This past June, superstar artist Amy Burnett and Gallery Q4 in Bremerton came alongside the local Roxy Bremerton to support the foundation and the way it nurtures culture in Kitsap County. Burnett sponsored a pop-up art show, Escaping Isolation, in Bremerton to fundraise for Roxy Bremerton on June 14 and 15.
Michael Goodnow, of Bremerton’s Roxy Theatre and the Roxy Bremerton foundation, says the organization is thankful for Burnett’s help in fundraising. The Roxy Theatre and the foundation have unique roles within the local community.
“We’re really the only nonprofit-owned and operated theater of its kind in this area,” he explains. “We really feel a pretty strong connection with doing what we can for the community.”
The organization also aided the Seattle Black Film Festival in June and looks out for social justice groups that could use a helping hand.
Escaping Isolation took place in the Amy Burnett Building in downtown Bremerton and featured Burnett’s artwork that began as her Project Isolation pieces. At the fundraiser, attendees were able to participate in a giveaway for prints of Burnett’s work and other goods. In addition, they could vote on their favorite painting from the exhibit. The best-voted painting went to the Roxy Theatre as a donation from Burnett.
Project Isolation “started four years ago, when COVID was at it’s worst,” explains Burnett. She felt the deep-seated fear and disconnection of those in the community and wanted to help. Later, she realized that the building she owned had a plethora of window space and could be the perfect place to offer a semblance of community. She displayed portraits in the windows for people to view as a source of human connection.
Burnett has taken the paintings from Project Isolation and continued to re-create them. The pieces in the Escaping Isolation fundraiser are the same canvases from the original Project Isolation, with many years, layers and paintings added over the top.
Burnett is a very accomplished artist. She has four degrees, has been on television, is a published author, has spoken at the Seattle Art Museum and was in the top 10% of earning artists in the United States. She has been a major part of Kitsap County and the art world. Having her aid the Roxy Bremerton foundation was a blessing.
The Roxy Bremerton needs and appreciates ongoing assistance. “We’re a community asset that’s going to require community support,” Goodnow says.
He says support will be especially important for the rest of the year and likely into 2025. In July, the city broke ground on one of its new projects, Quincy Square, located across the street from the Roxy Theatre. “We’re very excited [for] … what is going to be a new Quincy Square,” Goodnow says. “The theater is sort of considered center stage.”
The creation of Quincy Square may temporarily discourage business for Roxy Theatre due to the construction in the immediate area, Goodnow adds. Therefore, it’s paramount for the community to provide support to the Roxy Theatre and the Roxy Bremerton foundation during that period.
Those interested in supporting the foundation can donate online at roxybremerton.org, volunteer or become a Roxy Movie Club member.
“A fun thing to do is join our movie club,” Goodnow says. “For 50 bucks a year, you get some great discounts and can easily get your money back on that, just by being a regular.”
Keep an eye out for ways to support Roxy Theatre and the Roxy Bremerton foundation, just like Burnett did.
Comments