Ran into White Center for the Arts’ Board Chair Shelli Park at the Westside School graduation and awards ceremony Thursday night (June 10), and she shared this hot tip:

White Center for the Arts is merging with the White Center Arts Alliance!

We kind of equate this with the “you got chocolate in my peanut butter. No, you got peanut butter in my chocolate” argument, meaning that we think the combination of these two arts organizations will surpass the sum of its parts. And the community’s arts and artists will be the benefactor.

To reflect a bit, here are the mission statements of each:

White Center Arts Alliance:
The White Center Arts Alliance (WCAA) is a resident-led, volunteer group of approximately 16 people. The Alliance provides cultural, intellectual and emotional support to White Center youth and the broader White Center community by coordinating arts and cultural programs in the neighborhood. The Alliance works in partnership with the community and other local organizations with similar missions. Our ultimate goal is to establish a central Cultural Community Center to promote multi-cultural programs, events and classes designed to enrich civic unity, participation and cultural awareness.

White Center for the Arts:
White Center for the Arts (WCFTA) was founded by a group of artists interested in making the arts in White Center more accessible. We strive to use the arts as well as a connection to history and heritage to help strengthen the community of White Center and the surrounding area of Unincorporated King County. We want to raise awareness in the region of the high quality of locally produced art. White Center is a very diverse community, and White Center for the Arts believes its rich tapestry of culture should be shared.

WCFTA holds its Art Walk every third Saturday, and WCAA sponsors similar events as well as a community gallery and cultural center.

WCAA is the older of the two orgs, while WCFTA celebrated its first anniversary in February.

What’s the new organization going to be called?

“We’re not sure yet,” Shelli said.

Well, whatever it ends up being called (“White Center for the Arts Alliance“?) we know it’ll be great.

Have any name suggestions? Leave ‘em in the Comments below…

The House of Writers/Casa de Escritores is sponsoring a special literary and cultural event this Friday, Dec 5, from 6-9pm at the White Center Taqueria del Rio, located at 10230 16th Ave SW (map below).

There you’ll enjoy a variety of readings, music and food.

This is a FREE event for the community, so please spread the word!

For more on House of Writers/Casa de Escritores, visit their blog:

http://houseofwriters.blogspot.com/

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