At 20, Manzanita’s Hoffman Center for the Arts is a creative hub

Published 9:00 am Monday, August 26, 2024

The Hoffman Center for the Arts grew out of an estate donated in 2004 by longtime Manzanitans Lloyd and Myrtle Hoffman, who left it for the community to seed a local center for arts and culture.

First, there was the Hoffman House, then there was a gallery constructed across the street along Laneda Avenue.

Two decades later, there are rotating exhibits, a clay studio, workshops and readings from visiting authors and artists, and horticulture programs.

“Over the years it has really grown, beyond what they could have even imagined,” said India Downes-Le Guin, the center’s executive director.

To celebrate its 20th year, the center is holding a festival on Saturday, highlighting the diverse set of programs that have grown over time.

“We’re celebrating our creation and continued presence as a dedicated center for art,” Downes-Le Guin said. “We are trying to highlight our commitment towards activity for the whole family. It’s going to be a really fun, family-friendly day with a lot going on.”

The anniversary festival will kick off with an opening ceremony at 11 a.m. in the center’s Wonder Garden, a collection of coastal plants and clay sculptures that has evolved since being constructed on the grounds of the Hoffman House after it was torn down.

As part of the afternoon festivities, creative, kid-friendly activities will unfold throughout the center’s properties, including the garden and the main building, which houses a gallery and clay studio.

Interactive art stations will be set up to represent the center’s five core programs: gallery, horticulture, clay, writing and visual arts.

Visitors will have the chance to make life drawing or air-drying clay sculptures of their funny faces to take home, while children can make collages and crafts.

Magnet poetry making, instant photos, a plant bingo, and a historical photo presentation about the center’s iterations over the past two decades will round out the festival.

Visitors will also be able to write down their recollections about the center in community memory notebooks, handmade by a local artist.

Birthday cake will cap off the festivities, along with snacks donated by the Tillamook County Creamery Association. Live music will be played by local favorites Stay Tuned during the entire event, which runs through 6 p.m.

In 2022, Downes-Le Guin was hired as the volunteer-run center’s first employee.

“Lloyd and Myrtle’s lifelong curiosity for learning is so inspiring, and I’m proud to see its spirit reflected in our unwavering mission to provide opportunities for artistic and cultural access, education, exploration, and collaboration, as well as in our broad, participatory art programs,” she said.

About half the center’s funding is from programs, the rest is from grants and donations.

In 2023, it provided 92 workshops or classes, with 1,190 student learning opportunities, welcomed over 7,000 visitors to the building, organized monthly art shows and returned nearly $83,000 to local artists through teaching opportunities and commissions.

In recent months, the center has hosted a pairing of writers and artists for its Word & Image program and featured the work of more than 20 local artists on a summer studio tour.

“The goal is expansion,” Downes-Le Guin said. “We’ve outgrown even our current building and so we’re doing all of the work to make sure we can thoughtfully, sustain growth and see improved and expanded facilities.”

The focus on activities for the family and children during the anniversary festival reflects the center’s re-commitment to youth programming, including in collaboration with other local organizations, Downes-Le Guin said.

The community event is open and free to the public.

Hoffman Center 20th anniversary festival

Hoffman Center 20th anniversary festival

11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Hoffman Center for the Arts, 594 Laneda Ave., Manzanita

Opening ceremony at the center’s Wonder Garden, activities and presentations throughout the afternoon

www.hoffmanarts.org