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ShoreLake Arts outlines 2025 calendar, opens new gallery space in Ridgecrest
Summary
ShoreLake Arts told the Lake Forest Park Parks & Recreation Advisory Board it will relocate to a new gallery, continue its summer concert series and Battle of the Bands, expand youth camps and senior classes, and host a short film festival, with programming and volunteer needs described for 2025.
Laura James, executive director of ShoreLake Arts, told the Lake Forest Park Parks & Recreation Advisory Board on Jan. 0 that the nonprofit has moved into a new gallery, office and studio at 521 Northeast 160th Street in the Ridgecrest neighborhood and outlined a calendar of events for 2025.
The organization — “a 35 year old nonprofit organization started by community volunteers,” James said — plans a family sip-and-paint, a summer concert series that will both open and close at Bridal Acres Park, a one-day Battle of the Bands with lead-in performances to activate nearby businesses, an outdoor kids-focused Arts in the Park, and hands-on art at Picnic in the Park and Pause in the Park. James said ShoreLake Arts is currently a one‑full‑time‑equivalent organization and will add a part‑time education lead in February.
Why this matters: ShoreLake Arts provides arts programming that the group and some speakers said supplements public school arts funding and activates parks and businesses in Lake Forest Park and nearby Shoreline. Board members and residents at the meeting discussed ways the city and the organization might partner on venues, publicity and volunteer recruitment.
Details and context: James said the new Ridgecrest space aims to be “a third place for our community” where people can gather without needing to purchase anything, and that tenant improvements were supported by a grant for culture funding. ShoreLake Arts said it curates art at local businesses, runs summer camps (six weeks, typically two classes per day with high‑school helpers; class sizes for younger groups are often kept to about 10–12 children per teacher) and will offer scholarships for camp and ticketed events.
Programming highlights James described: - Edible Books Festival: returned in person with 15 entrants, judged awards in adult and youth categories; organizers expect interest to grow. - Summer concert series and Battle of the Bands: returning with city support; the board heard the 2025 event will be one day rather than overnight to reduce security/logistics demands and will include a beer garden and volunteer needs. - Short Film Festival: to be held at Shoreline Community College Theater; ShoreLake Arts will solicit films via local film networks and FilmFreeway and intends to award cash prizes and offer hardship scholarships for $25 admission tickets. - Summer camps and classes: six weeks of camps with partnerships for indoor space (Scottish Rite Masonic Center) and gallery classroom space; guaranteed gallery hours initially Monday–Thursday, roughly 10 a.m.–2 p.m. - Senior programming: ShoreLake Arts said it is teaching watercolor and collage classes at the Shoreline/Lake Forest Park Senior Center in partnership with the senior center activity director.
Board members asked about outreach to schools and partnerships; James said ShoreLake Arts is coordinating with the Shoreline School District arts lead and with community partners such as King County and Meridian Park on events that bring arts into schools and community venues. She also requested more help publicizing events and recruiting volunteers and board members.
Ending: Advisory board members offered to help connect ShoreLake Arts with school contacts, neighborhood groups and local marketing channels; members also encouraged use of district newsletters and community calendars to boost attendance and volunteer recruitment. James invited board members to visit the new gallery and to contact her with recommendations or volunteers.
