Art program comes to Marysville Opera House

Works from local artists will be on display and opportunities to participate in making art will be offered during Marysville’s free “Passport to the Arts.”

The event is on Sept. 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Marysville Opera House at 1225 Third St., Marysville.

“This is a brand new program that we’re really excited about,” said Chris Taylor, cultural arts supervisor with the city of Marysville’s Parks, Culture and Recreation Department. “Everyone who wants to can come down to the Opera House for a night where you can experience many different mediums of arts."

On the lower levels of the building will be opportunities to create your own art in a number of different mediums.

“On the main floor we will have some live music or poetry, something you can just take in,” said Taylor. “And on the upper floor we will be displaying art from a number of local artists."

Some food will be available at the event.

“You’ll be able to come in for free, buy some cheese and wine if you want to, and take in some of the local art,” said Taylor.

COVID-19 safety measures will be in place for the event with staff members and police on site.

“And of course because of Governor’s mandate, any indoor event requires face masks,” said Taylor.

City staff hope that the event can continue to bring different types of events to the Opera House.

Taylor said ‘Passport to the Arts’ could be similar to the Outdoor Speaker Series in that the city hopes it becomes a regular feature.

The city could potentially run it for three months in a row a couple of times each year, he said.

“We’ve had the building for a few years now and we want to maximize our investment. We really want Marysville to become a cultural and arts hub,” said Taylor.

Taylor said city staff have really improved the upper floor earlier this spring, adding track lighting, removing carpet and putting in a fresh coat of paint on the walls.

“Thank you to the facility team who did a great job renovating the third floor,” he said.

He also wanted to thank staff at the Schack Art Center in Everett who are helping to curate the event.

Registration is not required for the event, except for those who want to participate in one of the masterclass painting sessions on the lower level.

More information about that registration can be found at marysvillewa.gov.