The work of Upper Valley Arts resembles the work of artists
like Pablo Picasso or Bob Dylan—we are continually redefining and re-inventing
ourselves.
Looking through the archives, the first information sheet
the group put together, describes UVA as a non-profit corporation with the
purpose of bringing cultural activities to the upper Wenatchee Valley.
UVA began in 1977 by pulling together community resources
to produce world-class cultural productions. UVA
saw the need for a Performing Arts Center, and they saw the community supporting
the activities that could be held there. Development
studies for a Performing Arts Center were done and a National Endowment “City
Spirit” Application was written with a Performing Arts Center as its primary
goal. This action set the stage for the first 8 years of UVA. They
brought in a wide variety of performers and events, and these events acted
as an additional attraction to the Bavarian theme town of Leavenworth. These
attractions were top-notch and financially successful. UVA
stepped into the spotlight as being the most successful community organization
in the State of Washington. This
was achieved by each member of UVA giving of their time, pooling their skills,
and paying their membership dues.
In the early 1980’s the organization began to change. UVA started to produce shows with local talent in addition to bringing in events. The Marlin Handbell Ringers and the Village Voices began to perform. UVA also moved into the visual arts. With the help of many local artists, art shows were put together, juried by UVA.
Over a 10 year period a series of photo workshops and shows
were produced and became very popular. Photographers
from all over the United States came to show or attend these events. Another
cultural event that drew people to Leavenworth was the International Choir
Fest.
A lot of UVA’s energy focused on education. In
conjunction with Extended Family, “The Enchantment Center” was formed. It
was a workshop for exploring all art forms for children ages 5 to 12 years. This
workshop continued through the years, organized by different individuals. It
is still funded in part by UVA, and currently is lead by the Artist Guild of
Leavenworth and is known as Art Adventure.
The Washington State Arts Commission holds a State Arts
Education Workshop for high school students, and local students are co-sponsored
with funds from UVA.
In the early 1990’s Harriet Bullitt announced the purchase
of Camp Field. This sparked a major
series of “the Role of the Arts in the Community” meetings. The
goal of the meetings was to create a long-term arts strategy for the new arts
center that was planned to be a part of Sleeping Lady.
The early 1990’s also brought two new arts groups into town: Leavenworth Summer Theater and the Icicle Creek Music Center. UVA soon donated money to these groups and worked on promoting a facility for them as well. Another recent arts group, encouraged by UVA, is the Artist Guild of Leavenworth.
As these new groups emerged and as groups that UVA helped start gained independence it became clear that UVA’s mission should be revised. To support and encourage diverse arts experiences, UVA acts as a coordinator, promotes and funds events, funds learning experiences in the arts for students and fosters communication between the many arts organizations in the Upper Valley. UVA now has two major events to raise money to help carry out its mission.
In 1994-5 Leavenworth was still without a community arts
center. A Performing Arts Center Committee
was formed to explore the conversion of the fruit warehouse into a civic arts
center. This eventually lead to
an architectural review and proposal and recently a vote by the citizens of
Leavenworth to proceed with a scaled down version of the plan.
Over the last 25 years UVA has been made up of individuals
interested in bringing cultural activities to Leavenworth. They
have produced, coordinated, and donated to many arts endeavors. This
has only been possible through the continuing support of the membership.
UVA is growing again. Current directions include:
Applying for Federal, State, and Private Grants & Endowments
UVA is considering a “City-wide Week of the Arts.” This project could include an art walk, street performers and workshops in several locations.
UVA supports The Arts Alliance idea. This proposed partnership with the Chamber of Commerce would educate shop and gallery owners about how to attract patrons of the arts to Leavenworth.
Continue to develop and improve fund raising events so that UVA can expand grants to support the arts.
UVA looks forward to the next 25 years of promoting and supporting the arts in the upper Wenatchee Valley.
Examples of grants dispersed via Upper Valley Arts.
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