The Palmer Arts Council was founded in 2005 by a group of Palmer citizens who believed the quality of life in their city could be greatly enhanced by an arts organization whose primary purpose was to serve as cultural planner for the city. A seven person interim board was selected. The Palmer Arts Council quickly filed for and received 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit status from the Internal Revenue Service.
The organizing group envisioned a community organization with a broad membership base of interested valley citizens. The first annual meeting of the membership of Palmer Arts Council was held in March 2006, and the Council’s first permanent board was elected.
The goal of the Palmer Arts Council is to serve the people of the greater Palmer area by promoting the arts as an essential component of community and civic life. The mission statement adopted by the first Board is: “…to nurture, encourage, sponsor and support the free expression of idea in our community through the arts.”
Palmer is a unique community for its size: being so close in proximity to Anchorage, it would be easy to defer to the larger city for quality arts opportunities. That would be unfair to our children and our residents to take a “pass.” Instead, Palmer, through the leadership of the Palmer Arts Council, supports local artists, stimulates new programs, fosters audience development, forges community partnerships, and seeks financial support to ensure that our citizens have opportunities to experience the power of the arts as active participants, not just passive bystanders. The arts are alive and thriving in our community!
Programs and services provided by the Palmer Arts Council have made a major contribution to the cultural growth of our community. Through collaboration, cooperation, and partnership with local government, the public schools, churches, other community non-profits and local businesses and individuals, the PAC has had four successful years in the promotion and cultivation of the local art scene.
• Theatrical productions at the Palmer Community Center (Depot)
• Concerts featuring local musicians and nationally acclaimed musicians
• Palmer Poetry Walkabout and other poetry events
• Summer Theatre, Fine Arts, Percussion and Community Band Programs for Youth
• Palmer’s first Wearable Arts Fashion Show
• One of six Alaskan cities that hosted ARTRAIN USA’s Native Views exhibit
• Native American flute concert and Native American Hoop Dancer with school performances
• Art Walks and Public art events to showcase local artists
Goals for future programming include continuing and expanding the summer Youth Art programs; supporting and facilitating summer programs in area daycare facilities; programming for elderly and mentally/physically disabled citizens; more programming for Palmer Poetry Month; and bringing the ArtTrain back to Palmer in 2012.
The goal of the Palmer Arts Council is to serve the citizens of the greater Palmer area. This large area extends from Knik River Road to Hatcher Pass, from Trunk Road to Sutton. The PAC currently has approximately 350 members who are primarily from the greater Palmer area, but some members reside in Wasilla, Talkeetna, Anchorage, and other local communities. All the events we facilitate and produce are open to any resident of the Mat Su Borough, visitors, or persons throughout the state.
The summer activities facilitated by the Palmer Arts Council contribute to the needs/enjoyment of three distinct bodies of people… audiences, volunteers, and artists.
Total audiences number in the hundreds. Volunteers number in the dozens.
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