Tour of Bainbridge Island Museum of Art with Executive Director & Curator Greg Robinson
Inspiring museums, dynamic speakers, beautiful weather, and engaged class members made for a spectacular Arts & Recreation Day. On April 15, the Class of 2016 began their morning at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA), complete with a tour of the current exhibitions led by Greg Robinson and Marketing Director Korum Bischoff. The class also toured and interacted with the exhibits at the Kids Discovery Museum (KiDiMu) located on the same campus, led by Executive Director, Susie Burdick.
Board Member Tom Jacobs (LK12) led the class through a discussion of the Positive Leadership capacity of Reason. “Reason is about closing the gap between reality and absurdity. It often requires bold and daring people with great imaginations to be able to address the absurdity and help others recognize actual reality.”
Arts Panel: Lindsay Masters, Greg Enright, Marie Weichman, and Brian Johnson
We wrapped up our morning at BIMA with an in depth discussion facilitated by LK Alum Sandi Cross (LK10) surrounding community resilience and thriving economies focused around arts and humanities programs. The arts panelists driving the discussion included Greg Enright (President, Cultural Arts Foundation NW), Brian Johnson (Executive Director, Admiral Theatre), Lindsay Masters (Executive Director, Bainbridge Arts & Crafts), and Marie Weichman (Olympic College Arts Faculty).
Leadership Kitsap President Carly Michelson with Recreation presenters Mary McCluskey and Perry Barrett
The class headed to Kiana Lodge’s Moose Room for lunch and a special presentation by the Suquamish Song and Dance Group. Following lunch, we began the Recreation portion of our challenge day with a presentation by Kitsap County’s Parks and Open Space Planner Steven Starlund. The class learned that our county owns and operates 79 public parks, including its newest acquisition of the Port Gamble Heritage Park. Mary McCluskey (Parks Director, City of Poulsbo) and Perry Barrett (Senior Planner, Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Parks District) led the class through a park planning exercise that involved incorporating all public comments and needs. The exercise included an actual park going through its public input stage on Bainbridge Island. Overall discussion concluded that parks, as well as arts, greatly impact economic resiliency. Build parks and display public art, and communities will grow even in the toughest times.
Tour of the Suquamish Museum with Education & Docent Programs Facilitator Barbara Lawrence-Piecuch
The class ended the day at the Suquamish Museum, hosted by Peg Deam (Suquamish Elder) and Barbara Lawrence-Piecuch (Education & Docent Programs Facilitator). The class toured the museum, followed by storytelling with our hosts. This was a great way to end the day and the class felt honored to be there.
A special thank you to Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Cultural Arts Foundation Northwest, and the Suquamish Tribe for sponsoring our Arts and Recreation Challenge Day. Thank you to the board members and alumni who helped plan the day: Shawna Bliss, Sandi Cross, Johnny Forsman, and Carly Michelson.