Stanwood Camano Arts Advocacy Commission - SCAAC

The mission of the Stanwood Camano Arts Advocacy Commission (SCAAC) is to build community by partnering, educating, celebrating, and advocating for the arts. Formed in 2017 as a hub for our local artists to meet, collaborate and coordinate calendars, SCAAC has grown into an active organization working to integrate art into all aspects of the community.

SCAAC will be a catalyst that vaults the Stanwood-Camano area into a regional destination for art, artists and community and contributes to a creative economy and prosperous region. 

SCAAC’s current programs include youth and adult art education and strategic partnerships that further the goals of Stanwood and Camano Island artists and art organizations. Our Programming Committee is currently working to develop and manage a robust calendar of teaching and learning opportunities that invite everyone including children, seniors, those with disabilities and those without previous experience to engage in visual arts.

SCAAC also has an MOU with the City of Stanwood for all public art; we are working together to develop public art policies, facilitate, coordinate and manage calls for art and ensure fair compensation. We have two upcoming public art calls with the city that will be announced in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026. 

We are currently working towards opening the Meyer Art Center, a 12k sq ft beacon to the arts in the historic downtown west end of Stanwood. The Meyer will be central and communal creative space dedicated to our region’s passion for the arts and will provide a cultural anchor, foster the creative community, and drive the local economy.

The Meyer will be built on the site of “Stanwood Hardware Co.”, built in 1903 and in operation until the 1970s when it became a furniture store, finally closing its doors in 2020. SCAAC plans to repurpose as much of the hardware store building as possible in the new structure, designed by acclaimed Seattle-based architects, Olson Kundig. The Meyer Art Center will be an accessible, welcoming space for new, emerging and established artists and patrons and will feature classes, exhibitions, workshops, and seminars while will promoting artistic excellence through cutting edge studio space and technology for arts education.