Kirkland Arts Center Wins Cultural Council and Mayor's CACHET Award

The , one of the city’s major cultural institutions for 50 years, Monday was awarded the second annual CACHET Award.

The award honors an individual or business for contributions to Kirkland’s arts, culture and/or heritage. , and the former, , hosted this year’s event at ’s Creatio Studio, which he founded.

Mayor Joan McBride presented the award, created by the Kirkland Cultural Council and designed, she said, “to recognize those in our community who make such a difference in our quality of life.”

In accepting the award, Christopher Shainin, KAC executive director said, “This is the 50th anniversary of this organization and the 120th year of our building. What an incredible community Kirkland is!”

The arts center was created in 1962, and a few years later acquired the historic, red brick Peter Kirk Building on Market Street as its home. Since then it has promoted the visual arts in Kirkland through a wide range of classes, regular art exhibits and events.

Other nominees this year for award -- CACHET stands for Collaboration of Arts, Culture, Heritage and Theatre -- were:

• , organizer of the , singer, local parks advocate and writer for Kirkland Patch.

• Sue Heale, founder of the .

• , Kirkland author and historian.

• , the longtime .

• The , the city’s premier concert venue.

• The Kirkland Heritage Society, for years encouraging the recognition of the city’s fascinating history.

• The Kirkland Choral Society, which since 1988 has been bringing fine choral music to the city.