Welcome to Allied Arts of Whatcom County!
Creating a vibrant community connected through the arts
EXPLORE OUR EVENTS & PROGRAMS
Holiday Festival of the Arts
Our Full Sized In-person Art MarketThe Holiday Festival of the Arts is an indoor and online, 5 week-long festival featuring over 100 artisans from our region.
Reuse Thrift Store
Re-used Products and Materials for Creating ArtItems for sale are collected through donations, and sold at low cost. We sell some knick-knacks, drawing supplies, fabrics, crafts etc.
Exhibits
The Best of Whatcom County Art Displays and ExhibitionsArts Education Program
Professionally Taught Art Education ProjectsEach year our program conducts workshops in dance, theatre and the visual arts in the Bellingham schools and throughout Whatcom County.
Arts & Culture Guide
A Comprehensive List of the Bellingham Art SceneFeatured in local hotels, tourism and visitor centers, libraries, bookstores and other locations; as well as in all the locations featured on the map.
Arts & Culture Guide
A Comprehensive List of the Bellingham Art SceneFeatured in local hotels, tourism and visitor centers, libraries, bookstores and other locations; as well as in all the locations featured on the map.
Reuse Thrift Store
Re-used Products and Materials for Creating ArtItems for sale are collected through donations, and sold at low cost. We sell some knick-knacks, drawing supplies, fabrics, crafts etc.
Arts Education Program
Professionally Taught Art Education ProjectsEach year our program conducts workshops in dance, theatre and the visual arts in the Bellingham schools and throughout Whatcom County.
VISIT OUR GALLERY
Now Showing …
October: Fire, Paint & Fantasy
Fire, Paint & Fantasy
October 2–31, 2026
Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 11am – 4pm
Opening Reception: October 2nd, 6pm-9pm
1213 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225
This October, Allied Arts of Whatcom County invites the community to experience Fire, Paint & Fantasy, a juried exhibition that explores the beauty of imagination through the lens of nature, mythology, and craftsmanship. The exhibition will be on view October 2–31, 2026, with a free Opening Reception on Friday, October 2, from 6:00–9:00 PM at Allied Arts, 1213 Cornwall Avenue in downtown Bellingham.
For centuries, artists have looked to forests, folklore, and the natural world for inspiration. Fire, Paint & Fantasy continues that tradition, bringing together five regional artists whose work transforms familiar landscapes, plants, figures, and materials into places of wonder and discovery. Rather than escaping reality, these artists encourage viewers to see the magic already woven into the world around them.
The exhibition features paintings that blend portraiture with botanical symbolism, delicate handcrafted jewelry inspired by organic forms, richly detailed woodland illustrations, expressive figurative works, and dreamlike imagery that balances fantasy with lived experience. Although each artist works in a different medium, they share a remarkable attention to craftsmanship and a belief that storytelling can emerge through color, texture, pattern, and form.
Featured artists include Forrest Chel Hull, whose intricate woodburnings celebrate the hidden beauty of Pacific Northwest forests; Liz Cunningham, whose handcrafted jewelry reflects the elegance and complexity of the natural world; Mahsa Sakettabar, whose paintings weave themes of memory, culture, and symbolism into quiet moments of reflection; Matthew Crane, whose vibrant figurative paintings draw from mythology, identity, and imaginative storytelling; and Sierra James, whose expressive portraits bloom with botanical imagery and emotional depth.
Together, these artists remind us that wonder is not something reserved for fairy tales—it exists in forests, flowers, handcrafted objects, and the stories we continue to tell about ourselves and the world around us.
The exhibition and Opening Reception are free and open to the public. Artwork will be available for purchase, with proceeds supporting both the exhibiting artists and Allied Arts’ nonprofit mission to coordinate, connect, and strengthen Whatcom County’s creative community.
A LITTLE ABOUT US
For over 40 years, Allied Arts of Whatcom County has been a leader in fostering and supporting the local arts scene and serves more than 50,000 people annually.
Allied Arts has improved the cultural health and vitality of the community through community events involving visual artists and musicians, its sponsorship of exhibits and programs focused on local artists, its extensive arts education in local schools and its public advocacy for the arts. Read More…
What’s Next for Allied Arts – A Letter to Membership
Dear Allied Arts Community,
Five months ago, I stepped into the role of Interim Executive Director with a simple goal: listen first.
Since then, I’ve had conversations with artists, volunteers, business owners, teachers, performers, nonprofit leaders, parents, students, and longtime supporters across Whatcom County. We’ve hosted community discussions, shared ideas over coffee, and heard from people who love Allied Arts and want to see it thrive for the next generation.
One thing became clear: our community is looking for more ways to connect.
People want places to meet fellow creatives, discover opportunities, share ideas, learn new skills, bring their families, hear live music, make art, and feel part of something bigger than themselves.
So that’s where we’re headed.
This August, Allied Arts will begin testing a new chapter for our downtown space. Following our July exhibit, we’ll be rearranging the building to make room for more of what the community has asked for: workshops, performances, gatherings, exhibitions, creative retail, and new opportunities to connect. Some ideas will work beautifully. Others we’ll learn from and improve. That’s the exciting part.
Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, we’re focusing on what Allied Arts does best: bringing people together and helping creativity flourish across Whatcom County.
You’ll start seeing more collaborations, more opportunities to participate, and more reasons to stop by and see what’s happening. Whether you’re an artist, musician, writer, performer, maker, student, parent, retiree, arts supporter, or simply someone who enjoys being part of a creative community, we want you here.
The future of Allied Arts won’t be built by one person, one board, or one organization. It will be built by the people who care about the arts and believe they make our community stronger.
Thank you for being part of that future.
I hope to see you soon.
Meredith Patten
Interim Executive Director
Allied Arts of Whatcom County
THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTERS
