With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns and school closings, the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation has focused its energy and funds of supporting student arts and public art projects. Through scholarships, a wildly successful “grab and go” art supply program, and funding for public art projects that people can safely enjoy, the Foundation has stepped up in spite of a deeply reduced budget.After the cancellation of the 2020 Edmonds Arts Festival due to the pandemic, the Foundation—which receives most of its funds from Edmonds Arts Festival profits—knew it needed to make the most of the resources it had available. Here’s what the Foundation did in 2020.

Supporting students’ creativity

Following school closings, the foundation’s Edmonds School District liaison and another board member realized that students usually use classroom supplies for their art lessons, and with schools closed, a lot of students would not have access to art supplies.When the need was brought to the attention of the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation board, the idea of a grab-and-go art supply program met with unanimous and excited support, and we decided to use $10,000 of our funds earmarked for Art Instruction Grants to support the cause.The grab-and-go art supply program reached approximately 1,000 children at 13 total sites. An additional 900 paint sets were delivered to students through the Edmonds School District's direct home delivery program, and the last 200 or so packets were donated to the Edmonds Food Bank, which distributed them to needy students.In the fall, the Foundation donated $10,000 to Edmonds School District middle school and high school teachers to assist in purchasing art supplies for students to use at home during remote instruction.  Teachers were given the discretion to tailor their purchases to the specific materials needed by their students. As a result, more than 1,600 students received art supplies to use at home during their online instruction. Make a donation to support art education for students >

Awarding scholarships

In 2020, the Foundation awarded 17 scholarships totaling $31,000 to Edmonds students who are planning to study in an arts-related field. Additionally, two additional scholarships of $1,500 each—one from the Sambataro family and one from the Mummy family—were awarded.Every year, the Foundation gives away more than $30,000 to qualifying students. Funding begins with the support of volunteers, patrons of the arts, sponsors and donors, and visitors to the annual Edmonds Arts Festival.Scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors who are residents of the Edmonds School District service area, and who have a strong interest in the visual arts. Scholarships are also awarded to college level visual arts students renewing their scholarships. Students may re-apply each year that they remain in a visual arts curriculum.Students who earned 2020 Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation scholarships attended schools including Edmonds College, University of Washington, Loyola Marymount University, Northwest College of Art & Design, Savannah College of Art and Design, Western Washington University, and Seattle University.With the cancellation of the 2020 Edmonds Arts Festival, local art students need your support so we can continue to offer this financial assistance to our young artists. Make your donation to support scholarships >

Funding public art and helping local artists

Through ArtWorks, a joint project between the Foundation and the Edmonds Arts Festival, art classes are offered to the community. In 2020, we leased the ArtWorks space out to local artist Andy Eccleshall so he could complete a multi-panel mural project he couldn’t complete in his personal studio due to lack of space. That mural, a nine-panel, 45-foot-long piece, celebrates the history of Petersburg, Alaska, and was placed in a public area for the city’s citizens to enjoy.The Foundation was a sponsor of a cedar mural by Tulalip Tribes artist Ty Juvinel called “Marsh Life,” created in traditional Coast Salish style, which depicts local flora and fauna. That mural, carved from two 4-inch-thick planks of cedar harvested in the Puget Sound region and surrounded by two carved posts and a reflecting panel, is now installed outside the Edmonds Historical Museum.In fact, most of the public art you see in Edmonds was sponsored entirely or in part by the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation. The Foundation believes art should be accessible to the public and that it provides a sense of Edmonds’ history and culture for visitors and residents alike to enjoy. Donate to support public art projects >

Bringing art to the whole community

Last year, the Foundation donated $50,000 to support the construction of the new Edmonds Waterfront Center. We also donated our art collection, consisting of original artworks that were used as posters over the Festival's 60-plus year history, as well as other works by local artists, to the new Center.The new Edmonds Waterfront Center will become a cultural destination in downtown Edmonds, offering an array of classes, performances, and other activities. The new Center is a 26,000 square-foot sustainable, LEED Gold building. It is entirely electric—zero emissions, with a 305-panel rooftop solar array to power the building.The Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation is committed to being a vital part of the artistic and cultural life of the city. Your support makes the work we do possible. Support the foundation today >Want to make a donation of land or a gift of stock? Find out about the ways you can make a tax-advantaged donation to the Foundation.