A Journey of Discovery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2018
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Keith Imper
Marketing Manager
keith@mercerislandarts.org

Community Visioning Dialogue

‘A Journey of Discovery’

Mercer Island Center for the Arts embarks on a journey to listen and discover what the MI community would like in a new space for the arts on the Island. Since MICA’s reintroduction on February 6th at the City Council meeting, they have been planning and preparing for the ensuing year. MICA can’t wait to start creating a Center for the Arts, but there are a few more steps to accomplish before that can begin. One of those steps is the Community Visioning Dialogue.

On April 24^th MICA presented its 2^nd Annual Friends of MICA Celebration. The event was hosted by Suzanne Zahr at her Suzanne Zahr Gallery and catered by Arista Catering. The celebration brought together 67 excited Island arts supporters, filling up the gallery with positive sentiment for the reboot of the MICA project. That evening was the kick-off of MICA’s Community Visioning Dialogue in which Executive Director Paul Shoemaker and Director of Strategic Relationship Sharon Perez discussed what you can expect from MICA over the next three months.

The Mercer Island community should have already received the all island mailer sent out weeks ago titled Moving Forward. Together. MICA truly believes that they can only move forward together as a community and that is why MICA has created this visioning dialogue. Executive Director, Paul Shoemaker says, “I’m excited to get out and hear what the Mercer Island community wants in a new space for the arts”. All islanders should lend their voice in moving the arts forward. All ideas and viewpoints will be thoughtfully taken into consideration.

To assist in the visioning dialogue MICA has enlisted the assistance of Phinney Bischoff; with over 30 years of creative and community engagement experience, Phinney Bischoff will partner with MICA to create and execute a series of impartial listening events throughout the months of May, June, and July. These listening events will consist of 1-on-1 interviews, small group input sessions, large group visioning sessions, and a survey. The first of two-large group visioning sessions will be held Monday night, June 11^th from 7pm-8:30pm at the Boys and Girls Club Mercer Island. Please register if you would like to attend as spots are limited to 100 people. You may register by email info@mercerislandarts.org or call 206-715-7671. To find out further information about the visioning process or receive updates please visit the MICA website, www.mercerislandarts.org.

This process is called ‘visioning’ because MICA wants to create a ‘vision’ for a community arts center on Mercer Island with the Mercer Island community. Of course, as always, if you have any questions about MICA please call 206-715-7671 or email AskMICA@mercerislandarts.org.

####