Art of Giving exhibition raises $4,260 for two Edmonds churches

A charity art exhibition in Edmonds, Washington, sold 102 works and generated $4,260 for St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and Grace Church. The Sept. 12 event brought together more than 30 artists, church members and volunteers for a fundraiser built around art, community support and local partnerships.

Why it matters: - The Art of Giving exhibition turned art sales into direct support for two Edmonds churches facing fundraising needs. - The event also connected artists, churches and volunteers around a community fundraiser that blended cultural exchange with charitable giving.

What happened: - The International Charity Artists Association, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and Grace Church hosted the Art of Giving charity exhibition on Sept. 12 at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Edmonds, Washington. - About 140 people attended the event. - Organizers said 102 works sold, including 58 paintings and works of calligraphy. - Reported sales reached $8,757, not including payments collected directly by some artists. - The event collected $260 in additional donations and recorded $846 in tax obligations. - Final allocations totaled $2,200 to St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, $2,060 to Grace Church and $3,955 in compensation to participating artists. - Together, St. Alban’s Episcopal Church and Grace Church received $4,260.

The details: - The exhibition grew from a conversation between ICAA founders Eva Deng and Tianyu Zhang after they learned that Grace Church was facing fundraising challenges. - One artist first offered a donated work, and other artists followed by contributing pieces at reduced prices. - Members of both churches, ICAA interns and community volunteers handled transportation, installation and event-day operations. - More than 30 artists contributed paintings, calligraphy, origami and other works. - Participants included Zuolie Deng, a longtime member of the local Chinese arts community and honorary chair of the ICAA Art Review Committee. - Other featured artists included Chinese artist Changming Cai and Seattle-area artist Stu Hitchner. - Wenshi Chen, vice president of the Oregon Chinese Artist Association, led a delegation to the exhibition. - Artists shipped or personally delivered work from China, Canada, New York, Portland and the Seattle area. - Work by ICAA youth art member Jessie Baum drew strong interest from visitors. - A piece by University of Washington student artist Xiangyi Deng was the first artwork sold at the event. - The opening program included remarks from Eva Deng, Edmonds City Councilmember Will Chen, Shiao-Yen Wu, Zuolie Deng, the Rev. Joshua Ng of Grace Church and the Rev. Greg Peters of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church. - The program also featured live artistic performances. - More information is available in the organization’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The event shows how local faith communities can use the arts as both a fundraising tool and a way to widen their reach beyond their own congregations. - The participation of artists from multiple regions suggests the exhibition functioned as a broader cultural gathering, not just a neighborhood fundraiser. - Youth participation and early sales helped signal both community engagement and market interest in the work on display.

What's next: - ICAA said it welcomes artists who want to support charitable work through their creative practice. - The organization also invited churches and nonprofit groups in the greater Seattle area to explore future partnerships. - ICAA plans to continue using exhibitions, cultural exchange and public engagement to support charitable causes.

The bottom line: - The Art of Giving exhibition converted community turnout and art sales into $4,260 for two Edmonds churches, while strengthening a local network of artists and volunteers.