Arts council is working to revitalize Port Angeles

Published 1:30 am Thursday, June 11, 2026

PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Arts Council is working to revitalize the arts in the city.

Past Chair Chris Allen and Chair Roxanne Greeson presented to the Port Angeles Chamber of Commerce during its monthly meeting Wednesday at the Red Lion Hotel.

The creative sector accounts for 20 percent of the state economy, said Allen, who added that arts and culture are a big part of tourism in Port Angeles.

“Port Angeles and the surrounding area acts as a cultural hub,” Allen said. “There’s a high concentration of arts in our community.”

The Port Angeles Arts Council was started in 2009 to support artists and arts organizations, advocate for arts education, encourage public art and creative projects, and connect the local arts community, according to the presentation.

A dozen local artists, educators and arts advocates began meeting informally, and that grew into the arts council, with the first public meeting held April 1, 2009.

By the end of that year, the arts council had more than 50 members, and it’s grown since then, Allen said.

The arts council became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2010.

In 2011, the arts council started its public art framework plan, which helped create a long-term public art roadmap for downtown Port Angeles, identified opportunities across streets, waterfronts, neighborhoods and gateways, focused on attainable projects with lasting community impact and led to downtown public artwork becoming known as Art on the Town, according to the presentation.

In 2018, the arts council began managing murals downtown, Allen said. There are now 20 murals in the downtown area.

Another task it took on was organizing the monthly Art Walk, which brings artists, musicians, businesses and the community together on the second Saturday of every month.

The purpose of Art Walk is to increase foot traffic and strengthen the local creative economy, build partnerships between artists and downtown businesses, and help make Port Angeles a destination for residents and visitors alike.

“There were over a dozen businesses participating by 2020,” Allen said.

But then the COVID-19 pandemic happened.

“COVID was a devastating blow for everyone,” Allen said. “Art Walk died.”

Many artists had to return to their day jobs as well.

Since Greeson took over as the chair of the arts council in June 2025, its been a very busy year, she said.

The arts council is now working on revitalization with new leadership, relaunching Art Walk, website and membership rebuilding, and renewing community connections, according to the presentation.

“We’re sustaining ourselves not just through memberships and grants but also with partnerships,” Greeson said.

One such partnership is with the Pacific Northwest Fiber Arts Expo, which is a key fundraiser for the arts council.

“We’re making sure we’re learning how we can all work together,” Greeson said.

One project the arts council is working on right now is creating an inventory of all of the public art downtown and planning how to rotate it so the displays don’t become stagnant. The council is working to connect with more artists and finding new locations for public art.

“We’re trying to organize and plan out art happening in our community,” Greeson said.

To do that, the arts council partners with the Uptown Arts District, the Port Angeles Waterfront District, Field Arts & Events Hall, Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, All in Arts Studio, the city of Port Angeles, Studio Bob, One of a Kind Art Gallery and The Hub.

There are several ways the community can help support the arts council. The first is to become a member for $30 a year. Another way is to attend a board meeting or a Second Saturday Art Walk.

Other ways to get involved include following the arts council on social media, displaying the council’s self-guided tour brochures, sponsoring an existing sculpture or a new mural, volunteering to run a booth or art event, or inviting the council to your organization’s events.

“There’s nothing like supporting a small business or a small artist that keeps money in our community,” Greeson said. “Even if you have no aristic ability but you like what you’re seeing and want to see more of it, you’re welcome.”

For more information, go to portangelesartscouncil.org.

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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.