Create. Grow. Thrive

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2025 End of Year Giving

Hip hop raised us.
Now we raise the next generation.
For 10 years, The Residency has been the home for young Black and Brown artistsbuild skills, craft their voice, and step into their power. What started as a wild idea — a free hip-hop intensive where youth get paid to develop their artistry — is now a year-round movement supporting hundreds of young artists every year.
2025 is our biggest year yet.
We’re expanding programs, deepening career pathways, building paid opportunities, and laying the groundwork for a permanent creative home in South Seattle. Your support fuels everything — from the Summer Intensive, to Sunday Sessions, to Flyaway trips, to studio time, mentors, DJ workshops, internships, and the community shows that have shaped a generation.
Your gift today carries the culture forward.
It invests in youth who deserve the space, the resources, and the family that hip hop has always provided.
Together, we’re building the next decade of The Residency — raw, unapologetic, rooted, and powerful.

Why Give?

Hip Hop has nine elements. Your gift keeps them alive and helps the next generation carry the culture forward — not just as art, but as a way of building futures.

  • A black and white digital illustration of a screaming mouth with stylized lightning bolts around it.

    Voice

    You help young voices grab the mic and move crowds with their truth.

  • Black and white illustration of a turntable with a vinyl record spinning, surrounded by musical notes and decorative elements.

    Sound

    You back the ones blending skill and vision into the sounds of tomorrow.

  • Black and white line drawing of a boombox with musical notes around it.

    Movement

    You give fuel to the energy and discipline that turn struggle into power.

  • Line drawing of a spray bottle with a flower and a small four-leaf clover beside it.

    art

    You make space for stories to live on walls, in history, and in memory.

  • A black and white illustration of a raised fist with clenched fingers.

    Identity

    You give young people the chance to stand firm in who they are.

  • Black and white illustration of a microphone with musical notes and plus signs around it.

    Rhythm

    You keep ingenuity alive, turning nothing but breath into rhythm.

  • Black and white illustration of two bamboo hoop earrings with a textured surface, overlapping on a black background.

    Style

    You lift up the ways style speaks identity, pride, and presence.

  • Graffiti-style text that says 'DAB' in bold black and white with outline and shading.

    Words

    You protect the words that carry truth, humor, and connection.

  • Outline of various musical instruments, including a clarinet and a fork, with musical notes.

    Legacy

    You make independence and ownership possible so the culture stays in our hands.

Make a Donation

Other Ways to Give

DONATE BY MAIL: 

Send a check made out to “The Residency” to: The Residency c/o Mezzanine - PO Box 9642 Seattle, WA 98109

WORKPLACE GIVING AND MATCHING: 

Employer workplace giving programs are some of the easiest ways to give to The Residency. These Programs allow you to designate any donation level to be automatically deducted from your payroll. Many companies also offer matching contributions for charitable donations. If The Residency is not listed in your company’s list of charitable organizations, you can usually write in The Residency, Nonprofit Tax ID:84-4232460. Ask your company’s human resources department for more information or contact our staff at: team@theresidencyseattle.org.
See Full List of Donation & Payment Options Here

WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

  • 65.6% of every dollar supports programs—that means teaching artists, studio access, materials, stipends, and direct youth support. The remaining 34.4% covers essential personnel who coordinate programs, mentor artists, and ensure quality. Zero dollars go to wasteful overhead.

  • Young artists receive $750 stipends for Summer Intensive participation, meals during programs, transportation assistance, professional studio time at Ruby Room, scholarships ranging from $1,000-$2,250, performance opportunities with compensation, and ongoing mentorship. Your gift funds real resources that honor their time and talent.

  • Yes. If you want your donation to support Summer Intensive, scholarships, studio access, or another specific program, just let us know when you give or email us afterward. We honor donor intent while maintaining program flexibility when needed.

  • Summer Intensive participants receive $750 stipends paid directly to them—not their families, not held for later. This honors their time, talent, and commitment to the intensive work. In 2024, we distributed $21,280 in stipends to young artists.