Kent plans open house Jan. 27 about Earthworks bicycle tour in June

The Kent Arts Commission invites residents, businesses and bicycling enthusiasts to an Open House, from 4-6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27 at the Kent Senior Activity Center, Room 9, 600 E. Smith St.

The Open House about a new Earthworks Bicycle Tour will begin with a welcome from Mayor Suzette Cooke, explaining how easy it can be to encourage bicycle tourism, according to a city of Kent media release. HLM Design will share their plans for artwork along the route, followed by Q&A. Break-out sessions will allow residents, business owners and bicycle enthusiasts to share information.

International, regional and local tourists visit the Green River Valley to experience four unique landscapes. The Herbert Bayer Earthwork, Robert Morris Earthwork, Green River Natural Resources Area and Waterworks Gardens attract people who are interested in bird watching, landscape design, ecology and art.

The Kent Arts Commission is connecting these unusual tourist destinations into a single, cohesive Earthworks Bicycle Tour on June 2.

The project is supported in part by an award from National Endowment for the Art’s Mayors Institute on City Design 25th Anniversary Initiative. More than 600 cities were eligible to apply for this grant program, with only 21 cities awarded funding.

Nationally, the arts sector generates over $166 billion annually in economic activity. Art is a key element to making cities attractive to grow businesses, tourism, and jobs. The Kent Arts Commission thanks their local agency partners for making this program possible.

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