If you are familiar with Spokane, you have probably seen the art of Harold Balazs. Balazs was responsible for many pieces of art throughout the community, including the “Lantern” sculpture outside the INB Performing Arts Center. He passed away in January of 2018, but his legacy endures through his art and through the many lives he impacted.
A longtime resident of Mead, Balazs received many accolades for his artwork, and he also mentored artists who have now become mentors themselves. One was Ken Spiering, who is known for the red wagon at Riverfront Park and who went on to establish the Art & Soul Foundation to raise funds for the arts. Art & Soul maintains an agency fund at Innovia Foundation, and now they are establishing the Harold Balazs Creating Wonder Scholarship.
Students from anywhere in Spokane County will be able to apply. The $1,000 scholarship will help recipients study art and eventually pass their inspiration down to the next generation of artists—just as Harold Balazs did. Balazs understood how vital art is to our community, to help people of all ages think in a new ways and find inspiration even during challenging times. His vision will live on in Spokane’s many artists, who are constantly finding ways to make our region a more vibrant place to live.
