"Arts groups continue to do excellent work amidst the new normal of an uncertain economy,” said Mari Horita, president and CEO of ArtsFund, the region's central funding organization for the arts. “Our arts organizations are finding creative ways to collaborate, increase efficiencies and think even more strategically, but challenges persist and broad community support remains critical to their continued success.”

 

Horita added, “As set forth in the recently released Americans for the Arts’ Arts & Economic Prosperity IV report, in the city of Seattle, nonprofit arts generate $447.6 million annually – pumping revenue by creating jobs, purchasing goods and services and drawing tourism. The arts are not just a nice-to-have; they are an essential part of a strong local economy and a vibrant community.”

 

Jim Duncan, Chairman Emeritus of Sparling and Chair of the ArtsFund Board of Trustees, commented, "Our grants have held steady in another year of economic volatility. Gifts from individual donors increased substantially this year, and we are especially pleased that many of these are from donors who are new to ArtsFund. We are also grateful for generous support from donors in the business community.”

 

“Special thanks go to our Board of Trustees, particularly Campaign Co-Chairs Stellman Keehnel, partner, DLA Piper (U.S.) and Sandy McDade, senior vice president & general counsel, Weyerhaeuser Company, and our volunteer corps, the Associates, for their tireless fundraising efforts,” Duncan added. “And we thank the 19 members of our 2012 Allocations Committee, chaired by Christopher Wiggins, community relations, Safeco Insurance Foundation. This committee spent many hours reviewing applications, conducting interviews and making evaluations, which culminated in grant recommendations to our Board of Trustees.”

 

Since it was founded in 1969, ArtsFund has made grants of more than $65.5 million to King and Pierce County arts groups. In addition to raising and distributing funds, ArtsFund also supports the cultural life of this region through extensive advocacy on important arts issues and through capacity-building work such as its Board Leadership Training Program. 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher Wiggins, Chair
Community Relations

Safeco Insurance

 

Erin Arslanagic*
Wealth Planning Analyst

Wells Fargo Bank

 

Mary Bass** 
Vice President, Partnerships Private & Commercial Bank

Wells Fargo Bank

 

Jane Broom 
Community Affairs Manager

Microsoft Corporation

 

Mari Horita 
President & CEO

ArtsFund

 

Melinda Iacolucci 
Vice President

Weyerhaeuser Realty Investors

 

Cat Martin 
AVP & Manager, Community Relations

U.S. Bank

 

Jim McDonald 
Senior Program Officer, Arts & Culture

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

 

Joelle Skaga Nausin**
Senior Community Investments Specialist

Starbucks Coffee Company

 

Carol Pawlak** 
Corporate Communications Analyst

Amgen Inc.

 

Huong Vu**
Community Investor, Arts, Culture and Civic Global Corporate Citizenship

Pacific Northwest Region

The Boeing Company

 

Kate Williams 
Grants Administrator

Nesholm Family Foundation

 

Shauna Woods** 
Community Volunteer

 

*Continuing Member/Members only

**Charter Members only

 

 

Mari Horita, Chair
President & CEO

ArtsFund

 

Sarah Idstrom 
Senior Director of Development

Franke Tobey Jones

 

Xan McCallum 
Director, Corporate Communications

Weyerhaeuser Company

 

Karla McLane 
Vice President

Kitsap Bank

 

Walter Neary 
Public Relations Director

Comcast

 

Natalie Whitcomb 
Senior Vice President

Brown and Brown of Washington

 

Brian Wolf 
Senior Vice President/South Puget Sound District Retail Leader

KeyBank