitudes and imaginations permit.

Pratt also offers independent access to its professionally equipped studios, providing shared access to the resources required for artists and hobbyists to pursue their crafts.

Pratt is the only facility in the Northwest where absolute beginners and established professional artists work side-by-side creating art in: glass; metal, stone and wood sculpture; jewelry and metalsmithing; painting; drawing; printmaking; and mixed media.

History

Pratt Fine Arts Center serves as a lasting tribute to Edwin T. Pratt, a man who relentlessly championed open and equal access to educational and housing opportunities for all of Seattle’s residents. Pratt Fine Arts Center honors his memory by continuing to pursue its mission of making art education accessible to everyone, for people of all ages, all skill levels, and all backgrounds.

Operating as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization since 1976, Pratt has had a huge impact on the creative health of our community and launched the careers of many established local, regional, and nationally known artists. What began as a small arts center with big dreams has grown to become a beloved resource for thousands of students and hundreds of working artists annually.

Commitment to Racial Equity

Pratt Fine Arts Center recognizes that institutional racism, through conscious and unconscious practices, creates vast disparities in access to publicly funded services, including arts education and support for artists. We have committed to racial equity as a core value and ongoing practice, allocating resources to the breakdown of systemic barriers and the development of equitable solutions organization-wide. To learn more, click here.

Pratt Fine Arts Center is supported in part by 4Culture, ArtsFund, the Klorfine Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and the Washington State Arts Commission.