Carbon County Art League and the Carbon County Community Foundation are co-hosting “Inspirational Stories from Community Arts Organizations” from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The Carbon County Art League’s September meeting will feature guest speaker/moderator, Amber Breiner from the Carbon County Community Foundation, to introduce the basics of what it takes to build a viable nonprofit. Breiner has been president and CEO of the Carbon County Community Foundation since 2017. The foundation launched the Carbon County Creative Arts Fund in 2018 through the efforts of community member/donor Kathy Fallow and an advisory group of volunteers and donors formed to organize fundraising efforts.

Their Art with a View event (planned this year for Oct. 10) is both an opportunity to raise funds to support nonprofit groups related to the arts and a chance to showcase and support the talented artists of Carbon County. She’ll also share information about funding opportunities.

Others who have successfully launched arts organizations in the Coal Region will be speaking:

• Deborah Cooper, CEO, the Arts Barn Gallery & Education Center in Orwigsburg, operated the Toy Barn, born of her desire to give her kids the best toys out there. Toys that were educational, fun and well made. Since that store closed, the space became a repository of all sorts of interesting, but unused antiques. The Arts Barn was born when she realized that most of her friends were artists, all hard working and very talented, and yet they had no outlet for their work except the occasional art show.

• Albert L. Evans Jr. is the founder and chairman of the WalkIn Arts Center in Schuylkill Haven. Established in 2011, Evans founded the art center with the mission to inspire, equip and celebrate the cultural and creative talent of Schuylkill County.

Since 2011, under the direction of Evans, the center has expanded to be a host to 19 in-house studio artists and 30 associate artists. Evans is known for his philanthropic work within the community and most recently was awarded the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, Lifetime of Service Award.

• Kevin Smith II, is the founder and developer of WagonWorks, an Artist Studio/ Maker Space in Tamaqua. Sensing the need for space to create, and while being involved in networks of Artistic and Community based projects, Smith worked with the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership to find a suitable building to buy and develop. It has transformed into a creative and collaborative hub that fosters ideas and encourages the imagination.

Inside of WagonWorks, visitors will find and meet a variety of artists, engineers, scientists, builders, musicians, thinkers, students and teachers. All inspiring one another to help develop ideas and express oneself.

“I am hoping that this program will inspire people to understand that we can build organizations like a community arts center,” said Carbon County Art League President Sarah Binder. “We, as artists, could be more impactful if we had a place where people could come together to learn and express themselves.”

If you are not a current member of the Carbon County Art League, RSVP through Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inspirational-stories-from-community-arts-organizations-tickets-66597768719 or email info@carboncountyart.com.

The event is in the yoga studio at Seventh Moon Wellness Spa, 701 Bridge St., Suite B103, Lehighton. Access the yoga studio through their main lobby.