Our CEO, (Cat Executive Officer), Root Beer.
Mission
Bunker Arts Collective (BAC) will create a robust mural arts and community volunteer program to combat widespread vandalism and blight negatively impacting small businesses, community organizations, and residents throughout the City of Everett, WA.
Murals are a very sensible solution to vandalism. By utilizing local artists, prioritizing independently owned and operated small businesses, and gathering input from property owners and residents towards the design and implementation of murals, we hope this program can inspire productive dialogue towards a more vibrant and stronger economy in Everett.
That’s not to diminish larger issues plaguing our city’s quality of life and needs.
In addition to public art installations, BAC is committed to adopting neglected passageways and public gathering spaces to collect trash, mediate weed overgrowth, and facilitate safe needle collection and disposal throughout the City of Everett. Meeting every Sunday, rain or shine, at a predetermined location, we believe this will chip away at obstacles negatively impacting all residents.
Plus, what better way to build community by cleaning it, loving it, and working collectively towards this shared vision?
By increasing access to public art and taking ownership of our city, BAC is hopeful these efforts will mediate widespread vandalism, create opportunities for Everett and indigenous artists to present their work to larger audiences, increase visibility for small businesses, and improve the quality of life for all who call Everett home.
Vision
By December of 2024, BAC visions at least 25 murals, by 25 artists, for 25 small and independently owned businesses, community organizations, and schools throughout the City of Everett.
In the 2025 calendar year, we hope to double the amount of murals, artists, and businesses/organizations that are able to participate while also doubling the amount of litter we collect, vandalism we remove, and team of volunteers to take on adapting landscapes.
We are eager to mobilize beyond Everett city limits and into neighboring cities throughout Snohomish County. Using every resource available to us towards an enhanced quality of life and an increased public art presence.
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Evan Reed (He/Him)
Founder + President
A proud alumnus of the California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo, Evan has called Everett home for the last two years while pursuing his Masters in Arts Leadership and Management from Wichita State University.
Evan has cultivated strong community engagement initiatives in his previous roles with the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, Imagine Children’s Museum, and AmeriCorps VISTA in Stafford County, Kansas. He is eager to cultivate a similar relationship with the City of Everett through Bunker Arts Collective.
He is currently the Director of the Marysville Boys and Girls Club.
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Mackenzie Colby (She/Her)
Vice President + Residency Artist
Mackenzie Colby is a multidisciplinary artist, currently focusing on projects in painting, printmaking, mixed media, and fiber art. Born in Abbotsford, Canada, Mackenzie has spent most of her life on the West Coast, roaming the beaches and forest floors for tiny moments of wonder. An avid collector of broken and discarded things, Mackenzie uses found materials as the juicy base of her relief sculpture-paintings, giving new life purpose to the objects. Mackenzie sees the act of creation as an experience of soul-connection, and enjoys the feel of the materials as she creates other-worldly terrains from earthly sources. Since a child, one of her favorite pastimes has been wandering through the silent power of nature with her animal companions for inspiration and peace. In 2016, Mackenzie began studying Visual Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and finished her bachelor’s degree at Emily Carr University in Vancouver, Canada. Her relief painting, “Toxic Garbage Island” was exhibited in The Schack Art Center’s show “40 under 40: Celebrating Women Artists” in fall 2022.
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Jen McGarvey (She/Her)
Secretary + Residency Artist
Jen McGarvey is a multi-disciplinary artist from Orlando, FL.