Three-block arts center opening this weekend in downtown Everett

A big chunk of downtown Everett has been transformed into a spanking new arts district that should bring new life to this former lumber mill town.

The Daily Herald reports the new Schack Art Center anchors a three block arts district in the city. It's a multipurpose facility with a sleek, urban feel that will have a kiln and flame working studio, professional and student exhibit spaces and multipurpose classroom.

The Center's showpiece is a glass-blowing hotshop production studio where visitors can watch artists at work.

Just above the art center is an Artspace, a popular housing network for artists that creates affordable loft studios for artists to live and create in. The goal of Artspace is to break the cycle of artists getting kicked out of places they have turned from trashy to cool because they can no longer afford the rent.

"The promise behind Artspace is to stop that process because in and of itself, the building has affordable rents that do not go up. Artspace lets art do its economic magic," the city of Everett's Lanie McMullin told The Herald's Theresa Goffredo.

The Schack Arts Center is named arts patron Idamae Schack who will be attending Saturday's grand opening. The Center is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 1 at 2921 Hoyt Ave., Everett.