Arts Corps ends year with ‘Art & Sol’ celebration in White Center

Local arts education non-profit Arts Corps hosted Art & Sol this past Saturday, June 8, 2024 at TAF Bethaday Community Learning Space in White Center.

The event was joyous and community-centric, with performances from Arts Corps’ Capoeira class, Level Up! Vocal Ensemble, and long-time teaching artist Erica Merritt with students Isaiah Banks and Flourish Maxzel; a student gallery with artwork for sale – with 100% of profits going directly to the student creators – face painting, zine making, and a community mural; as well as free lunch provided by Paparepas.

“Art & Sol is our celebration of all the arts, creative expression which is invaluable to our daily lives, and giving students in our programs with their families the opportunity to make art together,” said board member Kris Evans Bien. “It’s a really fun day which bookends the school year and warms my heart with meaningful performances, singing, sharing, and joy. Mark your calendars now to join us at our next event.”

From big, wearable puppets, to spray-painted pieces depicting internal emotional workings, to finger-painting jellyfish, the event showcased and uplifted student art. Each performance, each activity, and each art piece reminded attendees of how capable our students are, of the ingenuity, skill, and courage they are willing to share when given the appropriate tools and support. It was heartwarming to see students and families from different grades and locations all come together to witness each other’s work.

Art & Sol was also a testament to all the hard work and commitment from the Arts Corps community that helped the organization persist through an eventful year. 20 local businesses, organizations, and individual donors helped make the event possible, beaconing new partnerships and an age of deeper collaboration for Arts Corps.

“We are deeply grateful to all of our sponsors, board members, volunteers, faculty, and staff who contributed to our event this year. Their giving spirit is a strong indicator of the support and commitment to our community, the critical role the arts serve, and Arts Corps,” Evans Bien said.

Arts Corps has served Seattle and South King County since 2000, providing in-school arts integration, before- and after-school classes, as well as teen programming, including their in-house paid art internship, Art 4 Life. The organization helps to bridge access to arts education, with 83% of its students being students of color and 68% qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Like many other arts organizations, they began the school year with a sense of uncertainty. Financial stress left over from the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a down-sizing of staff last spring and efforts became focused on keeping the doors open. Still, with the support of the community, Arts Corps managed to provide uninterrupted programming throughout the school year. In the fall, they participated in the advocacy necessary to pass the Doors Open legislation. In the winter, they began a brand-new program called Teen Art Jam. And in spring, they were named a grantee from the Yield Giving Open Call providing financial stability for the near future. Although the organization is still hard at work to create long-term sustainability, Art & Sol marked a happy end of the year for the organization.

To learn more and help support Arts Corps work, please visit:

https://artscorps.org/

Photos

Below are photos from the event, courtesy Arts Corps: