The mission of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp, is to build community in Alaska by providing opportunities in arts, culture and recreation in an inclusive, educational and inspirational environment.
Our Story
The Sitka Fine Arts Camp was founded in 1973 to provide isolated Alaskan communities with little or no youth arts programs exposure and training in the arts. Because of remoteness and low population density, Alaska youth are at a severe disadvantage in access to high quality arts. For the majority of our students SFAC continues to be the only opportunity they have in the State to work with and learn from professional artists. Building from its original mission, SFAC has become a nationally acclaimed program. In 2018, we served 1,006 students from 37 Alaskan communities and 29 states.
SFAC has received state and national recognition for its importance in providing access to high quality arts education to Alaskan youth including receiving the 2008 presidential Coming Up Taller Award and the 2015 Alaska Governor’s Award for Arts Organization of the Year.
In 2011, SFAC was gifted the historic Sheldon Jackson College Campus. This college campus had been closed for four years and was in a state of complete disrepair. SFAC has since overseen one of the most extraordinary grassroots volunteer stories in our country: the revitalization of this National Historic Landmark. Between 2011 and 2015 one thousand volunteers (one ninth of Sitka’s population) logged over 40,000 volunteer hours rebuilding the campus, demonstrating unprecedented community support and giving the Sitka Fine Arts Camp a permanent home. Strong volunteerism and donor support continue, demonstrating the value that Sitka Fine Arts Camp holds for our state.
Having a permanent home has allowed SFAC to grow to serve more Alaskan youth. Since 2011 the Camp has expanded from three camps to a summer-long program offering 16 different camps and workshops as well as a Teacher Training Institute for educators around Alaska. In addition, we have expanded to provide year-round arts programs including a Young Performers Theater and dance program.
The campus has become a valuable community resource and a statewide location for arts and education.
The campus hosts retreats, weddings, and conferences. To make an inquiry about your rental needs Click Here.
SFAC has received state and national recognition for its importance in providing access to high quality arts education to Alaskan youth including receiving the 2008 presidential Coming Up Taller Award and the 2015 Alaska Governor’s Award for Arts Organization of the Year.
In 2011, SFAC was gifted the historic Sheldon Jackson College Campus. This college campus had been closed for four years and was in a state of complete disrepair. SFAC has since overseen one of the most extraordinary grassroots volunteer stories in our country: the revitalization of this National Historic Landmark. Between 2011 and 2015 one thousand volunteers (one ninth of Sitka’s population) logged over 40,000 volunteer hours rebuilding the campus, demonstrating unprecedented community support and giving the Sitka Fine Arts Camp a permanent home. Strong volunteerism and donor support continue, demonstrating the value that Sitka Fine Arts Camp holds for our state.
Having a permanent home has allowed SFAC to grow to serve more Alaskan youth. Since 2011 the Camp has expanded from three camps to a summer-long program offering 16 different camps and workshops as well as a Teacher Training Institute for educators around Alaska. In addition, we have expanded to provide year-round arts programs including a Young Performers Theater and dance program.
The campus has become a valuable community resource and a statewide location for arts and education.
The campus hosts retreats, weddings, and conferences. To make an inquiry about your rental needs Click Here.
The Team
The Board
Sam SkaggsSam Skaggs, Board President. Skaggs is a Registered Investment Advisor and financial planner dba Verdant, LLC, with his partner Amy Volz. Sam has over 30 years’ experience managing investment portfolios and offering financial planning advice. He received his BA in Environmental Studies from Hampshire College, in 1975 then promptly moved to Fairbanks to manage a musk ox farm with the University of Alaska. Like most Alaskans, Skaggs has many work experiences before settling on finance, including: a building contractor of super-insulated homes and making the StrollerPack- made to- last child carriers out of welded aluminum and sold worldwide with Juneau inventor John Ingalls. Sam has been president of his family’s small foundation since 1986 which has granted over $2.5 million to Alaskan non-profits. Skaggs has extensive nonprofit Board experience including: The Nature Conservancy of Alaska, Musk Ox Development Corporation, Alaska Conservation Foundation, Pacific GIS/ Ecotrust, and the Juneau Sailing Foundation where we co-started a US sailing youth program serving 100 kids a year. When not working inside, Skaggs is an avid skier, hunter, hiker, and sailor. Sitka is now home, and 3 of his children attended SFAC starting in middle school through high school. “Working with the Board and Staff of the Sitka Fine Arts Camp is one of the best experiences of my life” Skaggs says. |
Molly Kabler |
Sue Litman |
Mary GoddardMary Goddard, Board Secretary is an Alaska Native Artist. Her art includes contemporary carved and woven jewelry using traditional material and metals, it includes installation art, film and television projects and her blog Plantguru.org which shares knowledge and cooking tips about indigenous plants. Mary received a degree of completion at school at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. She worked on various film television productions such as Fireproof, The Grace Card, ABC’s show Lost, and she was also a Producer and Camera Woman for the show Coast Guard Alaska. Mary not only has a passion for the arts, but also for youth, she worked as a Family Teacher for Father Flanagan’s Boys and Girls Home and she continues to be involved with community outreaches. Currently Mary lives in Sitka with her husband Lucas and her son Ryker. She is continuing to work on art and film projects. You can follow her at www.alaskamary.com |
Marya Pillifant |
