La Conner Arts Foundation Announces Three New Board
Members
New members will enhance board’s focus on scholarships
and help LAF strengthen its ongoing commitment to art education and public
art.
LA CONNER, WA – La Conner Arts Foundation (LAF) announced
three new board members and a new board president who will each help
support the nonprofit’s work to improve students’ access to quality
postsecondary education opportunities in the arts
“It is our privilege to welcome new members of the board
who will bring diverse expertise, perspectives, and insight to our work,”
said LAF President and Co-founder Sheila Johnson. “We have worked
diligently to ensure LAF’s board and leadership represents a variety of
experts from art education, nonprofit leadership, and business groups, and
the newest board members are no exception.”
The three new board members are:
Danielle Dunlap, Owner of Mystic Art Supplies. She will
also serve as board secretary.
Nicolette Harrington, Owner of Wingshadow Studios. She
brings expertise as an art educator, in both an elementary school
classroom and at the Museum of Northwest Art (MoNA).
Joanna Sikes, specializing in nonprofit organizations,
art education, and fundraising. Her experience includes former Executive
Director of the Museum of Northwest Art (MoNA), director of external
affairs at the Museum of Glass, and several roles with Chihuly, Inc.
They join photographer Craig J. Barber and Johnson who
are continuing board members.
Ms. Johnson added, “On behalf of the board, I want to express
our gratitude to Coizie Bettinger and Gary Giovane, who have served as
valued board members, and to Sylvia Strong, who as LAF’s first President
and Co-founder, has provided visionary leadership. We wish them the best in future
endeavors.”
Success for the La Conner Elementary Music Program
The La Conner School Board expressed its gratitude for the instruments purchased for grade school music education. La Conner Arts Foundation, along with generous donations from community members, music lovers, and the Rick Epting Foundation for the Arts, was able to acquire ukuleles, storage racks, and xylophones to meet the school district's needs.
A Nest Egg for La Conner High School's Drama Program
Studying drama became an extracurricular activity at La Conner High School, and volunteers stepped up to lead. La Conner Arts Foundation, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Washington State Arts Commission, contributed the funds to produce the 2023 Spring Show. LAF provided compensation to professionals who trained the students, as well as covered the production advertising and printing costs.
All donations received at the door during the show's run became the nest egg for future productions.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The La Conner Arts Foundation supports and funds education grants, in the form of scholarships, to post-secondary school students who are pursuing a visual arts education through an accredited university, state college, or vocational training.
The recipient of the 2024 La Conner Arts Foundation scholarship is Melissa Adler (Mount Vernon High School). Congratulations!
Sadly, we received no art scholarship applications from La Conner High School or Sedro-Woolley High School in 2024.
There are two ways to directly support our scholarship program:
Click on 'Support and Donate' to be linked to PayPal for a secure transaction, or
Attend Art's Alive!, our annual fine art show fundraiser, where each piece of artwork sold contributes directly to the scholarship fund.
PUBLIC ART
The Foundation supports and promotes the acquisition and placement of public art works.
PARTNERS IN PROJECTS
GRATEFULLY
This foundation acknowledges that La Conner is on the
occupied lands of the Coast Salish people, specifically the ancestral lands of
the Swinomish tribe. They have stewarded this land throughout the generations, and we honor the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.
