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2025 marks a milestone year for Artstra as we celebrate 15 years of connecting Clark County through the power of the arts. We are passionate about the arts! As you read this, Artstra members have joined other cultural leaders in Olympia to advocate for the economic and social importance of the arts to our state legislators. Click HERE to find out more about this crucial event.
This issue is dedicated entirely to you—the creative force that weaves joy, passion, and hope throughout our community. This month we share exciting opportunities for you to explore, including open calls, grants and scholarships, workshops, and events. If you love what you see here, please forward this to your friends and encourage them to join our email list and subscribe.
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City seeks new members for Culture, Arts and Heritage Commission | |
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The City of Vancouver is now seeking applicants to fill two mid-term openings on the Culture, Arts and Heritage Commission, with a term beginning Feb. 27 and expiring Dec. 31. Visit their website to apply online.
Applications are due by Friday, Feb. 7.
The Culture, Arts and Heritage Commission is a nine-member volunteer group responsible for developing and promoting a thriving cultural, art and heritage environment that reflects the Vancouver community.
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Creative Arts Community offers 2025 scholarships, workshops | |
Creative Arts Community is pleased to present an array of one week-long residential workshops held the first two weeks of August at beautiful Menucha Retreat and Conference Center in Corbett Oregon. Click HERE to learn more about these exciting 2025 workshops and the teachers who will be leading them. | |
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Clark County Emerging Artist Award:
Due to a generous grant from Ripple Impact NW, Creative Arts Community is proud to offer a scholarship specifically for emerging artists who reside in Clark County, Washington.
Awardees will receive:
--Full scholarship including shared room and board (quad or triple room)
--Special feature at the pop-up gallery during the two workshop weeks
--Opportunity to give an artist talk in Wright Hall during their workshop week
--Recognition on Creative Arts Community's website
Application deadline: February 9, 2025
Notification of awards: February 19, 2025
Click HERE to learn more.
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Vancouver Arts & Music Festival call for artists and performers | |
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The Vancouver Arts & Music Festival is returning July 31– Aug. 3, 2025, to Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver, Washington. The festival welcomes over 30,000 people annually to celebrate the diverse spectrum of our arts community. VAMF is seeking visual artists and performers of all genres to join in the weekend celebration of community, culture and creativity. Find out more HERE.
Art vendors and creative makers
Selected art vendors and creative makers are invited to sell their work, provide demonstrations or educational information about their artistic process, and connect with community members of all ages. Artists of all styles, mediums, and backgrounds are invited to participate. Artists from historically underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply regardless of previous festival experience. There is no fee to apply.
Application deadline: February 12, 2025
Selection notification: March 31, 2025
Application can be found HERE.
Community stage performers
Musicians, dancers, storytellers and performing artists of all genres are encouraged to apply and be featured on the festival’s outdoor community stages. Professional audio-visual support and stage management is provided. There is no fee to apply, all selected performing artists will be compensated.
Application deadline: February 12, 2025
Selection notification: March 31, 2025
Application can be found HERE.
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Medical Emergency Grants available to qualifying artists | |
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The Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants program provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for visual artists and up to $3000 for professional dancers for recent unexpected medical, dental, and mental health emergencies to artists in financial need.
These programs are made possible through the support of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Robert Rauschenberg was committed to assisting fellow artists in need of emergency aid, ultimately establishing the nonprofit foundation Change, Inc. in 1970. In this spirit, this program is designed to serve artists in financial need who otherwise may delay critical treatment or incur substantial and perhaps overwhelming debt.
Application deadline: February 11, 2025 at 5pm
Notification of awards: March 18, 2025
Applications and eligibility requirements may be found by selecting the buttons below.
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Artist Trust presents crucial workshop for creatives | |
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Curious about your intellectual property rights in your creative work, and what to do if your work is ever used or reproduced without your permission? Join Krista Mirhoseini of Mirhoseini Creative Law, PLLC for the first in a three-part series on Creative Business Basics.
In this workshop you’ll learn about the basics of copyright and trademarks, including what each one protects, how to register them (and why), licensing them, and what to do if someone infringes your copyrighted work or trademarks. Find out more and register HERE.
Artist Trust is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support and encourage artists working in all disciplines to enrich community life throughout Washington State. Since its founding in 1986, Artist Trust has invested over $15 million in individual artists through grant programs and provides a comprehensive suite of professional development training and resources to help artists achieve their career goals. Learn more HERE.
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Arts Innovator Award application opens this month | |
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Applications for The Artist Trust (AT) Arts Innovator Award (AIA) opens this month. The award recognizes artists who demonstrate innovation in their art practice. This unrestricted award of $25,000 is given annually to two Washington State artists of any discipline who are originating new work, experimenting with new ideas, taking risks, and pushing the boundaries of their fields. Funding for this award is generously donated by the Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation. For eligibility requirements and application assistance (including a free study hall!), click HERE.
Applications open: February 17, 2025
Once open, click HERE to submit your application.
Application deadline: March 17, 2025 at 11:59pm
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2025 Twining Humber (THA) and SOLA Awards
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About the Twining Humber Award
The Twining Humber Award is an unrestricted award of $10,000 given annually to a Washington State female-identified visual artist, age 60 or over, who has dedicated 25 years or more to creating art.
The award is made possible by a generous gift from the painter Yvonne Twining Humber, in recognition of female artists who oftentimes must interrupt or postpone art-making in order to answer the demands of family life. The award recognizes artistic excellence, professional accomplishment, and longstanding dedication to the visual arts.
For more information and application assistance, click HERE.
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Tip Toland (2022 THA Recipient), The Greedy King, 2021. Photo credit: Ann Welch | |
Jan Hopkins (2024 SOLA Recipient), Oh Eleanor, 2012, Photo credit: Ken Rowe | |
About the SOLA Award
SOLA Awards are five unrestricted awards of $5,000 given annually to Washington State female-identified visual artists, age 60 or over, who have dedicated 25 years or more to creating art.
Founded in 2016 by Seattle artist Ginny Ruffner, the SOLA Award seeks to encourage and celebrate women’s achievements in the arts.
Ginny and friends’ generous contributions to this award seek to honor, encourage and celebrate the lifetime contributions of women whose artwork has not been sufficiently or widely recognized.
For more information and application assistance, click HERE.
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Applications for both THA and SOLA awards open: February 28, 2025
Once open, click HERE to submit your application.
Application deadline: March 24, 2025 at 11:59pm
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Calendar
Events this month and beyond
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Great arts events are happening this month! Check out these two below:
Created exclusively for Clark County, VanWAInRealLife (VanWAIRL) is the go-to calendar that explores everything our community has to offer. Click the calendar icon below to see all events near you, and remember to post your events, too!
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Artstra is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting and serving the community through the power of the arts. Artstra and its volunteer board of directors support all forms of art—music, theater, dance, literary, visual, and media art—and work to ensure that art experiences are inclusive of individuals of all ages and backgrounds. | |
ARTS brief is designed to intrigue you while sharing useful information, events, happenings, and current news related to arts growth in our region. Good news is worth sharing: If you love what you see here, please forward this to your friends and encourage them to join our email list and subscribe. | | | | |
