Show up for Culture:
Arts, Heritage, and Science Week 2026
In Olympia: February 4
Virtual: February 2-6
About AHS Week
This is an exciting week-long event that brings together arts, heritage, and science leaders, and cultural professionals from across Washington state. AHS Week is hosted by Inspire Washington, Washington Museum Association, Washington State Historical Society, and ArtsWA.
This is a great opportunity for advocates to talk with their legislators about statewide arts, heritage, and science issues and local concerns, thank them for their support, and share specific stories and highlights from our work in our communities, schools, and venues statewide. Your presence along with many other cultural advocates from across the state helps legislators know who we are when we talk about the importance of arts, heritage, and science in our communities. With newly elected legislators and the reshuffling of legislating positions, this is a particularly important year to join your peers in Olympia or virtually.
As we work to confirm appointments with legislators, we are seeking advocates to meet with legislators. (If you have never advocated in Olympia before don’t worry, we will pair newbies with seasoned advocates. It is a great way to learn).
SIGN UP TO BE AN ADVOCATE AT ARTS, HERITAGE, AND SCIENCE WEEK!
Join us for Arts, Heritage, & Science Week from Feb 2-6, 2026. This year’s event will be a hybrid format; virtual meetings will take place all throughout the week, and in-person meetings will be held in Olympia on February 4th.
Why you’ll love being an advocate:
- You’ll get to meet your local lawmakers and build relationships with them.
- You’ll get a hands-on look at how the legislative process works.
- You’ll meet other people in your cultural community.
- When we secure our big legislative wins, you will be an integral part of the reason why we won!
BE A DISTRICT LEADER!
We are still seeking District Leaders in select districts through Friday, January 16th. If you’re looking to get more involved, this could be a great fit for you.
As a District Leader, you will:
- Help Inspire WA’s Outreach Coordinator and your Regional Captain recruit advocates if they have hit recruitment roadblocks.
- Schedule meetings with your district’s two representatives and one senator during Arts, Heritage, & Science Week for you and your fellow constituents to attend either virtually or in-person.
- Attend AHS Day in Olympia on Feb 4, preferably in-person, but attending virtual meetings throughout Feb 2-6 is okay, too!
- Set up a virtual team huddle before each lawmaker meeting to create talking points and a game plan.
- Report the status of your team’s meetings to your Regional Captain (date/time, if the meeting actually happened, how it went, etc.)
- Track attendance of team members at each meeting and report to your Regional Captain.
Schedule:
| Day | Activity | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday, 2/2 | Virtual Advocate meetings with Lawmakers | All Day | Virtual |
| Tuesday, 2/3 | Workshops for Museums (presented by WAMA & WSHS) | 10am-2:30pm | Abigail Stuart House |
| Reception presented by WAMA & WSHS | 5pm-7pm | Abigail Stuart House | |
| Sip & Chat presented by ArtsWA, Artist Trust, and Humanities WA | 7pm-9pm | Uptown Grill | |
| Wednesday, 2/4 | Heritage Caucus (Virtual) | 7am-8am | Abigail Stuart House |
| Check in begins | 8:30am | Abigail Stuart House | |
| Show Up For Culture! The Main Event | 9:30am-10:30am | Abigail Stuart House | |
| In-Person Advocate meetings with Lawmakers | 10:30am-3:30pm | Varies | |
| Group Photo | 4pm | Legislative Building, Rotunda | |
| Governor's Arts & Heritage Awards | 7pm | Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts | |
| Thursday, 2/5 | Virtual Advocate meetings with Lawmakers | All Day | Virtual |
| Friday, 2/6 | Virtual Advocate meetings with Lawmakers | All Day | Virtual |
Past Events
- 2024 All in for Advocacy Rally: watch the video here.
- 11.8.22: All in for Advocacy Rally, watch the video here.
- 10.27.22: King County Cultural Access webinar, watch the video here.