Our Purpose
Community Art Studio of Skamania is a registered nonprofit that provides supportive opportunities for individuals and families living in and around Skamania County to express themselves and connect with others through experiences of art-making, skill-sharing, and dialogue. Art supplies, art kits, and pop-up art-making opportunities are offered at no, or low cost in order to ensure that all members of the community - including those who are most marginalized - can take part.
The studio's mission is to promote positive self-identities, strengthen and build relationships, and inspire community-driven action by providing an inclusive, non-judgmental outlet for meaningful creative social interaction.
At Community Art Studio of Skamania, we believe that EVERYONE is an artist and that when we make art together we change our world for the better, one creation at a time. We believe that the processes involved in creative self-expression are inherently therapeutic and ultimately empowering for people and the neighborhoods in which they live.
We currently provide our services from CASS Mobile Art, a step van that is chock full of art supplies, and craft tools that travel to different locations in the county. We use mostly recycled, repurposed, and donated supplies.
About CASS
The Art Hives Model
The model we strive for in our studio is from The Art Hives Network. Art Hives connect small and regenerative community art studios (known as Art Hives) together in order to build solidarity across geographic distances.
These Art Hives offer small, accessible spaces for free community art-making in order to increase our understanding of ourselves, strengthen our relationships across divides, and build meaningful community life.
CEKC - Fiscal Sponsor
We are fiscally sponsored by Community Enrichment for Klickitat and Skamania County, CEKC. CEKC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation located in the Columbia River Gorge in rural southwest Washington State. Their mission is simple: To strengthen the social and economic well being of Klickitat and Skamania County residents. They do this by providing fiscal sponsorship, training, information and resources to help our local communities grow and prosper.
CASS Board of Directors
