Submitted by Alchemy Art Center

This 2020 fair season, Alchemy Art Center is one of 28 organizations featured in the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s Matching Grant Program! Alchemy’s fundraising goal of $3,000 will help offset the free community arts programming they are currently offering in partnership with Island Rec and the Family Resource Center, as well as create scholarship funds for kids participating in upcoming small group clay classes at Alchemy.

Since March, when the COVID-19 pandemic began changing the lives of islanders and the world, Alchemy has doubled down on its commitment to creating free and affordable arts programming on San Juan Island. They provided live virtual clay classes by donation to adults and children and spearheaded an ambitious mosaic mural project to encourage artistic expression and interconnectedness during the quarantine. As the summer progressed and life was not yet back to normal, Alchemy brought clay projects to kids at Camp Eagle Rock and the Family Resource Center. Moving into fall, they are planning small, family-based clay classes to supplement kids’ altered schedules with safe and engaging hands-on art learning.

“We are so grateful to be included in this wonderful fundraising opportunity provided by the Community Foundation! Funds raised through this program will go far in helping Alchemy sustain our community arts programming through the fall, and provide much-needed scholarship money to kids and families during this difficult time. We feel very lucky to be part of such an incredible community!”

The virtual grant catalog will open on SJICF’s website at sjicf.org during the four days of the fair, Aug. 12-15. SJICF will match up to the first $1,000 raised for each project. Additional bonus grants totaling $2,500 can be earned during the virtual fair through featured games designed to engage donors. Bonus grant game details and funding updates will be provided each day of the virtual fair via SJICF’s Facebook page and local news.

Alchemy Art Center, founded by Maria Michaelson and Eben Shay in 2017, is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to creating a thriving arts community on San Juan Island.

For more information about Alchemy, visit www.alchemyartcenter.com.