Inaugural Shelton Art Walk deemed a success

The success of the inaugural Shelton Art Walk on July 27 might help the city secure state money to establish a Downtown Shelton Creative District.

The event hosted by the City of Shelton, the Creative District Committee and the Shelton Downtown Merchants featured more than 80 local vendors and artists on West Cota Street. About 20 businesses exhibited works by artists. The city spruced up the street by painting new angle-in parking spaces and adding streetlights and 18-inch planter boxes with trees.

Event organizer Amy Cooper of Cooper Studios estimates 2,000 to 3,000 people attended the event.

"I thought it was amazing to see so many people come out for this event and to see such a diverse crowd," Cooper said. They included "a lot of creative, fun people," she added.

"It was something that even eventgoers were commenting on seeing different faces," Cooper said.

The kickoff was a requirement for the city to apply for state money.

A "visioning" study funded by the city in 2015 pictured an arts district on West Cota Street. At a Shelton City Council study session June 11, Jae Hill, the city's community and economic development director, said the benefits of a creative district with possible financial help from the Washington State Arts Commission include promoting the community's creative identity, increasing jobs in the private sector, increasing tourism, attracting artists, startups and creative businesses, and creating opportunities for affordable housing that might make spaces for artists.

In an email, Kevin Shutty, executive director of the Economic Development Council of Mason County, said the event "brought out the best in our town. At a time when some are sharing narratives about how folks can't shop, dine or recreate downtown, Art Walk showed the city's commitment to providing opportunities for people to gather safely well into the evening. I am grateful for the leadership of the volunteers and city officials who made this first event a success and know they will work to expand the event next year."

Monica Carvajal-Beben, owner of the High Steel Beer Co., wrote that "as a participating business, and as an artist, I can tell you that the event felt like a breath of fresh air. It was special to be able to share my artwork with my community, and to be able to share my business space with other artists I respect and admire. Sometimes it feels like we fall into a stagnant routine here in Shelton, especially throughout the winter. Usually that changes with the return of sunshine, but this summer had been missing that energy I've felt in summers past. Art Walk infused us all with the boost that we had been missing."

Carvajal-Beben said Shelton "feels like it's buzzing again with enthusiasm and excitement for what's possible here. Maybe just because I've felt the energy of new faces around town and new businesses opening, but there is definitely a new spirit in Shelton, one that feels like it could potentially be bringing creative and positive change."

Shelton Deputy Mayor Sharon Schirman was among the hosts at her store, ISH PNW.

"I think that for the first-time event, the Shelton Art Walk was a great success and can only get better in the future," she wrote. "Our community has a wealth of talent and it's so nice to see so many people celebrating that."

Cooper said Art Walk might became an annual event or be staged more than once a year.

"We can't wait to do it again," she said.