The Petersburg Arts Council began in 1973 as an all-volunteer effort. It continues in that vein today. The organization has fostered a significant amount of permanent community art in the form of sculpture, murals, park spaces, and brass sidewalk designs that depict aspects of life in Petersburg- it’s fishing heritage, Tlingit influences and Scandinavian connections. A wide range of performance artists have been brought to Petersburg through the Council’s efforts. The community has benefitted from performances ranging from classical to Acadian, bluegrass to contemporary singer-songwriters, as well as theatre arts. Despite our limited budget, these performances include local talent, as-well-as regional and international artists. In cooperation with City schools, we are able to use the Wright Auditorium as a venue. Through a generous anonymous donation in 2011, the arts council helped to upgrade and improve the sound system at Wright Auditorium, matching donated funds with a grant from American Seafoods and a contribution from the schools. These upgrades mean the community now has an all-around quality facility for performance art.