Northwest Collage Society

Seattle, Washington, USA

HISTORY

The Northwest Collage Society began as the North Coast Collage Society, which held its first meeting in 1984. The North Coast Collage Society was affiliated with the National Collage Society, Inc. (“NCS”), a non-profit organization headquartered in Hudson, OH. It subsequently changed its name to the Northwest Collage Society (“NWCS”) and formed a separate entity. Although the NWCS is no longer affiliated with the NCS, a long-time member of the NWCS who belongs to both organizations serves as a liaison between the two groups, and the NWCS’s purpose is similar to that of the NCS, namely “to foster appreciation and interest in the recognized medium of collage.” The Northwest Collage Society includes or has included artists in Washington, where it is based, as well as Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and British Columbia.

MISSION

The NWCS is organized to foster appreciation and interest in the recognized medium of collage. It is organized as a social club within the meaning of § 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code. Any person may become an NWCS member upon payment of annual dues. The NWCS is comprised of artists from diverse backgrounds, all of whom share a common interest in collage. The group provides a forum for the exchange of ideas among members through general meetings, which include presentations by local artists or similar programs, workshops, retreats, opportunities to enter juried shows, circulation of an online newsletter, and recognition of members’ accomplishments.

JOIN

Any person who wishes to join the organization may do so by paying annual dues. Those interested in joining are welcome to attend a general membership meeting initially as a guest. Prospective members may visit the NWCS’s website to learn about the organization, see upcoming meeting dates, view the galleries of works in recent shows and samples of members’ art, and read current and past newsletters. Interested artists may contact the Membership Chair for information about joining the organization.

KEY ACTIVITIES

The NWCS hosts five general membership meetings each fiscal year, which runs from September 1 to August 31. The general membership meetings are held in September, November, February, April, and June at a facility in Shoreline, WA, just north of Seattle. The meetings include time for general membership business, opportunities for members to socialize, and lectures by local artists, which might include visual presentations of their work or their process and/or demonstrations.

In addition, the NWCS hosts a weekend retreat, which is open to both members and non-members, at a conference center on the northern coast of Washington every February. Retreat participants bring art materials to use in their own collage projects or to share with others, and they exchange ideas and techniques through discussions and demonstrations.

At other times during the year, members host drop-in “meet-up” collage days in various locations around western Washington, at which individuals can engage in the art of collage and non-members can learn about the NWCS.

The NWCS also organizes two to three juried exhibitions annually, which are generally open only to members, but occasionally include the works of non- members. These shows might have a theme or other specifications for entries, and they have appeared at several different venues in Washington, including the Washington State Convention Center, the Pacific Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum, the Bellevue Arts Museum, Seattle City Hall, Kenmore City Hall, municipal and neighborhood community centers, and local art galleries. The NWCS sometimes collaborates with another entity to host an exhibit. For example, in the latter part of 2019, NWCS members created collages inspired by the poetry of cancer survivors who are part of a writing group at Cancer LifeLine, and the resulting collages were displayed, alongside their associated poems, at the Dorothy O’Brien Center in Seattle.

CONTACT

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