From left to right: button design sketches by Blanca Santander and Kelly Froh.

It Starts with Steel Drums
This weekend, in partnership with 4Culture, Public Health – Seattle & King County will kick off a series of events: Vax to the Future. Working with local artists and musicians, the first event is on Saturday, May 15, 2021 at Kent’s ShoWare Center, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring The Seattle Women’s Steel Pan Project, a multi-generational, multi-ethnic women’s Caribbean steel drum band.

Vax to the Future
What do the arts have to do with COVID-19 vaccinations? Why should we care about people’s experiences with getting a COVID-19 vaccine? And how does one person’s experience impact another person’s decision to get a vaccine?

Since the first COVID-19 vaccines were delivered in December 2020, Public Health—Seattle & King County has learned a lot about what moves people to get vaccinated. One approach that they know is effective is when people share positive, personal experiences with others in their spheres who have yet to get vaccinated.

To that effort, Public Health—Seattle & King County is partnering with 4Culture to launch a new pilot program at vaccination sites: Vax to the Future – Our future is together, let’s vaccinate today.

Vax to the Future brings art to different COVID-19 vaccination sites throughout the county to further enhance the experience of getting vaccinated. People are encouraged to share their positive vaccine experiences from these events, where the focus will be on performance arts, featuring musicians from 4Culture’s Touring Arts Roster and a give-away with buttons designed by local visual artists in King County.

Patients who visit Public Health’s vaccination sites already report that it’s an easy and pleasant experience. Vax to the Future will add a community vibe to encourage people to share their vaccination experience with their social networks, a key strategy for motivating other people.

With more people accompanying their loved ones to get vaccinated—including families now that children 12 and older are eligible for the vaccine, Vax to the Future also provides an enjoyable experience while people wait for others to get vaccinated, while taking full precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This program will launch with two events at Public Health’s vaccination sites at Kent’s ShoWare Center and Auburn Outlet Collection Mall. The events will include live music performances, “I got vaccinated” buttons designed by local artists Blanca Santander and Kelly Froh, and a photobooth for people to take selfies. Additional King County artists will be featured at future events and more artist made buttons are in the works.

The program will be designed to not interfere with the process of getting vaccinated and will follow all site protocols to make the experience as safe and enjoyable as possible.

Vaccination Information:

    • Waiting for your vaccine? You can get a vaccine without an appointment or you can register online at: kingcounty.gov/covid/registration.
    • Have you already been vaccinated? We welcome you to bring someone to get vaccinated and enjoy the music while you wait.
    • Have younger family members who need to get vaccinated? Kent’s ShoWare site will be able to vaccinate people 12-15 years of age, using the Pfizer vaccine.
    • Need a ride to the site? Call 425-943-6706.

For more information about getting vaccinated in King County, visit kingcounty.gov/covid/vaccine.
 

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