Building a Creative Community
 

In 2025, we are trying something new! Instead of Arts Fest on Fridays in August, we are doing three weekends throughout the year! Spring Awakening took place on Memorial Day Weekend, Summer Arts Fest is on August 9th/10th, and we’ll be throwing a harvest festival in October! Learn more about our festivals and apply to vend or volunteer here.

 
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Our Mission

We believe that the richness of artistic expression can help create a sustainable economy.

The San Juan County Arts Council is a 501 (c) 3 organization that works to promote and integrate the artistic resources of the county for the creative economic development, education and overall well-being of the community.

Learn More

 

HISTORY

The San Juan County Arts Council started as a response to the economic crash in 2008. The Community Foundation gave us a grant to help us start this organization along with with the over 400 other Art Related Organizations around the country. This mission is and was to promote community and cultural sustainability. The arts councils idea resonated with several task force groups and became a full-fledged organization in 2011. The San Juan Summer Arts Festival was founded in 2016 as the primary fundraiser for the SJCAC. In 2018 the SJCAC gave it’s first grant ever in the sum of $1000.00 to the Funhouse Commons on Orcas Island, WA. We continue to grant money through the community, our newest grant being the Inspiring Local Artist Grant. In 2023 we granted $3,000 to artists on all our beautiful islands. We also have continued to donate to Orcas Island Funhouse, as well as fund the youth mentorship program at Alchemy Art Center annually.

We appreciate all donations and support, all the money goes directly back into the community to help inspire local art.

 
 

Get Involved

The San Juan County Arts Council is a fully volunteer run non-profit organization dedicated to all the arts in the county. Every donation, in any amount, helps us enrich our islands with art and its benefits. Donations help us educate both our children and adults with imaginative expression, and help the organization grow in a greater overall sense to become more self-sustaining and self fulfilling.

The Arts Council is continuously seeking funds from foundations, grants and the community to help support and serve all San Juan County arts, arts organizations and art patrons here and beyond by promoting our creativity, connecting and supporting our multiple art activities and performances, increasing public awareness of our unique artistic expression and bringing visitors to the islands to participate in our artistic resources.

 

BECOME A MEMBER

Demonstrate your commitment to arts in San Juan County by becoming a member! Contact us for more information. 

Volunteer opportunities

The San Juan County Arts Council is young and growing. Volunteers make our events possible!

Make a Donation

The easiest ways to get involved is to make a monetary contribution to our vision. No amount is too small.

 

 ARTS COUNCIL BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board meetings are open to the public and are held each month via conference call and quarterly on San Juan, Orcas or Lopez on a rotating basis. Times vary depending upon the location and ferry schedule, but the meetings usually take place midday. The annual meeting is held in November; time and location TBA.

CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS

 

LOPEZ ISLAND:

We would love to have representation from other islands.

Please think about applying to be a member!

ORCAS ISLAND:

We would love to have representation from other islands.

Please think about applying to be a member!

SAN JUAN ISLAND:

Elizabeth Myers-President

Maria Michaelson-Vice President

Susie Schneider- Secretary&Festival Organizer

George Myers- Treasurer

Siege Lehman

Katey Rissi