Art in the Alleys: Delta Community Comes Together

Images courtesy of Delta Arts Collective. Fish mural artist: Ruben Trujillo

A summer rainstorm couldn’t put a damper on the first-ever Art in the Alleys in the Delta Neighborhood. With so much arts and culture centered downtown, this was an area starving for inspiration and community. September 8th, 2019 artist booths lined both sides of a formerly nondescript alley off 19th Street. In addition to vendors, there was an open garage studio with live demonstrations and a full musical lineup, orchestrated by Lu Hernandez which entertained neighbors all afternoon. Cash tips were shared by the entertainers. “We work to support marginalized artists,” said Lu, “and when you pay an artist directly you give them the capital to keep creating.”

It started with a feeling. Organizer Jennifer Six said, “I knew there was a potent vibe and untapped energy in Everett for the arts. At the same time, I wanted to meet local artists and my neighbors.” Soon she realized her neighbors included musicians, artists, writers and photographers. As word spread, it soon became apparent that there was more to this movement than just one alley. At the same time just a few blocks away, Christina Hines commissioned a garage mural complete with music and free snacks the day prior. The event served as a perfect warm-up to an art-packed weekend.

When members of the Delta Neighborhood Association noticed the growing spring of creativity, they jumped in to help promote the event. Artists together with community leaders achieved a positive feeling of togetherness, the dream of any neighborhood. In October 2019 at the Wendt Awards, Dynamic Delta received a special shout-out as Mayor Franklin serenaded the ragtag group of neighbors who had managed to put together a grassroots alley art and music festival.

Then COVID hit. Caring for the safety of the community, organizers decided it was not possible to host a traditional Art in the Alleys festival. The growing sense of community was in peril. In these dark times with a pandemic, racial and political strife, and resulting city budget shortfalls eliminating virtually all social programs, organizers decided now, more than ever, the community needed art to lift tired souls, bring joy to those who lost loved ones, a smile to the faces of children who won’t attend summer camp or the fair. With this in mind, the focus shifted to garage art and a walking tour.

Art in the Alleys’ vision was to create opportunities for artists. It achieved that and more. It unified the local arts community and led to the formation of the Delta Arts Collective. No longer a loose collection of individual artists, the Collective will serve as a force to lift the voices of People of Color and the marginalized.

Join Art in the Alleys presented by the Delta Arts Collective for the 2nd annual celebration. Meet at Jackson Park by the playground for guided tours of garage murals Saturday, September 5th from noon to 2 p.m. Please come with your family group of 5 or less, masks and safe social distancing are required.