Artstra

Artstra is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts advocacy group in southwest Washington dedicated to uplifting and connecting the community through the power of the arts. Our all-volunteer working board serves the community through our programs and partnerships and advocates for arts infrastructure at the local and state levels.

As community stewards, we work to build cultural and artistic opportunities and arts awareness with greater accessibility, that is integral to the area’s unique character, identity, and image as a desirable place in which to live, work, and visit.

OUR MISSION is to uplift and connect the community through the power of the arts.

OUR VISION is of a vibrant arts economy in our region, north of the Columbia River, with public/private investments and facilities that sustain artists and enrich the community.

Our programs demonstrate the power of art in our lives — to heal us, connect us, and transform us.

CLARK COUNTY OPEN STUDIOS is a free self-guided tour where artists open their studios to the public and share how, why, and where their art is created. Bringing arts education and cultural enrichment to Clark County neighborhoods, Open Studios is a unique opportunity to visit local artists in their workspaces, get inspired, and shop locally. Since 2013, Artstra’s CCOS has enriched the cultural life of neighborhoods throughout Clark County. 

In 2023, Artstra introduced the Christine Rice Memorial Scholarship, a new initiative aimed at supporting emerging artists. This scholarship provides a $1,000 award, along with mentorship and hosting opportunities from experienced Open Studios participants. The scholarship adds an important layer to the program, helping to nurture the next generation of creative entrepreneurs. Christine got her start through Artstra's Open Studios program after graduating from WSU with a BFA. She was becoming known for her block prints and wearable designs when her life was tragically cut short. Christine was known for her giving spirit, putting others before herself. Donations to the Christine Rice Memorial Scholarship support future emerging artists and help continue her legacy.

CREATIVE RELIEF provides art supplies, project ideas, and instruction to communities with limited access to the tools of creativity. Creative Relief gives people the rewarding and healing experience of creating with their own hands. This program offers a bit of relief for both adults and children from the stress and difficulty they may be experiencing.

POETRY MOVES is a collaborative effort featuring local poets' words on C-Tran buses. This program offers a unique way to share art with the broad and diverse community that rides C-Tran buses, bringing a bit of delight, joy, or reflection to riders. It celebrates poetry and how it has been a crucial part of human culture.  Poetry can give a glimpse into a world they may not have had access to. And poems are free to be interpreted as the rider chooses.

Your donation supports our programming!

As an all-volunteer working board, we could not do it without you.

With much Gratitude, 

Artstra