Arts Council of Clatsop County moves to nonprofit

Published 9:00 am Wednesday, January 26, 2022

The Arts Council of Clatsop County, which promotes, supports and advocates for arts and culture on the North Coast, will now operate as a nonprofit. “We are grateful to the (county) Board of Commissioners not only for starting the council in 2014 but for supporting us in our move to 501(c)(3) status,” said Sheila Martin, the council’s president.

Martin expects the council’s move to nonprofit status will expand its ability to fund community projects through a wider range of grants, including many that may not have been possible under county regulations. Much about the council’s structure, including its mission, remains the same.

Its members are keenly aware of the arts’ impact on the cultural as well as economic health of the community.

According to the national Arts and Economic Prosperity survey conducted in 2016, the nonprofit arts and culture sector generated $13.7 million in annual economic activity in Clatsop County.

“(The nonprofit arts and culture sector) also supported 359 full-time equivalent jobs and generated $6.7 million in household income for local residents and $1.3 million in local and state government revenues,” Martin said.

The council, with a maximum of nine members, will continue to hold monthly meetings, rotating amongst the county’s communities. It will also continue to work with the county on other ways to support the arts.

Martin and other members of the council are looking forward to a host of upcoming events.

On March 27, The Astoria Ukulele Orchestra will hold a fundraiser for the council. Later in the year, the council plans to participate in Make Music Day, a worldwide celebration of music on June 21. The council’s signature annual summit will also continue to assist local artists in developing essential marketing and business skills.

The Arts Council “will continue to help create an environment where artists can thrive, support arts in education, reduce barriers to experiencing the arts, and improve arts networks,” Martin said.