The Ketchikan Arts Council was founded in 1953 and incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit organization in 1970. In 1975, we had our first Blueberry Arts Festival run by volunteers who traded off the responsibility of the Festival. From its inception, the Blueberry Arts Festival was located in the State Building parking garage on Main Street in Ketchikan. The organization changed its name to Ketchikan Area Arts and Humanities Council in 1980. The KAAHC is recognized by the City of Ketchikan as "the official agency responsible for the advancement of the arts in the community" by proclamation. For many years the KAAHC was operated from the home of volunteers. By 1980 a part-time executive director was hired and by 1981 the position became full-time. 1985 saw the origination of the first annual Wearable Art and Fashion Runway Show, later to become the Wearable Art Show. By 1987, growth in programs and services, and an increase in KAAHC members' involvement required the addition of a full-time administrative assistant, upgraded to a full-time program director position in 1990.
In 1998, the annual collaborative Gigglefeet Dance Festival was launched during the Blueberry Arts Festival, providing for a dramatic increase in summer programming, and a long lasting partnership between KAAHC, First City Players and the Ketchikan Theatre Ballet. This and other expansions of KAAHC programming necessitated adding a halftime office manager which became full time in 2001, and was upgraded to operations manager in 2004. In response to sold out shows, KAAHC added a third evening Gala performance of the Wearable Art Show, and moved the all-ages show to Saturday afternoon in 2008, making room for four sold out shows and KAAHC's biggest fundraiser. In 2021 the Wearable Art Show committee made the decisions to do what it had wanted to do for years - create a stand alone Youth Wearable Art Show to feature the area's outstanding and amazing youth artists. The Youth Wearable Art Show is in March annually at the Kayhi Auditorium and is pretty exceptional - youth creativity is an inspiration. 2015 the Handmade Human Powered Blueberry Boat Race was added to the Blueberry Arts Festival and has inspired hilarious, precarious and ingenious water vessels, some of which made it through the full race! Other won the "Voted Most Likely to Sink" prize and lived up top that moniker. After 45 years in 2021 KAAHC moved the Blueberry Arts Festival Saturday Vendor Market off the Main Street hill to the intersections of Main Street, Dock Street and Mission Street. This was a game changer for the organization and the participating artists, musicians, and performers, as well as downtown businesses. The Blueberry Arts Festival Vendor Market is now proudly accessible to the entire community, and helps to more thoroughly support small arts businesses, downtown businesses, local nonprofits, schools, municipalities and health care entities that hold booths on Blueberry Saturday.
KAAHC's ongoing imperative to support local artists includes classes, guest speaker workshops, grant writing assistance, remuneration for teaching, as well as the two annual arts festivals and the Main Street Gallery to celebrate local artists and creatives and provide a platform to showcase and sell their work.
In 2008 KAAHC noticed that a historic building on Main Street in downtown Ketchikan was available for purchase. The building was the Christian Science Church building, constructed in 1946. It was clear to the organization that the space was a perfect fit for the organization and the price tag was just right! With the help of the City of Ketchikan, Wells Fargo and our community members we were able to raise the funds needed within a few months to purchase the building at 330 Main Street. But that was just the beginning. The renovations of the building were the second step – a process the organization had never dipped a toe into before. Upon the purchase of the building, the Rasmuson Foundation was the first foundation to grant funds for the subsequent renovations needed and the M.J. Charitable Trust was the second. With the funds from the two foundations it was possible for KAAHC to begin renovations and to take a very small construction loan for the remaining costs. Renovation began in March of 2009 and were completed in August. The staff moved into the new home for the Arts Council and the Main Street Gallery in August. The Main Street Gallery hosts new gallery exhibits monthly, dance events, art classes, musical and theatrical performances, wedding receptions and more. It has become a community gathering space and remains Ketchikan's only fine art gallery that mounts full exhibits by local, and non local artists.
The Main Street Gallery is available for your gatherings, meetings and presentations. Please come by and see the beautiful venue to plan your next event or give a us a call! 225-2211
