People who love art often want to support the artists in their community but aren't sure how. The most obvious answer, buying artwork, is important but it's far from the only way to help. Artists need visibility, connection, practical assistance, and a community that values creative work as real work. Here are concrete ways to support the people who make Sequim's arts community what it is.
Buy Original Art
Start with the direct approach. Original artwork purchased directly from an artist or from a local gallery puts money in the hands of the person who made the work. This matters more than most people realize. The majority of working artists in Sequim don't earn a full-time living from art sales alone. Every purchase shifts that equation, even a little.
You don't need to spend thousands of dollars to make a meaningful purchase. Many Sequim artists offer smaller works, studies, prints, and cards at accessible price points. A $50 print or a $75 ceramic mug is a purchase that supports an artist, fills your home with something handmade, and costs about the same as a dinner out.
When buying from a gallery, ask about the commission structure. Most cooperative galleries charge members a monthly fee plus a percentage of sales (typically 30 to 40 percent). Buying directly from an artist at an open studio usually means 100 percent of the sale goes to the maker. Both are valid ways to buy, and both support the ecosystem.
Attend Events
Show up. It's that simple, and it's that powerful. When you attend the First Friday Art Walk, you're adding to the attendance numbers that justify the event's existence. When galleries report strong foot traffic, they're motivated to continue participating. When artists see people engaging with their work, they're reminded that what they do matters to someone beyond themselves.
The same applies to exhibition openings, the Plein Air Festival collector sale, workshop showcases, and Youth Arts exhibitions. These events run on attendance. An artist who exhibits to an empty room feels the absence.
You don't have to buy anything when you attend. Simply being present, looking carefully at the work, and engaging the artist in conversation about their process is a form of support that costs nothing and means a great deal.
Talk About Art
Word of mouth remains one of the most effective marketing tools for local artists. When you see something in a gallery that you like, tell your friends. Post about it (with the artist's permission). Recommend the gallery to visitors staying at your rental property. Mention the Art Walk to colleagues who are planning a weekend trip to the Olympic Peninsula.
When you talk about art, be specific. Instead of "there's a gallery in Sequim," say "I saw a watercolor of Dungeness Spit at Blue Whole Gallery that stopped me in my tracks." Specificity gives people a reason to visit and gives artists credit for the particular work they've made.
Give Art as Gifts
Original artwork makes a meaningful gift for birthdays, holidays, retirements, housewarmings, and other occasions. A handmade ceramic piece, a small watercolor, or a signed print from a Sequim artist is a gift that feels personal and supports the local creative economy. Several downtown galleries offer gift certificates if you want to let the recipient choose their own piece.
Become a Member
A Sequim Arts membership directly funds the programs that support working artists: Art Walks, workshops, the Artist Residency, youth education, and advocacy. Membership dues are the most reliable source of funding for an arts organization because they provide predictable, recurring revenue that allows us to plan and commit to programming.
At $45 per year for an Individual Artist membership, it's one of the most affordable ways to make a sustained contribution to the creative health of the community.
Volunteer Your Time
Artists aren't the only people who keep an arts community running. Event coordinators, gallery sitters, workshop assistants, photographers, newsletter editors, and logistics volunteers all play essential roles. If you have skills or time to offer, our volunteer program can match you with a role that fits your interests and availability.
Commission Work
If you have a specific idea for an artwork (a painting of your home, a set of ceramic dinnerware, a textile piece for a particular space), consider commissioning a local artist. Commissions provide artists with funded projects and the satisfaction of creating work that meets a specific need. Most Sequim artists are experienced with commissions and can discuss scope, timeline, and pricing.
Support Arts Education
The artists of tomorrow are in Sequim's schools right now. Contributing to the Youth Arts Scholarship Fund, volunteering as a mentor, or simply advocating for arts education at school board meetings supports the pipeline of creative talent in the community. Our Youth Arts program depends on community support to serve students at reduced rates.
Advocate
When city planning decisions affect downtown Sequim, the gallery district, or public spaces where art is displayed, speak up in favor of the arts. Attend city council and planning commission meetings. Support the percent-for-art program. Encourage local businesses to display and purchase local art. Advocacy creates the policy environment in which arts communities can sustain themselves.
Simply Pay Attention
The most fundamental form of support is attention. Walk through the gallery district with open eyes. Stop at a piece that interests you and spend a full minute looking at it. Read the artist's statement. Notice the choices they made. This kind of sustained looking is what art exists for, and it's something that costs nothing but gives artists the audience they need to keep working.
Sequim's arts community wasn't built by a few wealthy patrons. It was built by hundreds of people who decided, in small and consistent ways, that art matters to them. The more people who make that decision, the stronger the community becomes. However you choose to participate, we're glad you're here.