Promoting arts in the Valley
“Art is the adhesive that pulls a community together,” says Spokane Valley Arts Council member Norma Ventris
The SVAC, a three-year-old volunteer organization dedicated to the promotion of arts in the Valley, hopes to help the young city of Spokane Valley define itself through the display and support of art.
“We really are trying to build an art presence in the Valley,” said Jim Harken, SVAC president. “Art is part of our culture. Dance, music, sculpture are all a part of it.”
Building an art presence begins with the SVAC’s campaign to install large bronze sculptures at various public facilities.
The organization is raising money to buy and install Colville artist Jerry McKeller’s “Walking the Line’” sculpture on a site near Mirabeau Point Park.
The award-winning piece is a 9-foot-tall rendition of a mountain man/trapper. The limited-edition collection is valued at over $55,000.
“It is indicative of what the Northwest is all about,” Ventris said of the mountain man image.
Funding for the sculpture began during the Artist Showcase event held at Valleyfest in September. According to Harken, the event was the first of its kind in the Spokane Valley.
Highlighting more than 60 pieces of art by 28 artists from around the country, the three-part event consisted of a silent auction, raffle and quick-draw/quick-finish demonstration and raised an estimated $10,000 toward purchasing the sculpture. SVAC plans to make the showcase an annual event. Harken hopes to raise the additional money needed for the McKeller bronze at next year’s Valleyfest.
The SVAC board is evaluating a variety of ways to buy the sculptures, including campaigning for new members, soliciting grant money and securing business sponsorships.
The planned construction of the new City Center and library represent another funding opportunity for SVAC. If approved, the city would be required to implement a policy dedicating a small percentage of the construction budget for art.
Ultimately the approval of the sculptures’ design and location is in the hands of the Spokane Valley City Council. According to Carolbelle Branch, city public information officer, the council is aware of SVAC’s efforts but has not made a formal decision.
Every fall, the SVAC promotes art in the Valley by hosting the annual Artist Studio tour. In its third year, the event highlights more than 25 local artists at six different studios.
Along with special events, the SVAC shows off local artists’ works in displays at the Spokane Valley Main Library and CenterPlace in Mirabeau Point Park that are changed every three to four months.
In addition, the SVAC offers summer reading and art programs for children and adults.
“This is an area we are working into,” said Ventris. “We would like to have more programs for both adults and children.”
The SVAC formed as part of the transition team when the city of Spokane Valley incorporated in 2003. In early 2004, after the SVAC received a nonprofit license, a core group of nine people began developing the new business.
“We’ve spent the first couple years getting all the logistics together,” Ventris said. “Like starting a new business it takes a couple years to get your feet on the ground.”
The SVAC voted recently to change their bylaws to allow 15 board members instead of nine.
The SVAC is temporarily located in the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce building. Ventris hopes to eventually find a permanent location for the SVAC where local artists can display, sell or work on their projects.