In the ensuing five years, a growing collective of artists and community members came on to invest funding, sweat equity or both in a vacant historic theater. This December, the collective now a total of 33 community partners received city funding to buy the building outright. By the end of 2021, they hope, Black and Tan Hall will open as the community hub they originally envisioned.
“We’ve put a lot of sweat and dreaming into the 5608 property,” says Black and Tan partner Joe Seamons, referring to the venue’s address at 5608 Rainier Avenue South. “I’m excited about walking into our building and there’s a whole slew of programs an after school program, followed by a dinner theater event with food cooked by local chefs, and after that there’s a proper dance, and then there’s a late-night hour,” he adds. “All those things we can make happen in a single night.”