Sumner Gets Grant for Artsy Alley, Courtesy of Tully’s Coffee

Thanks to a service grant funded by Tully’s Coffee, Sumner will have the opportunity to plan, design and build a neighborhood gathering place.

Tully’s has partnered with Pomegranate Center, an Issaquah-based nonprofit dedicated to designing and implementing community gathering spaces, to convert a Sumner downtown alley into an “art-filled community gathering space.”             

“The shorthand way to describe it is, Pomegranate Center is like Habitat for Humanity for outdoor spaces,” said Carmen Palmer, communications director for the City of Sumner.

The area selected for the art installment is the alley between and .

“Pomegranate Center believes every neighborhood deserves a community space where people of all ages can get to know each other and, over time, build trust,” said Milenko Matanovic, executive director of Pomegranate Center. “When a community is involved in design and construction of a space, the pride and ownership increases significantly. Our partnership with Tully's Coffee is an incredible opportunity to expand our reach and stimulate a gathering places movement.”

Pomegranate Center will provide materials and resources and will work with a local steering committee for the design. They are currently seeking local artists and architects to lead the project.

Palmer said that the steering committee is made up of volunteers from the Sumner School District, Arts Commission, Downtown Association and other key community groups. They met for the first time on Thurs., May 12. A large community forum, where the committee will take public input for the project, is tentatively scheduled for June 18.

The group is scheduled to begin creating the art Aug. 5 – 6 and install it Aug. 7-8.

“What interests me is that [the Pomegranate installation process] is like an old-fashioned barn raising,” said Palmer. “It should be a lot of fun.”

Tully’s is a Seattle-based partner of , which has a manufacturing and distribution facility based in Sumner. The coffee giant teamed up with Pomegranate Center to launch four pilot programs in the greater-Seattle area.

“We were very lucky. When they gave the grant, Green Mountain said that one of the locations had to be in Sumner,” said Palmer. “We matched their criteria for the project and it was a definitely a very generous gesture, a way for them to give back to the community they belong to.”

The search began in March and locations were chosen based on areas of greatest need for a public gathering place. Ideas include natural and urban parks, amphitheaters or streets.

Other communities receiving funding include:

Hunter Farm Gathering Place, Wedgewood: Transformation of a mostly vacant area into an artistic community space, providing the community with a much needed recreation area.

: Creation of an outdoor gathering, learning, and nature space that is adjacent to the library.

: redevelopment of an existing and well-loved community park by adding additional social space.

Sign up to volunteer with Pomegranate Center here.