Creative Sanctuary

For over 10 years, Creative Sanctuary has been a cornerstone of our community—a vibrant 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to creative growth through artful living and connection. Housed in a historic building in Arcata, CA (known as the Sanctuary), Creative Sanctuary serves as a space where art, education, and music foster community connection and resilience.

Two weeks ago a powerful storm tore through our town, ripping away over half of the roof from the Sanctuary. Heavy rain poured in, flooded both floors, compromised the electrical system, and damaged all 19 rooms. In addition to the roofing damage, professionals are taking the interior walls and ceilings back to the studs to mitigate water damage. We have had to empty out the building and are expecting eight months to a year before we can return. While we are waiting on the total estimated damage costs and upgrade requirements, we know the insurance settlement will not cover all of the expenses.

We’re asking for your help to raise these funds, and perform required upgrades while the building is temporarily closed for construction. We will update you as we move through the process with a greater understanding of our needs, costs, and timeline.

Here’s what your contributions will go toward:

Construction costs not covered by insurance

Repair of the damaged electrical system and required upgrades not covered by insurance

Vital legal services to navigate the recovery process

A message from Katie Belknap:

I am grateful beyond words. The instant and ongoing demonstrations of love and support through time, venue and storage space, food, hugs, and monetary donations have buoyed me. It is challenging work running a community center and it is affirming to have people coming out of the woodwork to help see it through hard times.

As Yoko Ono said, "A dream we dream alone is just a dream. A dream we dream together is reality."