1974 - Arts activists formed the Arts Council of Snohomish County as the private, nonprofit organization offering performing arts events and visual arts. Over time, the focus became visual arts and artist support.

1975 - Official designation as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit was received. The same year, donated labor and grant funds led to the creation gallery space for art exhibits.

1975 - William Monlux, the Arts Council’s first President, writes a feature article about the increasing number of artists in Snohomish County.

1979 - The Arts Council offered an annual performance series, Centerstage, an annual arts festival, Equinox, fundraisers and art for sale in its downtown offices.

1981 - The Coffee & Dessert Affair Fundraiser was hosted at the Roof Garden Restaurant located in the Medical Dental Building.

1982 - The Arts Council moved into a storefront on the SW corner of Colby and Hewitt, donated by First Interstate Bank.

1982 - The 1st Annual H’Arts Benefit Auction was held at the Everett Pacific Hotel.

1983 - Artists began to generate sales by hanging their art on the office walls and in the storefront windows. This had a noticeable effect on narrowing the growing gap between Council expenditures and revenue, as well as boosting the visual arts aspect of a group dedicated to the arts.

1984 - Exhibits started to generate income while allowing the organization to hire its first Director.

1985 - 1988 - Faced with a growing deficit, the Arts Council began cutting back their Centerstage programs. While working with local banks, the Arts Council was able to get out of debt for the first time.

1985 - The Arts Council’s first Opening Reception was held. It was attended by four people - the artist, the Gallery Director, a Board Member and their spouse.

1987 - Following a fire at ECC, which destroyed the college’s gallery, the Arts Council shared their facility space. The premier exhibit was a show of Dale Chihuly’s recent work.

1987 - Seed money for the annual High School Senior Scholarship fund was donated by the Creative Arts Association. This scholarship became known as the Susan Jane Russell Scholarship Fund, giving out more than $5000 every year.

1989 – The council formed an alliance with the Everett Cultural Commission and the Everett Symphony to share a building at Colby and California in downtown Everett. Five years later, the alliance moved to the Monte Cristo on Wall Street. There, programs evolved to meet expressed community needs.

1990 - The Arts Council begins their Opportunities for Artists Newsletter focused on highlighting art related news in Snohomish County.

1991 - Exposures exhibit featuring James Arrabito, Rich Frishman, and John Lindstrom.

1991 - The Arts Council hosts its inaugural exhibit at the new home of the Everett Center for the Arts.

1991 - Our Art Alternatives Program begins at Denney Juvenile Justice Center. This program is still run by Henri Wilson.

1992 – At the request of teachers and parents, education programs launched to fill a void left by school budget cuts.

1992 - The Arts Council hosts it’s first Artist of the Year sol

1993 – Weekly art classes began as outreach to incarcerated teens at Denney Juvenile Justice Center. In 2006, classes expanded to youth in PASS-Program Alternative to Secured Sentencing; and in 2015, classes were added for homeless youth served by Cocoon house.

1994 - In June, the Arts Council announces they will move the Everett Center for the Arts to the Monte Cristo on the corner of Hoyt & Wall. The Grand Opening Exhibition at the Monte Cristo featured The Intricate Art of James L. Davis (1994 Artists of the Year).

1995 - A solo exhibition by renowned glass artist, William Morris was the highlight of the season.

1996 - Boeing donates $7000 to continue Art Education Development and the Art Education in Action programming featuring artists at work, exhibitions, and classes.

1997 – Teacher workshops were first offered to satisfy continuing education credits. By 1999, accredited art technique classes were added to meet training needs of classroom teachers.

1997 - Our longest serving Volunteers, Mildred Prince and Maryalice Salget were recognized and celebrated for their commitment to the arts in our community.

1997 - The Gallery Store reached $100,000 in sales and to this day, continues to be a valuable source of income for the Schack and over 250 artists from the Pacific Northwest.

1999 - Curator and collector Peter Newland put together the Arts Council’s most extensive exhibition, The Art of Puppetry Exhibition, and the first full color printed catalog was created.

2000 - The Arts Council began a feasibility study to find a permanent facility that would house studios, galleries, and offices. They also established their first website and email!

2001 - Girl’s Night Out broadened to include performance artists and multiple activites for patrons.

2002 - The Arts Council received the Richard Wendt Award of Excellence for outstanding support of the arts.

2003 - The Artists’ Garage Sale expanded outside of the Rosehill Community Center in Mukilteo.

2003 - The Arts Council received a donation of 17.5 acres, formerly the Weyerhaeuser Kraft Mill Site. This donation was facilitated by CJ Ebert.

2003 - A Possible Day on the Farm book was written and illustrated by the Youth in our Art Alternatives Program under Henri Wilson.

2004 – We took over the Everett Parks & Recreation department’s community art classes and expanded offerings.

2004 - Fresh Paint Festival expanded into a 2 day event and H’Arts grossed over $150,000 for the first time.

2005 - We closed on the sale of the Weyerhaeuser Property, netting $1.3 million for the future facility.

2006 – With programs at capacity and no room to grow, a capital campaign was launched to build a new visual arts education center.

2006 - A Glass Quilt was created by local artists and sold for $20,000 as our first fundraiser. The quilt was donated back to the Schack.

2006 - Launched our Capital Campaign with the help from our Campaign Steering Committee and the Collins Group.

2007 + 2008 - Hired ARC Architects and began the design of the Visual Arts Education Center. Finalized the Condominium Agreement with Artspace and the City of Everett.

2009 - In February we held the groundbreaking ceremony for the Arts Council and Artspace Facility.

2009 - In September, the Arts Council announced the new name of the facility, The Schack Art Center. “The Center is living proof for today, tomorrow, and forever of John and Idamae’s way of being in this world. Which is: If you can imagine it, it can happen.”

2010 - By October, we had reached the $6,000,000 goal for the Capital Campaign.

2011 - The Grand Opening of Schack Art Center was held on April 30 and May 1.

2011 - Our Emerging Young Artist Gallery was created, we held our first Membership Drive, and Schacktoberfest Celebration.

2011 - Our “First Gather” was held in the Hot Shop on March 22. John Kiley was our Hot Shop Director.

2011 - AOY Paul Vexler held his exhibition, Pattern, Shape, Structure in our new gallery spaces.

2012 - Our first Teen Night was held and we continue the tradition on every 3rd Thursday of the month.

2014 – The Schack was awarded the Governor’s Arts Heritage Award for Arts Organization.

2016 – The Schack mezzanine was completed adding additional gallery space and specialized production studios for drawing/painting, metalsmithing, lapidary, and printmaking. That same year, the Schack hosted a high-profile exhibit by American Artist, Chuck Close.

2020 - Immediately following our H'Arts Auction, Covid lockdown began and the Schack Art Center started offering virtual tours, art lessons, remote learning, and studio tours.

2020 - The Schack reopened with social distancing for our American Graffiti: From the Streets Exhibition.

2021 - The H'Arts Auction was held virtually for the first time.

2022 - A new program, Art Sparks, was created and brought over 5,000 Schack Bags filled with lesson plans and art supplies to local grade schools.

2022 - Schacktoberfest made its return with a glass pumpkin patch filled with over 1,000 handblown pumpkins.

2024 - Our H'Arts auction raised over $315, 000 for our arts education programs.