Village Art in the Park Celebrates 60th season

LEAVENWORTH — Village Art in the Park (VAP) kicked off its 60th season May 1 with the return of its outdoor art market, marking six decades of supporting artists and arts education in the community.

“Reaching our 60th anniversary is a testament to the artists, volunteers, and community members who have supported Village Art in the Park over the decades,” said Laura Hansen, president of the VAP Board of Directors. “We’re especially proud to continue growing our impact by supporting arts education for local students in new ways.”

According to former Executive Director Mary Warden, the art market started as a way to encourage more people to come downtown. Painters would set up their easels in the park to be visible from the highway. As the years went on, the market started to grow and evolve. The scope of artwork expanded, and the market became more structured with the addition of pavers and canopies. Yet, the spirit of Art in the Park has remained the same.

“It was always a place for artists to feel like they belonged and learn how to grow as an artist and sell their works. Then, Art in the Park just became part of the regular Leavenworth experience,” said Warden.

The organization’s influence in the community has also expanded over the years. In 1985, Village Art in the Park established a scholarship program to support local artists pursuing an art degree. Today, the organization awards up to two $10,000 scholarships annually to qualified students, said Hansen.

“We have flexed along with the times. So we definitely still give scholarships for fine arts, but also for graphic design and even gaming programs,” said Hansen. “We are continuing to evolve as our students' needs evolve.”

In 2009, the organization launched the Enriched Art Education Program, which supports the art departments of the schools in the Cascade School District on a rotational basis. The program awards up to $2500 in grant funding per year for art related expenses.

Then, as a response to the pandemic and online teaching, the organization added Classroom Art Grants, which awards money to teachers of any subject who incorporate art into their curriculum. The grant has continued due to its popularity. 

In most recent years, Village Art in the Park has stepped in to fund the middle school art teacher position in response to district budget cuts, as well as provided art supply budgets for kindergarten through 8th grade classes.

“The teachers absolutely love that because they can splurge a little bit and get some fun new things into their art curriculum,” said Hansen.

Looking forward, the organization says it's committed to significantly growing its impact in the years ahead.

Village Art in the Park will run every weekend through Oktoberfest, featuring a rotating selection of over 50 different regional artists in an open-air art gallery. The market includes a wide range of original work, from fine art painting and photography to handcrafted jewelry, ceramics, metalwork and more. Village Art in the Park, located in Front Street Park, is free to attend and open to the public.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media