'Artist Trust on Tour' visits Port Townsend

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Artist Trust, a Seattle-based arts advocacy not-for-profit organization, hosts a series of events in Port Townsend this week on the final stop of its Artist Trust on Tour statewide event series.

From Sept. 15 to Sept. 24, the tour offers multiple free and low-cost workshops, "Artist Office Hours," and showcases of artists participating in the group's Edge program. See sidebar for event details.

The Artist Trust on Tour program celebrates the work of artists from across the state, connecting artists from different disciplines and regions, and creating community among artists. Artist Trust chose five arts-minded cities for the tour: Bellingham, Spokane, Seattle and Tacoma, with Port Townsend as its final stop. Each event showcases the work of four artists from different disciplines who have been supported by Artist Trust’s grant-making and professional development programs, with funding from the Seattle Art Fair.

The series kicks off with a free Artist Trust on Tour celebration at 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Cotton Building, 607 Water St. Four award-winning literary, performance and visual artists from the Olympic Peninsula and Bellingham come together to perform, read, play music and celebrate art. A happy hour, also at the Cotton Building, precedes the event, with beer and wine provided.

Programming continues with two artist development workshops and Artist Office Hours, a free grant-writing support program for artists of all disciplines. Workshops offered include “How to Build Your Audience Online” on Sept. 17, and “Writing Your Artist Statement and Résumé” on Sept. 18. Port Townsend’s Artist Office Hours are scheduled for Sept. 17; see sidebar for times and locations.

The week is also the culmination of Artist Trust’s Edge program at Centrum. The final showcase for Edge visual artists is to be held on Sept. 17, and the final reading for Edge literary artists is on Sept. 24. Literary Edge instructors Elissa Washuta, Nicole Hardy and Kristen Young also offer an Edge instructor reading at Northwind Arts Center on Sept. 20.