Birthday Bash and Youth Artist Recap!

Yesterday was a blast as we kicked off our annual Birthday Bash, celebrating eight years bringing art to our community! The atmosphere at 4 Market sure was festive, resonating with wonderful music, good conversation, crafts, art, and community connection.

Walking into The Collaborative on 4 Market Street, visitors were greeted by Collaborative Board members, the warm ambiance and bustle of arc{hive}, and a decadent array of food, including birthday cake… What not to love!

Board Member Alana Conlin set up a craft table, engaging attendees in a beautiful printmaking process. Everyone’s individual style came through in their designs while getting creative with the stamps. Thank you, Alana!

“The Collaborative feels like home,” Julia Barker remarked after showing us the print she had made.

Former Collaborative intern and local singer/songwriter Lily Rhodes played a wonderful set, captivating the crowd with moving lyrics and melodies. “The Collaborative has given me a community that I’ll appreciate for years to come and a space that has so positively changed my life,” she said.

Throughout the evening, Board Members gave tours of The Collaborative’s spaces on Main and Market Street, which are used to host a variety of workshops, including creative writing and figure drawing, and to showcase the work of monthly Feature and Youth artists, as well as work from Artist Collaborators who display work with The Collaborative year-round and gallery sit regularly.

In addition to giving tours and hosting the event, Board Member Ernest Edwards and Board Chair Sally Turner gave wonderful spoken word performances.

Over on Main Street, May Youth Artist, Bliss Matthews, had a lovely artist opening, showcasing paintings, graphite drawings, and prints. “This is my first time showing work like this,” Bliss said, “I’m really happy for the opportunity.”

These events, opportunities, and showcases are not possible without your support. To sustain The Collaborative’s mission in bringing free to low-cost arts and arts education opportunities to our community, please consider donating.