Vision

Rainbow City Performing Arts envisions a world that promotes healthy attitudes about being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied.

Mission

Rainbow City Performing Arts provides opportunities for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and allied to share their musical talents through public performances. We foster music education, friendships and community giving.

Our History

Rainbow City Performing Arts was founded as Rainbow City Band in 1998 by Jo-Ann Christen and Scott Lewis, who saw an opportunity to provide a safe, accepting place for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender musicians to participate in Seattle’s rich community music scene while expressing themselves openly and honestly. That summer, 27 musicians gathered to rehearse and perform in the Seattle Pride Parade.

Following their summer debut, the group decided to continue performing indoors rather than waiting until the following summer to play again – and RCB became a year-round community music group. In 2001, we incorporated as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization focused on adult music education. The complementary objectives of providing a welcoming environment for LGBT people and their allies, strengthening individual and ensemble performing skills, and supporting the LGBT community as well as the greater Puget Sound community continue to serve as the foundation of the organization’s vision and mission.

Over time, we have added new performing groups as members and potential members expressed interest in new opportunities. In 2002, Purple Passion Swing Band debuted as a big band-sized group playing hits from the heyday of swing. In 2006, we added the Renegayde Pep Band to bring fun and energy to community events year round. In 2008, we marched with a color guard during our marching season, and spinOUT was born. And in 2010, we expanded into new territory as we formed Rainbow City Orchestra and welcomed string players into our membership.