We hope that you are holding up well in your homes during this quarantine time. We here at the Art Center have managed to get through the last two months doing online learning, doing our best to offer creativity and connection during this stressful season. Our teachers have been absolutely stellar in every way and stepped up when we needed them the most. We have been so appreciative of everyone’s help, support, donations, and encouragement!

With the continued COVID-19 restrictions, it is with great sadness that we announce that we have determined that it is no longer financially viable to continue running our regular core classes online at this time.

We want to be able to reopen NWAC again when it is safe for everyone to return, so we have been forced to make some very difficult decisions.

We are laying off our teachers as of May 1st and ending all regular online art classes.

We are not able to make any predictions as to what the summer landscape might look like and we are working on options for some possible online summer classes and activities if we are not able to hold our in-person camps.

Another unfortunate loss is the permanent closure of our Studio On Main Northwest Art Center​ drop in DIY space. Having to pay rent on two spaces that are closed was too much to bear financially. We will be moving our PYOP downstairs to our NWAC school space and are planning to offer pottery painting opportunities and some drop-in hours when the Stay at Home order is lifted. We will continue to fulfill to-go pottery that is out (when the stay at home order is lifted) and any unfinished projects that we still have.

As soon as it is safe to do so, we will be reopening our online store that will have many fun artistic and creative options available.

We have been working hard behind the scenes, applying for over $65,000 worth of grants and financial aid. To date, we have only been awarded one grant for $4,500 from the wonderful organization called 4Culture​, and all other sources are not looking promising.

We are experiencing the most devastating financial losses since our becoming a nonprofit in 2010 (NWAC has been around since 2004!).

We will be launching a GiveBIG fundraising campaign in the next week, so please look for that email and our Facebook page for more info! The link for our GiveBIG is https://www.givebigwa.org/northwest-art-center

Thank you for being a part of the Northwest Art Center. We are hopeful that with your help, we can weather this storm and live to teach and provide art experiences for all for the future.

Wishing you and your family wellness, strength, and hope!

Alison Hawkins and Pamela Martin
Co-Executive Directors
Northwest Art Center
info@northwestartcenter.org