EDITOR’S NOTE: This was first published in the Northwind Art newsletter.

The fortunes of Fort Worden are very much on my mind as summer ends. With three buildings that house Northwind Art’s school programs at Fort Worden State Park, yes, the school will be affected by the dissolution of the Public Development Authority (PDA) and the imminent return to Washington State Parks as our landlord.

What does it mean for you?

The biggest impact is the loss of the 25-year leases. The leases were hard-won and allowed dreaming into the future with a level of security. That said, nothing has been simple as a Fort Worden tenant, and the pace of getting things done felt slow. 

This year’s unimpeded build-out of a jewelry studio is the kind of progress we imagined for all of our spaces. Big thanks go to local jewelry designer April Ottey, whose professional connections linked Northwind Art with equipment donations, and whose advice has helped create the completed studio.

As we await the State’s appraisal of spaces for the next iteration of tenancy at Fort Worden, the hope is that the cohesive group of nonprofits, all using the historic spaces and willing to pony up the money to improve on decades of deferred maintenance, will give us some strength in negotiating our future. 

This moment also gives Northwind Art a chance to pause and reassess. What is the highest and best use of our resources?

An increase in the number of Northwind Art’s education programs has brought in 51% more income than at this time last year. This is significant growth that we want to see continue!  It meets the promise of your contributions with the promise of growing sustainability.

The strength of being at Fort Worden, aside from the beauty of the place, is the collective synergy of the creative groups working there. This was illustrated beautifully last weekend when at Fort Worden, artists in residence from Centrum and artists who rent studio space from Northwind Art were added to the map of the Artists’ Studio Tour organized by The Raw Art Collective. On a rainy Saturday, as a result of the studio tour, hundreds of people got to see art where it’s made.

While not officially based at Fort Worden, the Raw Art Collective’s Jen Cohen has initiated projects at the Fort, such as an art vending machine at Reveille and, with Brian Goodman and his box truck, a giant camera obscura. It’s coming to the Wooden Boat Festival, Sept. 6-8!

The can-do attitude of Jen Cohen and her team comes from the power of group creative energy. We are all so much stronger when we work together. 

So far, Washington State Parks has made every effort to work together with the nonprofit partners. They have prepared us for changes that come with a different landlord and state management. Meetings are set to keep the communications flowing, and that is the best way forward! Northwind’s approach is to work with our nonprofit partners and the State to create the best possible outcome.

Martha Worthley

Executive Director, Northwind Art