Arts Alive! shifts back to town

The La Conner Chamber of Commerce has turned the annual Arts Alive! show back over to the Town of La Conner Arts Commission.

To make sure the November show goes on, the commission needs help from people willing to work hard planning, organizing and putting on the event, said commission Chairman Kelly Wynn.

In late 2006, the Arts Commission took over the responsibility for the invitational show and open show held at Maple Hall from artists Earlene Beckes and Chris Elliott, who had been organizing it on their own for seven years.

When the Arts Commission put on the shows, the bulk of the work was done by artists Carol Merrick, Joann Ossewarde and Pat Doran with help from Beckes and Elliott.

In 2009, the show was turned over to the chamber, which agreed to do all the work in hopes it would be a viable fundraiser. That was the first time admission was charged for the opening night artists’ reception, which for years had been a free feast for eyes and bellies, with lots of “culinary arts” to nibble while viewing exhibits.

The 2014 show is back in the town’s hands because the chamber is no longer able to devote the time and resources needed to run it, said Executive Director Heather Carter. Even so, the chamber will pitch in and help as much as possible, she said.

Carter said the chamber would still organize the merchant participation, in which local shops and galleries host artists for live demonstrations.

“I’m glad it’s going back to the Arts Commission,” Beckes said Tuesday. “I think that’s where it belongs.”

She said that when she and Elliott were organizing the event, their focus was not on fundraising.

“We wanted to do as much for the artists as possible,” she said.

Admission was free to the public, she said, and the commissions charged on art sales were kept low.

“We always tried to keep enough to put on the next show,” she said.

When they handed the show over to the Arts Commission, Beckes and Elliott provided “seed money” from proceeds of the previous show to help it take off.

Arts Alive! dates back to 1985, when it was founded by Art Hupy, who was director of what is now the Museum of Northwest Art.

Sponsorship of Arts Alive! shifted over the years, and the show’s popularity grew to become the town’s premier fall event.

Now, with just six months to pull it all together, the five-member Arts Commission needs volunteers to help organize this fall’s show, which is traditionally held the first weekend in November.

If you can help, please call Lori Clumpner at Town Hall, 466-3125.