Clark College Foundation Partnership Helps Power a Memorable Vancouver Arts & Music Festival

The 2025 edition of the award-winning Vancouver Arts & Music Festival (VAMF), presented by the City of Vancouver and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA, brought thousands together in Esther Short Park and downtown Vancouver from July 31 through August 3 for a joyful celebration of community through the shared experience of the arts. Free and open to all ages, the multidisciplinary festival delivered four days of music, performance, visual art, and cultural connection.

In a first-time partnership, Clark College Foundation helped introduce festival audiences to an exciting mix of national, international, and Clark College artists, reinforcing the college’s growing leadership in arts and culture across Southwest Washington.

The festival opened with a newly added Thursday-night program, which quickly transformed the park into a lively dance floor. Acclaimed Inuit soul band Pamyua energized the crowd with a genre-defying blend of traditional Yup’ik drum dancing and contemporary influences, including gospel, R&B, jazz, and funk. Immediately following, Tito Puente, Jr. & his Latin Jazz Orchestra delivered a high-energy performance celebrating the musical legacy of the legendary Tito Puente, drawing families, music lovers, and dancers together for an unforgettable start to the weekend.

Clark College Foundation’s collaboration extended throughout the festival, helping present a wide range of artists and experiences:

• The U.S. premiere of globally acclaimed, family-friendly Quebec comedic circus duo The Kif-Kif Sisters, whose playful acrobatics delighted audiences across multiple performances.
• Surprise pop-up antics from Seattle-based Clown Garage, featuring performers with GRAMMY and Cirque du Soleil credentials.
• Featured faculty and student artists from Clark College’s Visual Arts, Culinary Arts, and Music departments, including exhibitions, live performances, and opening-night treats that showcased the depth of creative talent emerging from the college.

“Clark College Foundation is proud to spotlight Clark College’s leadership in arts and culture through this bold new collaboration,” said Calen Ouellette, CEO of Clark College Foundation. “By connecting local and global artists with our community, we’re amplifying creativity, access, and the vibrant cultural spirit of Clark County.”

Following the energetic opening night, the festival continued through Sunday with standout evening concerts by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra USA, conducted by Maestros Salvador Brotons and Gerard Schwarz. Audiences experienced performances by Mark & Maggie O’Connor, global superstar soprano Renée Fleming, and guitarist Sharon Isbin, whose Northwest premiere drew enthusiastic acclaim. A special pre-concert performance by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Youth Virtuosi USA showcased 54 student musicians from 11 Southwest Washington schools.

Festivalgoers also explored a juried art exhibit curated by multidisciplinary artist Sharon Svec, alongside a Clark College student exhibition featuring work across watercolor, photography, digital drawing, painting, and more, further highlighting the college’s role as a hub for emerging artists.

Across three outdoor stages and numerous interactive spaces, attendees experienced a vibrant tapestry of rock, folk, jazz, soul, Cajun, salsa, poetry, circus arts, and hands-on creative activities. The result was more than a festival; it was a powerful reminder of how the arts bring communities together.

Through this inaugural partnership, the Clark College Foundation not only elevated Clark artists but also expanded access to world-class cultural experiences for the entire region. The weekend underscored the extraordinary creative resources available locally, whether pursuing a degree toward a creative career or engaging in lifelong artistic expression.

As the final performances closed and the crowds drifted from the park, one thing was clear: the Vancouver Arts & Music Festival once again succeeded in uniting the community through the universal language of the arts, and Clark College was proudly at the center of it.