Introducing Arivva
Pierce Center for Arts & TechnologyArivva seeks to transform lives. We start by providing visual arts programs for high school youth and post-secondary career training for local workers.
Arivva’s organizational groundwork embraces anti-racism. Our mission is empowerment through mentorship and learning. We cannot stay silent when we witness Black lives being devalued, degraded, and destroyed in our communities and across our nation. We are doing the work. We know we have a long way to go. We have to work together. There are things all of us can do to fight for racial justice. We invite you to join us in our commitment to listen and lead with courage, compassion, and humility so that life and lives can flourish in our communities. Black lives matter.
Arivva is a place of opportunity offering youth arts and adult workforce development programs.
Arivva is the first replication of the highly successful Manchester Bidwell Corporation in Washington State.
Our Mission
To transform Pierce County by connecting high school students and adults-in-transition to the opportunities and environment they need to build a better future for themselves, their families, and our community.
Our Vision
We envision a community that sees everyone as an asset, where problems become opportunities to create hope, respect, and belonging, and where every person has a pathway to success.
Our Philosophy
Environment shapes behavior
All people are assets
Creativity fuels enterprise
What We Do
Arivva seeks to transform lives. Our focus is on education and workforce development. We start by providing visual arts programs for high school youth and postsecondary career training for local workers.
But we don’t stop there.
We provide scholarships to all our students and remove barriers to access such as evidence of financial stability and prior achievement.
Arivva is a locally governed nonprofit organization incorporated in the State of Washington. Arivva is linked with the National Center for Arts & Technology (NCAT) and an expanding network of centers across the U.S. to adapt the Manchester Bidwell model of empowering educational environments.
Arrive
Get here, show up, and reach for it. Arivva’s students, staff, partners, and friends alike come to Arivva with strengths, talents, and abilities. Everyone is an asset. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Achieve
Do, accomplish, and realize. Arivva is about making and reaching goals in a culture of respect and dignity. Nobody succeeds alone. When Arivva’s students succeed, we all succeed.
Advance
Make progress, grow, and get ahead. With commitment comes learning and growth. At Arivva, together, we can make goals a reality. Then it’s time to celebrate and move on. Go for it!
Building on a brilliant model
Arivva is modeled after Pittsburgh’s highly successful Manchester Bidwell — an internationally recognized arts and education center founded by the renowned innovator and MacArthur fellow, Bill Strickland. Bill has spent the past thirty years transforming the lives of thousand of people through Manchester Bidwell. He’s shown countless others how they can build on their passions and strengths in order to dream bigger, set the bar higher, and achieve meaningful success.
Our Programs
No Cost, Full Commitment
All youth and adult programs are offered at no cost to any student. This includes tuition and supplies. We are grateful to the support of our donors who make this possible. We embed mentorship and personal development into our programs to set our students on a path to success.
Youth Arts for High School Students
Are you interested in the arts? Do you want to develop key social and leadership skills? Arivva partners with public high schools to provide after-school visual arts programs for local students in Parkland. After-school programs, coming soon! Check back here for more information.
Demand-driven Job Training
Arivva provides a second chance for our community’s unemployed, underemployed, and transitioning adult workers. We offer career training only for occupations that have strong demand in the local market. This allows workers to achieve financial self‐sufficiency with a living wage job.
Arivva is a place of hope and opportunity.
Arivva envisions a world‐class facility filled with cutting edge equipment and materials our students need to master the fields they are studying. We will surround them with art, plants, natural light, and beauty. Why? We believe that environment shapes behavior, so we are planning an incredible place to nurture the incredible people who walk through our doors.
We aim to open in Parkland in 2020. Keep an eye on this site for updated information.
Stay Up to Date.
Board Member Sarah Gray recognized in South Sound Business’ “40 under 40” list
Arivva’s secretary and board member, Sarah Gray, made South Sound Business’ list of 40 under 40! "Sarah Gray grew up on a farm in rural Kansas, where she gained a strong work ethic and passions for books, art, and agriculture. In 2016, a couple months after moving to...
Manchester Bidwell Corporation Annual Report
We believe in the power of “mentorship, education, beauty, & hope!” Bill's model has made a profound impact across the country. To see an example of this model in action, check out the 2018-2019 Manchester Bidwell Corporation Annual Report!
MCG Motivates For A Brighter Future
Derrick Wallace, a Carrick High School graduate, admits he didn’t have much aspiration for his future before enrolling in Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild (MCG) afterschool arts programming.
July 2020 Virtual Ceramics Class for Adults
Monday, July 6th, 2020, 5:30 PM –
Thursday, July 23rd, 2020, 7:30 PM
August 2020 Virtual Ceramics Class for High School Students
Monday, August 3rd, 2020, 3:00 PM –
Thursday, August 20th, 2020, 5:00 PM
These are no-contact classes, taking place entirely online using Zoom!
Connect With Us
For More Information,
Please contact Executive Director, Dr. Dan Bissonnette, at dan@arivva.org.
Small Actions x Lots of People = Big Change
Arivva is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, incorporated in 2016, serving students since 2018. We are actively seeking a combination of legislatively directed funding and donations from regional foundations, businesses, and individuals to secure ample funding and establish our long term endowment.
Join us in creating opportunities, building futures and launching careers.
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Pierce Center for Arts & Technology, dba Arivva
Corporate address: 618 North Yakima Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98403
Send inquiries to info@arivva.org