Benjamin Hunter
Northwest Folklife
Artistic Director
Benjamin Hunter, Artistic Director of Northwest Folklife, is a Seattle-based creative and cultural entrepreneur and advocate, and an award winning multi-instrumentalist and composer. As co-founder of ventures like Black & Tan Hall, The Hillman City Collaboratory, Community Arts Create, and The Rhapsody Project, he builds artist-led ecosystems that blend performance, placemaking, and cultural equity—redefining and rethinking how folk traditions evolve in contemporary landscapes. Through his music, Benjamin attempts to connect his lived experiences, education, and admiration for world music into one language, scanning the margins and nucleus alike for stories and intersections where humanity converges.