Thank you Nancy Frey

Ros Bird, Nancy Frey, Fred Wong.  Photo by Steven H. Robinson

The community gathered at a reception on Wednesday, December 7, 2011, to honor retiring Arts Council Director Nancy Frey, who is retiring after almost five years with the Shoreline - Lake Forest Park Arts Council.

Shoreline Deputy Mayor Will Hall and Bob Pfeiffer, Arts Board President, spoke of Nancy's accomplishments at the Shoreline - LFP Arts Council.

“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council,” said Ms. Frey. “With its terrific board of directors and staff, this organization plays an extremely important role in the local community and truly fulfills its mission to make the arts accessible to all.  

"After 23 years as an administrator in nonprofit arts organizations, I plan to pursue some contract grant writing, travel, and focus on my own creative writing. I hope I have helped to advance the Arts Council and wish it all the best in its future endeavors.”

The reception also served to welcome new director Fred Wong, who joins Shoreline - LFP after almost a decade as Arts Director in Lynnwood.

He shared his philosophy of art as part of life.  “Another aspect of community arts is that the arts solve community problems, whether related to community building, civic engagement, education, or crime prevention. I believe strongly that arts organizations, artists, need to partner with non-arts groups to find creative solutions to community needs. I believe a community that strongly supports the arts will be a strong community.”

Ros Bird was the original director of the Arts Council, instrumental in molding and shaping the organization into a professional arts group.