The city of Enumclaw has been working on its 2019 budget in the last few months and one item that has been discussed is financial support of the arts. I am on the Board of Arts Alive! and many questions have come to the Board regarding what’s going to happen to Arts Alive! with the new city budget.

Arts Alive! is a non-profit run entirely by volunteers and is completely separate from the city’s arts department. The city does support Arts Alive! through a reduction in the rent of the city-owned building at 422 Cole Street. It has supported Arts Alive! in many other ways and I’m sure will continue to do so.

Arts Alive! provides support for visual, performing, and literary artists on the Plateau. This year we have given over $8,500 to the community in the form of grants and scholarships. Our income largely comes from memberships, gallery sales and rentals, and class fees. The Arts Alive! gallery is open to the public and provides opportunities for local artists to display and sell their work. We sponsor numerous workshops and classes open to artists of all levels.

Arts Alive! is alive and well. We are an important part of the arts community on the Plateau.

Lauri Hillberg

Enumclaw