Over four days in October of 2016, nearly 4,500 people received free medical, dental, and vision care at Seattle/King County Clinic. They waited in line for long hours, even overnight, for the range of services offered at this volunteer-run healthcare event held in KeyArena at Seattle Center. Who were these patients, and why were so many willing to wait such an extraordinarily long time for this care? As artists who work in a storytelling medium, we wanted to find out what brought them here and what experiences they have had with healthcare, both at the Clinic and everyday. We spent those four days in October roaming through this giant pop-up Clinic, talking to patients who so generously shared their stories with us. Through these patient stories, we aim to draw attention to what drives the need for this Clinic and stimulate conversations about ongoing health disparities. The experiences shared by the patients resonated with many in our group of artists who have struggled to pay for healthcare or delayed treatment because they couldn’t afford it, or who have worked with people undergoing the same difficulties with healthcare access. We hope we have succeeded in illustrating the diversity of circumstances that brings people to Seattle/King County Clinic and the humanity of a community in need.

SKETCHES FROM OUTSIDE THE MARGINS: VOLUME I

This project was produced in partnership Public Health – Seattle & King County, Seattle Center, and Kaiser Permanente. For more information about the Clinic, visit seattlecenter.org/skcclinic.