2023 Event Supporter of the Year

Frank SEbastian

His experience volunteering for a performing at festivals, especially those in smaller communities over the last 40 years led him to proposing a festival an events grant program to support the rebuilding and restarting events across the State. Because of his work, many of you in the audience tonight have been the recipient of the $3.5 million grant for festival and events that was administered by WFEA and ArtsWA. He was the one who realized more than almost anyone that the events industry was devastated during COVID.

He is Commerce’s ex-officio member on the Washington Tourism Marketing Authority, and shepherded the start of the Creative Economy Sector as Commerce as an official position with a mandate to build the creative economy’s role in the state’s economy.