Bellevue Arts Museum is the Pacific Northwest's center for the exploration of art, craft and design. Innovative exhibitions, dynamic educational programs and special community events engage audiences of all ages in new conversations about art and the many ways in which it shapes our lives and communities.
The history of Bellevue Arts Museum parallels the growth of the city of Bellevue. In 1947, a group of extraordinary volunteers founded the Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Association, BAM's parent organization. They had two goals in mind: to promote the artists of the region, and to establish a cultural and educational center serving Bellevue and the greater Eastside.
The first event hosted by the Pacific Northwest Arts and Crafts Association was an outdoor Art Fair presented at Bellevue Square, a regional shopping center, in July 1947. Today, the Bellevue Arts Museum artsfair is the largest and most prominent arts festival in the Northwest, attracting an average of 350,000 visitors each year.
Bellevue Arts Museum was established as a museum in 1975, and has undergone an extraordinary amount of growth ever since. It was first housed in a schoolhouse, then moved to a former funeral home and later to the third floor of the Bellevue Square shopping center. It opened its first purpose-built home, a bold, red building designed by renowned architect Steven Holl in the heart of downtown Bellevue on December 31, 2000.
Deciding to tap back into the Museum's roots as a community art fair, BAM opened its doors with a revitalized vision of "illuminating and enriching the human spirit through art, craft and design" on June 18, 2005. Since then, BAM has garnered critical acclaim for its unique exhibitions and educational programs, and has grown to be a leading institution in its field and a vital part of the cultural landscape on the Eastside. The Museum is deeply committed to fostering Northwest artists and has showcased some of the most promising artists of the region. Four exhibitions originated by BAM have traveled to other museum venues, introducing on-the-rise artists to new audiences across the continent.
In 2010, BAM continues to further its vision. Featured exhibitions include Beth Levine: First Lady of Shoes, shoe designs by one of the greatest female designers of the 20th century, and BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwndown!, the inaugural edition of the Museum’s new bi-yearly exhibition competition, to name just two. New programs include INDULGE, a jewelry marketplace held February 5 - 7, and several symposia inspired by the Museum's exhibitions. 2010 also marks the 64th anniversary of the annual Bellevue Arts Museum artsfair, still held at Bellevue Square. |
