About the TK
A Home for Artists
The Tashiro Kaplan Artists Lofts opened in June of 2004 to provide 50 units of affordable housing and creative space to artists and their families. Developed by Artspace Projects, Inc., the Pioneer Square Community Association, as well as other private donors, the City of Seattle, and the Federal Government, the TK is conveniently located in the heart of historic Pioneer Square in Seattle.
Galleries & Work Studios Too
The Tashiro Kaplan Artist Lofts building also houses 27 commercial arts related entities, including the non-profit agency 4Culture, individual artist work-only studios, artist exhibit co-ops and some of the most prestigious commcercial galleries in Seattle.
A Central Hub on the Artwalk
The TK is fast becoming a one stop center for visual art and other cultural activities, especially during the monthly First Thursday Artwalk in Pioneer Square. Along with huge crowds, the venues in the building play host to both planned and impromptu arts events and happenings.
Facilities
The TK offers two building-run galleries for exhibits, as well as a 110 person capacity community room (Our VCR) for events. The galleries provide exhibit venues for artist residents and tenants as well unrepresented and emerging artists in the area. The community room is available for non-profit events and meetings for a small fee.
Press Coverage
Seattle Times | 12/5/05
Seattle P-I | 4/1/05
Seattle P-I | 6/3/04
Seattle Times | 6/1/04
Tashiro Kaplan Building History
A shot of the Kaplan building in 1919. The Kaplan portion of the TK housed a variety of concerns over its nearly 100 year history, including a farmers market as pictured here, multiple businesses and social services as well as artist’s studios. Some occupants of those studios returned after the building’s resurgence in 2004 to lay new claim to spaces in TK Studios.
Remnants of the old farmers market may be found via an underground tour of crawlspaces. Still extant are sign paintings, including a pointing hand directing customers down a ramp to the market’s stalls.
This shot, I believe, is from a bit later date than the previous.
Not pictured is the Tashiro Hardware company that occupied the northern triangular section of the building for nearly 50 years.