STANWOOD, WA (November 18] Stanwood Camano Island has long served as a haven for arts, culture, and creative people. Stanwood-Camano Arts Advocacy Commission (SCAAC) is one step closer to a new community art center thanks to a generous gift of property in Stanwood’s historic west end. The future art center will be a beacon of inspiration for the arts community and a catalyst for the region’s creative economy.
The Art Center will be developed on the former site of the Stanwood Hardware Co., in downtown Stanwood, WA. Originally built in 1903, Stanwood Hardware was in operation until the 1970s when it then became a furniture store, and finally closing its doors in 2020. Owned by members of a local family dating back to the 1930’s, the property was generously donated to SCAAC to become a major cultural center devoted to both artistic and educational programs. The property located at 10008 270th St NW will be repurposed and reimagined by acclaimed Seattle-based architects, Olson Kundig in collaboration with local architects, Dave Pelletier from Pelletier & Schaar, Scott Lankford from Lankford Associates, and Dan Nelson from Designs Northwest. Construction is set to begin in 2023 with plans to open in 2024.
With the community’s support, the future art center will feature art in its galleries and sculpture garden, offer classes and workshops in newly designed studios, and host community events. The center will be a central and communal hub to connect artists, and will be dedicated to our region’s passion for the arts to drive the creative economy more broadly. In the interim, SCAAC will launch a Mobile Art Center (MAC) to bring arts and arts education to schools, parks, businesses, and events in our local region. Following a community fundraising effort, the MAC will be ready to roll in early 2023.
“Stanwood and Camano Island have such a vibrant artistic community – it’s a thrill to be a part of creating shared spaces for our local artists, appreciators, residents and visitors to view, learn and experience art. Both the MAC and the future Art Center in Stanwood will enable us to further our mission of making art available to everyone and shine a light on the incredible arts community in our area,” said Cat Olson, Executive Director of SCAAC.
Community members looking to support these endeavors and learn more can join SCAAC for an open house meeting on December 15th at the Floyd Center. Details on this event will be posted on our website and social media channels.
Follow our progress and the latest news on our website and social media:
www.scaacwa.org, Stanwood Camano Arts Advocacy Commission – Home | Facebook
SCAAC (@scaac_wa) • Instagram photos and videos
SCAAC was founded in 2017 by a group of Stanwood and Camano Island artists as a grass roots non-profit with a mission to build community by partnering, educating, celebrating, and advocating for the arts. SCAAC supports the local artist community by encouraging cross group collaboration, promoting art locally and regionally, and by developing partnerships. SCAAC currently offers several programs for youth and adult art education, the management of public art projects in collaboration with the City of Stanwood, and strategic partnerships that further the goals of Stanwood and Camano Island artists and art organizations.