This post is part of our Alumni Spotlight series. For this installment, Museology Communications and Marketing Assistant Marcela Velandia (’25) spoke with Megumi Nagata (’17) about her professional experiences since graduation. Megumi is a Heritage Program Manager at 4Culture in Seattle.
Can you please provide a brief introduction about yourself? 
Hello! My name is Megumi Nagata (she/her), class of 2017. I grew up in Japan and came to the United States when I was 15 years old. I have moved around a lot in the country but settled in Seattle about 10 years ago. I got interested in museums through a sociology lens during undergrad and wrote my senior thesis on a museum about Kamikaze Pilots in Japan. I knew I wanted to continue studying museums after undergrad, and when I moved to Seattle, I decided to take the plunge and applied to the Museology program.
Can you tell me a bit about what you’ve been up to since graduating?
Right after graduating in 2017, I worked in the Education department of the Museum of Flight. I provided administrative support to the museum’s Digital Learning programs and coordinated logistics for on-site events for 6th-12th grade students and families enrolled in the programs. The participants of the program received mentorship by STEM professionals, so I also got to know a variety of professionals in the STEM and aviation fields, which was very cool. I started the position of Heritage Support Specialist at 4Culture in 2019, and after 4 years I was promoted to Heritage Program Manager.
What is your role and the mission of 4Culture?
The mission of 4Culture is “With a focus on racial equity, we fund, support, and advocate for culture to enhance the quality of life in King County.” Our work is to support and amplify the individuals and organizations in the cultural sector so they can continue their work and provide rich cultural experiences in King County. We do that by administering funding programs and initiatives, as well as managing public art commissions and the county’s public art collections. Our funding has historically been from Lodging Tax and 1% for Art, but in December 2023 King County passed a legislation to increase funding to the County’s cultural sector through a 0.1 percent sales tax. We are the County’s designated agency to distribute these funds, approximately $100 million per year. Our program areas are Arts, Heritage, Historic Preservation, Public Art, and Science and Technology since the passage of the Doors Open. My current role at 4Culture is Heritage Program Manager. I mainly manage funding programs such as Heritage Projects and Heritage Professional Development Stipend and contribute to the department’s overall efforts to support organizations, groups, and individuals in the heritage field.
How has your experience as a museology alumni enriched your current role?
Having a broad range of museum- and nonprofit-related knowledge has been very helpful in adjusting to this role. Our main work is funding programs, but we also regularly receive questions and requests for resources from our constituents. I regularly lean on my Museology training for answering questions on collections, public programs, museum/nonprofit administration, and evaluation. I also appreciate being part of the network of museum professionals in the area. If I am not the best person to answer a particular question, I can always think of people to connect with within the network. Museum people are some of the most inspiring and creative people I have ever met. I am grateful for all the connections, professional and personal, that I was able to make through the program.
What do you love most about what you’re doing now? What are you most excited about going forward?
Getting to know the rich cultural landscape in King County and the people who make up the cultural sector have been very rewarding. Right now, we are in the middle of the application period for Heritage Projects, so I look forward to seeing the proposed projects getting started later this year. It’s an exciting time to be working at 4Culture as the implementation plan for Doors Open funding was approved in December 2024.
What kind of projects or programs does 4Culture support for emerging artists?
I always recommend folks to start with the Open 4Culture program, especially if they are new to grant writing. The program is designed for first-time applicants and the program manager is available to provide hands-on assistance. “Projects” grants provide funding for specific projects in arts, heritage, and historic preservation. Arc Artist Fellowship provides unrestricted funding and promotional support to individual artists. Independent artists living in King County can apply to have a show at Gallery 4Culture, our in-house gallery space. We also maintain a roster of performing artists and groups in King County, called Touring Arts Roster, which makes it easy for event organizers to find talents for their events. Our staff is always available for questions or informational meetings to guide through our programs and resources.
Is there any advice you would like to give to current museology students or people who are interested in applying for the museology program?
My connections in the community – that might be your neighborhood, creative projects or just going to see shows, community soccer teams, knitting circles, book clubs, etc. As a transplant to the city, finding my people within and outside of the program helped me to get through tough times and find joy when I was feeling exhausted or burnt out. Also don’t hesitate to reach out to the alums, even just to learn about their line of work or bouncing ideas for your projects.